Celebrated Christchurch model Kirsty Lay dies aged 64
Friday 2 October 2026 · 3 outlets · 3 reports · updated 
Kirsty Lay, a prominent New Zealand model from the 1980s, has died peacefully on Monday. The Christchurch woman achieved international success working in New York. She is survived by her partner, children, father, and siblings.
Key facts
3 facts
- Kirsty Lay died aged 64 on a Monday
- Won the first Revlon Face of the Eighties in 1983
- Co-owned a Queenstown skydive company that sold for $17 million
The full story
1 min read · 3 outlets
Christchurch model Kirsty Lay has died peacefully on Monday at the age of 64. She was a prominent figure in New Zealand's 1980s fashion scene.
Lay won the inaugural Revlon Face of the Eighties competition in 1983. Following this, she moved to New York where she was represented by the agency Ford Models for many years.
After her modelling career, she became a businesswoman. She co-owned the Exposure Model Agency and a Queenstown skydive company. The skydive business was sold to an Australian company for $17 million.
She is survived by her partner Wayne, her children Holly and Max, her father John, and her siblings Nicki, Janine, and Mike.
Where reports differ
- Reports differ on the sale year of the skydive company, citing either 2015 or 2016
Compiled from reports by The Press, NZ Herald and Stuff.
How they headlined it
-
The Press
-
NZ Herald
-
Stuff via The Press
‘One in a million’: Celebrated NZ model Kirsty Lay dies aged 64 (opens in new tab)