CONTRIBUTED
A photo that appeared in 'V', of Saint models at Frenchman's Cove, Port Antonio in Portland.
Alicia Roache, Staff Reporter
There have been numerous accounts of model conquests and successes in the past year, but very little if anything has been said of the agencies which make these triumphs possible.
However, in March this year, Saint International made inroads into this largely uncharted territory by being the only Caribbean agency to be featured in V magazine's 'V are the World' Spring preview 2005 edition. V is considered one of the most prestigious fashion magazines in the world.
Nine other agencies were also featured, including Next (New York), Elite (India and New York), Image (London) and Storm (Estonia).
Saint's newest faces
The photo which was published in the magazine featured some of Saint's newest faces, along with long-standing models, on the beach at Frenchman's Cove, Port Antonio. The models were dressed in white bikinis or black pin-striped tuxedos. The shoot was styled by local designer Dexter Pottinger and shot by William Richards.
In an interview last week Deiwight Peters, CEO of Saint, said there was a decidedly Jamaican focus for the shoot. "We wanted to go strictly Jamaican. We felt confident with the models and with the people we represent," he said.
"We are confident that Dexter could pull it off as a stylist and that William, who is a noted worldwide photographer, could do a good job," he continued.
He also highlighted the use of swimsuits by Karamba and tuxedos from Beautiful Brides and Mr. Tux, both available in Jamaica. "It's a matter of achievement to see that their style was being featured," Peters noted.
focus on Jamaica
This focus on Jamaica in the shoot means a twofold achievement for the agency and for fashion in Jamaica. The selection process for agencies to be featured in the spread was not only dependent on having good models, as Peters noted, but also on having a professionally styled and photographed look consistent with international standards. The finished product, which was all Jamaican, apparently met those standards.
Many of the other agencies featured utilised noted international brands like Versace in their shoots, also choosing to go with international stylists.
"We didn't need all of that. We could capture the sophistication with our own... It's all a matter of capturing the Jamaican aesthetic," Peters said.
Ja on map of fashion
By capturing the 'Jamaican aesthetic', Peters' agency made the final cut. "It shows that Jamaica is officially on the map of fashion," he said.
Saint's feature in V is complemented by an editorial in the March 2005 edition of Sister2Sister, an urban magazine popular in the United States. The article, which features interviews with Peters, stylist Tyron Mayes and model booker Phil McGowan (IMG), is titled 'Off The Runways: The Jamaican Invasion.' The article, written by Walter Greene, examines the growth of the agency in its five years and the corresponding successes of its models.
In the article, McGowan describes the Saint sojourn as "the Jamaican moment". "Jamaican models are amazing," he says.
cutting edge models
Noted international stylist Tyron Mayes, who has proved himself a friend of Saint International, says in the article: "What I like about Saint International is that they have cutting edge models that achieve editorial and campaign success. That makes it easy for me coming to Jamaica as a stylist and photographing girls who have done Donna Karan, Dolce and Gabbana campaigns and such..."
The Saint models featured in the magazine includes male models Tafari Hines (Levi, Deisel, Kangol and Enyce campaigns) and Colet Buckley (Ecko and Adidas). The female models are Yasmine (Donna Karan and Kenneth Cole), Canise (MAC) and Nakeisha (Dolce and Gabbana and CK 1).
The V and Sister2Sister features represent a coverage of two vastly different markets and readerships, another notable accomplishment. Peters suggest that this is nothing less than a "powerful statement".
"Our quality is being acknowledged all over the world," he says. "It's all about whether a certain media has acknowledged you. It speaks to the superlative quality of the work that we are doing."
"It's just absolutely amazing. It is really the icing on the cake for our fifth anniversary."
