Katie Green (born 28 August 1987) is an English model from Chichester, West Sussex. Her potential was initially recognised by a Surrey photographer who arranged a test-shoot for her at Image Park Studio in West Sussex, paving the way for her successful modelling career. Green was originally signed to represent Wonderbra in July 2008, but the Premier Model Management agency immediately pressured her to lose 2 stone (28 lb; 13 kg) and two dress sizes. She ended her contract in October 28 when she refused to lose weight. She shortly afterward signed a contract to represent Ultimo which continued until October 2009 when Ultimo released her when she was photographed topless in violation of her contract. Green is unusual among models because of her height and weight and her refusal to lose weight to conform to the norms agencies expect of models. She initiated a campaign against size zero models. Green continues to model and has appeared in numerous publications.
Katie Green (born 28 August 1987) is the youngest of four children. Green is 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) tall[1] and in May 2011 weighed 10 stone 5 pounds (66 kg; 145 lb).[2] She was first given an opportunity to model when a Surrey, England photographer arranged a test-shoot for her at a photographic studio in West Sussex. She subsequently modelled for a group of photographers on a regular basis to gain experience. She was then introduced to a top London photographer for whom she began to regularly model. She applied for FHM's High Street Honeys competition in 2007, getting into the top 10 in 2008, but getting no further.
Some reports romantically linked Green to Liberal Democrat MP Lembit Öpik for a period of time, though both said they are just "very, very good friends."[3][4] They have been seen together in public a number of times in London, including Reveal magazine's fifth birthday party at Movida nightclub and a party for the 80th anniversary of the Durex contraceptive.[5] As of May 2010, Green has been engaged to Nathan Marsh, 35, a building construction manager with whom she is sharing a three-bedroom detached house in Northampton.[2]
Green was a shopgirl in West Sussex making minimum wage in the summer of 2008 and considering applying to join the police force when she saw a magazine advertisement for a model to represent Wonderbra. She figured she didn't have a chance but attended an open casting in London in July 2008 and had a few quick pictures taken in her underwear. A week later, The Daily Express newspaper ran a picture of her on Page 3, asking readers to contact them if they knew who she was as she had been selected as the new face of Wonderbra. Green contacted the newspaper and soon learned she had beat out 4,000 other girls in the competition.[2]
Wonderbra introduced her to the Premier Model Management agency, who she signed with.[1] She reported that "one the guys from the PR agency from Wonderbra" insisted that she lose weight, that it was normal for models to be a size 8.... Unless I could drop down to that weight, they wouldn't be willing to get me more work."[6] They arranged for two photo shoots with Wonderbra, and she appeared on billboards in London's west end and on the packaging for their D to G cup bras. with the message, D to G, because we’re more than a handful.[7]
They agency insisted that she needed to lose 2 stone (28 lb; 13 kg) and reduce her dress size from a UK size 12 to a UK size 8-10, she began to lose 7 pounds (3.2 kg) in eight days and got sick.[8] She expected modelling work to start flooding in, but she said every time the agency called “it wasn’t with an offer of work, it was to check on my weight loss. I was invited back to London by Premier. I thought, ‘Great, this must be for a new photoshoot,’ but they just wanted to measure me to see how much weight I’d lost. I had to stand on scales then a tape measure came out to do all my vital statistics.”[7] Her family contacted the agency about the demand that she lose weight, and were told, "We advised Katie that commercial and lingerie models need to be an average size 10 as is requested by the market sector she wanted to model for."[7]
She described the pressure to lose weight in an interview in a national newspaper and announced her decision to quit modeling.[1] She commented, "Had I lost the two stone, I would have looked like a bag of bones. I won’t sacrifice my health."[9] Wonderbra denied asking her to lose weight, saying "...we chose her because of her fabulous curves. Since discovering Katie, we have been delighted with how she looked in our new D-G range." It said the agency had adviser her to lose weight, which they did not agree with.[10]
