Semifinalists in the Male Face of Jamaica competition organised by Pulse.
-Winston Sill photo
Alicia Roache, Staff Reporter
THE FASHION landscape continues to change in Jamaica. Once upon a time, young men hesitated to participate on the female-dominated playground that is modelling. Today, however, there are an unprecedented number of young men who strut or want to strut, unfettered by society's dictates, the runways of Milan, Paris, New York, South Africa and London, as their female counterparts do.
Feminisation aside, the fact is that modelling is a job - and one that pays well at the highest levels. Models can earn between US $1000 and US$10,000 per day, a tidy sum for a job that requires few other prerequisites than good looks. And while the employment landscape continues to change and society begins to see the vast possibilities available to those who choose to participate in areas of work normally the domain of a particular sex, male models will continue to stride down the catwalk.
A MASSIVE STAMPEDE
The volume of participants in the two most recent model searches in Jamaica may suggest that the pitter-patter of the few male model pioneers has grown into a massive stampede, as more and more men try out to become the next big thing. The two major searches, the Saint/CVM Faces of Summer competition and Pulse's Caribbean Model Search, have netted almost as many male model aspirants as females. The CVM Faces of Summer Model reportedly saw "over 5000" hopefuls, both male and female. The semi-finals of that competition saw about 180 models, about half of which were men. Thirty-five of those men made it to the finals, held on Sunday, August 22, at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel.
The Caribbean Model Search, organised by Pulse, has, according to the company, seen over 7,000 participants in Jamaica and the Caribbean in 2004. Of that number just over 180 men were selected for the semi-finals, held at Villa Ronai in Stony Hill on Sunday August 15. Ninety-four of those men, aged between 16 and 28 years, were selected as finalists for the competition this weekend - a huge increase from the 31 male finalists in the 2003 competition.
The reasons for the increased participation of men in model competitions have been varied. Among the most common is the desire for gainful employment by young men with limited prospects and the promise of a life of glitz and glamour, fame and fortune. However, there has always been a need for gainful employment of young men. The increase may have something to do with the successes of the already established male models.
INT'L SUCCESS
In the past months both Pulse and Saint have had international successes with their male models. And with the industry now opening up to more black models, the time has never been better for an aspiring model. "At this point there are about 20 Saint models represented in Milan and London," said Deiwight Peters in a release from Saint in July this year. "This is indisputably the biggest fashion story to hit the Jamaican male modelling industry ever."
Among the Saint male models who have garnered international signings and local celebrity are Puma campaign model Kibwe McGann; Tafari Hinds, Kangol, Adidas, Enyce, Levi's and Diesel Jeans campaign model; and Colet Buckley, Armani and Adidas model.
According to Kingsley Cooper, the overwhelming response to the Model Search can only be attributed to the success of Pulse models, especially in those first 20 amazing days of January and since . During those '20 days', Male Face of Jamaica 2002 Serchen Morris, who had previously done editorials for Touch, one of Europe's leading urban magazines, shot for V magazine with noted fashion photographer Mario Testino. Pulse also signed Daniel Bernard to British agency Profile.
RECORD PARTICIPATION
With the record participation of men in the recent Faces of Summer Competition and the Caribbean Model Search, there are bound to be more male models in the industry soon. Many believe that this is a sign of the feminisation of a culture with firm limits about what it means to be a 'man'. To many, a male model is either gay or effeminate, or at best underemployed. He is a man doing a woman's job.
However, male models today are defying those stereotypes. Tafawah Thompson, Champs model and Mr. Jamaica Manhunt 2003, has firmly supported the position of the male model. Thompson explained the importance of the male model to the industry. After all, men do wear clothes too.
"It s absolutely not true', he says of the charge that all male models are gay. We live in a very homophobic society, which is understandable. I guess based on the whole thing of modeling, the first thing a person would think of being a model is a female - or if not a female then you would have to have female traits in order to be a model. That's not true. The reality of the situation is...that there are women out there who would like to see good looking men showing their bodies and putting themselves together in a presentable way where it's appreciated.
But with respect to the homosexual thing it's absolutely not true", he said.
And Serchen Morris, in a previous interview with The Gleaner, published August 31, 2003, and entitled 'Three heartbeats, one Pulse' said: "Well, male models do have a presence in the industry not as strong as the women, but we have our place. Designers are always making stuff for men and they are always showing them off."
