A 26-year-old Sandton resident, Phumza Tiya, has been chosen as Wonderbra South Africa’s brand icon.
Tiya, who is a part-time model and digital marketing freelancer, won a modelling contract and prizes worth R150 000 including lingerie, Lipault handbags and luggage, Gerald Wells and Dermalogica’s Splush haircare and skincare, a Fastjet magazine cover shoot at the Victoria Falls Safari Lodge and Zando shopping vouchers, as well as business mentorship, social media influencer training and spokesperson training for her personal brand.
The interactive competition ran from January to March and each month, three semi-finalists were chosen. Two of the contestants were chosen by a panel of judges and the third by a popular social media vote.
Andreas Henkel, commercial executive for Hanes South Africa which manufactures the Wonderbra lingerie range in South Africa, said that it had been extremely difficult to choose between the finalists.
“Phumza is now part of a proud South African and international tradition. We are truly local in all we do and design, develop and manufacture almost all our products in South Africa. At the same time, we are backed by a strong, quality-oriented global brand. The icon search is another example of how we value and are committed to developing our own talent,” said Henkel.
Tiya said that the entered the icon search because she believed it would open up new opportunities for her as a model.”It will help me to teach other young women like me to believe in their unique beauty.
“Being raised in a small town with limited dreams, I always knew that I needed to think beyond the immediate and never limit myself and my mind. So, while studying, I developed an undying love for modelling. I had grown up in a society that had always pointed out my skin tone and exotic look. That never bothered me because I had always believed I was beautiful,” she explained.
Tiya said that she draws inspiration from her mother as she is constantly working to better her life.”I also look up to all kinds of women who are confident about who they are and what they want from life, women who strive for nothing less than success.”
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