Kiwis grace China catwalk

Hannah Coulter, 15, at the Yi fashion competition.

Two Kiwi teenagers have traded life in Taupo for two weeks' modelling work in China.

Earlier this year Hannah Coulter, 15, and Samara Wilding, 17, were invited through a friend to take part in the annual Yi cultural fashion competition in Xichang, Sichuan province.

The event was looking for tall international models to showcase local designers' traditional Yi costumes and the girls grabbed the chance.

Though they had no modelling experience, Hannah is 1.74m and Samara 1.88m. They flew to Xichang on July 29 and are set to return home today.

Hannah's mother Belinda Coulter accompanied the girls as a "model's mum" and support crew. She said the pair had been training daily from "dawn till dusk" for the two-night judging competition, which occurred on Wednesday and Thursday before an audience of several thousand people and a Chinese media contingent of more than 200.

The girls modelled in the wedding dress section as well as modern interpretations of Yi costume and a specially choreographed ballet section.

Samara Wilding, 17 (left), at the Yi fashion competition.

Hannah is a Year 11 student at Taupo-nui-a-Tia College who plans to study medicine. She said she relished modelling the costumes. "They make me feel great and they're so different to what we normally wear."

Asked what she missed the most about home, she said: "A knife and fork."

Samara is on a gap year having completed high school and plans to become a vet.

"I haven't travelled before. I've got the travel bug now, I want to go everywhere."

She hoped to pursue further modelling work on her return.