An excited Sylvia Strijkers-Fletcher, 49, from Pāpāmoa met her idol Rachel Hunter at Hunter's book-signing at Whitcoulls store in Bayfair. Photo / Andrew Warner
An excited Sylvia Strijkers-Fletcher, 49, from Pāpāmoa met her idol Rachel Hunter at Hunter's book-signing at Whitcoulls store in Bayfair. Photo / Andrew Warner
Avid fans of Kiwi supermodel-turned-yogini Rachel Hunter lined up to meet her at a special signing of her new book in Tauranga.
At the head of the queue at Whitcoulls in Bayfair today, was 49-year-old Papamoa woman Sylvia Strijkers-Fletcher, who was clearly rapt to meet her idol at the signing of the new book, Tour of Beauty.
"I'm extremely excited but a bit nervous too. I'm one of Rachel's biggest fans and I had to come today to meet her face-to-face. I wouldn't have missed it.
"I have very closely followed Rachel and her brilliant career for more than 30 years and admire her so much I even named my 19-year-old son Liam after her son."
Strijkers-Fletcher said whenever there was a magazine article about Hunter she "had to buy it".
An excited Sylvia Strijkers-Fletcher, 49, from Pāpāmoa met her idol Rachel Hunter at Hunter's book-signing at Whitcoulls store in Bayfair. Photo / Andrew Warner
"I love the fact that Rachel is a New Zealander and so down to earth and she has such a beautiful personality. She is an inspiration to me and so many other women."
Strijkers-Fletcher said having Hunter sign her book copy with the words ''Love Rachel Hunter'' followed by a big love heart, was a special touch.
"I will treasure this for the rest of my life and I can't wait to read her gorgeous book."
Also in the book-signing queue was Pāpāmoa's Alistair Frankling, who said he was doing so for a friend.
"But I have followed Rachel's Tour of Beauty television series, and both series and her book are very impressive. Getting to meet this lovely lady in person is great."
There were lots of oohs and aahs, as many other shoppers pulled out their mobile phones to snap photographs or waited in line to capture selfies with her.
"You're beautiful, Rachel," yelled Bronwyn Te Moananui, from Bellevue, as she walked past the Whitcoulls store.
Tauranga's Diane Harnett, 70, said she and Hunter's mother spent hours together watching Hunter and her own daughter learn ballet on the North Shore many years ago.
"Rachel is such an amazing young woman and a wonderful inspiration for our girls to aspire to become. I can't wait to get home to read her book," Harnett said.
Rachel Hunter's Tour of Beauty tells behind the scenes stories of her successful TV series. Photo / Andrew Warner
Hunter was overwhelmed by the "heartwarming" response from fans around the country, including from those in "amazing Tauranga".
The key message in her book is there are "several aspects" to beauty.
"There is outer beauty and inner beauty," she said.