Green was signed by the Unleashed PR agency and became the new face of Ultimo's D-G Range, alongside fellow model Melinda Messenger and Spice Girl Mel B.[11] Michelle Mone, founder of Ultimo, commented, "I was appalled to hear that Katie had been told that she was too fat to model lingerie. She has an incredible shape and represents real women throughout the UK."[11]
Green has been open about the fact that she had seriously asymmetrical breasts. When she went to the initial photo shoot, she was very self-conscious about her asymmetrical breasts. Her right breast was a B cup and 2 inches (51 mm) and two cup sizes smaller than her left breast, a D cup. During the shoot they inserted a silicone rubber prosthetic to enhance her right breast. She said that as a teenager she felt "terribly self-conscious that I didn't measure up" when compared to popular models. "Back then, I didn't know the images were manipulated."[2]
In January 2011, Green underwent a minimally invasive surgical procedure known as platelet injection fat transfer which transferred fat cells from both of her thighs to her right breast.[2] She didn't want implants. "I didn't want breasts like footballs," she said. She chose the treatment not for her career but for her self-esteem. "Honestly, my chest was the one thing I disliked about my body. I did it for me. For the first time ever, I have matching breasts as well as thinner thighs."[2]
In July 2009, Green launched a campaign titled "Say No to Size Zero" against "size zero" models, with Liberal Democrat MP Lembit Öpik.[12] They began a petition drive with the goal to put an end to size zero and underweight models on the catwalk or working in the fashion industry. They set a goal to obtain 20,000 signatures and plan to present it to the UK Prime Minister and Parliament. They are campaigning for legislation that would require regular health checkups for all models before undertaking any assignments. Tabloid newspapers reported Green and Öpik were dating, suggestions they both denied.[3]
In September, 2009, Green was photographed nude on a beach.[13] On September 26, 2009, Ultimo stopped representing Green, reputedly on the orders of founder Michelle Mone, when she broke the company's "no nudity" clause in her contract by being photographed topless while on holiday.[14] Others report that she was let go because she was repeatedly photographed topless at various beaches.[4][13]
MP Opik commented on Ultimo's dismissal of Green. "It’s a bit ironic if an industry which is entirely dependent on women’s breasts turns out to be embarrassed by a woman’s breasts."[14] Mone responded, saying "I’m trying to run a global brand here and I’m not going to worry about wee girls like her."[14] A friend noted that Green had "done topless modelling before and Ultimo knew that when they signed her." The friend also pointed out that Ultimo still represents Melinda Messenger, who is about Green's size, and that Jordan had worked for them as did Rachel Hunter, who posed naked for Playboy in 2004, before she signed with Ultimo.[14]
On 11 September 2009, Green raised £200,000 for various charities at the BGC Partners charity event in honour of employees who died during the September 11 attacks. Green joined Jonathan Ross, Sir Alex Ferguson, and Carol Vorderman at the event amongst others. Green filmed a small cameo in the feature film Get Him to the Greek. On 29 September, Green came third in a national poll conducted by The Daily Star to find the perfect celebrity body, beating the likes of Cheryl Cole, Mel B, and Victoria Beckham. Green has appeared in numerous publications, such as FHM, OK! Magazine, and The Sun. She was also voted one of the top 12 most inspirational women of 2008 by Company magazine.
She was asked to serve as a judge for Love It magazine’s modelling competition for size girls, The Love It Lovelies.[1] Green launched "National Measure Your Bust Week" at Debenhams on Oxford Street in London during the spring of 2009 with Ultimo creator Michelle Mone. Green was hired to represent Sony Bravia's new flat screen TV, which is the world's thinnest of its kind. They advertised the screen with the slogan, "Even TVs are feeling the pressure to be thin."[15] Green has also signed an advertising deal with a water brand for a TV campaign. Green appeared as a soccerette in the programme Soccer AM at the end of 2009. She is a Celtic FCfan.
