After officiating at the South Pacific Games in Samoa in September, the stunning beauty returned home to Rarotonga just in time to take part in her first international fashion shoot for the popular New Zealand Woman’s Weekly magazine. Kauvai was also featured in SPASIFIK Issue 20 May-June 2007 in our special poster pullout.A decision by Women’s Weekly to add more local flavour saw Krystina chosen to model resort wear fashions on the suggestion of talented Rarotongan Beach Resort & Spa photographer, Paul Osta, who did the photo shoot.
Keenly aware that she was representing the Cook Islands and Pacific peoples by taking part in the shoot, she enjoyed gaining a real insight into how a professional fashion shoot is put together and all the ‘behind the scenes’ work which goes into it.
Then there were the perks “like getting to stay in one of the luxurious Overwater Bungalows on location at The Aitutaki Lagoon Resort & Spa.”
Other locations included Aitutaki’s first luxury private pool villa, Villa Te Arau on Motu Akitua, as well as a local school and colourful locations around Rarotonga like banana plantations, vibrant mural backdrops and churches.
“I loved every minute,” she says. “I learnt to trust the stylist (The Rarotongan’s Kim Davis) and the amazing photographer. I’d be asked to do certain poses that I thought felt silly, but after seeing the photos later I was pleasantly surprised at how good they looked.”
“To any girl thinking of entering a beauty pageant of going into modelling, I’d say give it a shot because you have nothing to lose.”
