Aidan sashays to top model final

Former Trinity school pupil in UK-wide competition

A NEWBURY man has made it to the final of the Top Model 2016 UK competition, after entering on the spur of the moment.

Aidan Owen, aged 21, a former pupil of both Robert Sandilands primary and Trinity schools, said he was encouraged to enter the competition after people kept asking him if he was a model, despite having no previous experience of the profession.

After spotting the Top Model professional model search competition, and because it raises money for the charity Children with Cancer UK, he decided to send in his photographs.

Life then got rather busy for Mr Owen, who works in retail in Reading, after he made it through the preliminary rounds and was whisked off to London.

“I had to catwalk and then I made it to the grand final,” he said. “It’s a fairly new chapter in my life.”

With three catwalks, including two designer-led spots, in the final at the Hilton London Metropole hotel, on Saturday, April 2, he is now planning his outfits for the third catwalk show, which involves wearing beach/swim/underwear.

The prizes include international travel, professional photographic shoots, London Fashion Week opportunities, beauty products and free hairstyling.

However, Mr Owen said the main benefit of the competition was that it had proved a good ‘platform’ for former contestants, one of whom had secured a part in a Star Wars film.

His London trip included a visit to Storm model agency, which has the likes of Kate Moss on its books, where he was told that, at six-foot tall, he was too short for the modelling world.

“Next day we measured me and I am actually 6ft 1in now – the last time I measured myself was about a year ago,” he said.

However, the extra inch failed to cut the mustard with Storm. “They said it had been a good excuse to say goodbye.”

He said he was very keen to support the charity.

“It’s a fantastic cause and I am happy to raise as much money as I can. Cancer’s ever-prevalent in our world.”

Watching his progress with great interest are his family, including his mother Lauretta, who lives in Kintbury.

To make a donation, visit the website www/uk.virginmoneygiving.com/aidanowen.