Kesi Asher, Staff Reporter
Model Jaunel McKenzie. - CONTRIBUTED
PULSE'S JAUNEL McKenzie is the number one supermodel on Vibe Magazine's hot list. The annual list covers the hottest people, places and things. In addition to being the top supermodel, Jaunel was the only model featured on a list that included Academy Award winner Jamie Foxx, who was rated number one overall.
PRESTIGIOUS A-LIST BILLING
Jaunel shares the prestigious A-list billing with personalities in entertainment, sports, business, politics and the literary arts. Among those on the hot list are her fellow Jamaican, Damian 'Jr. Gong' Marley; music mogul Sean 'P. Diddy' Coombs; actor/producer Don Cheadle; director/producer, John Singleton, recording star, actress and producer Queen Latifah; basketballer Allen Iverson; recording stars Mariah Carey, Alicia Keyes, Destiny's Child, Kanye West and Usher; Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai and Democratic Senator Barack Obama.
According to Vibe magazine, created by music mogul Quincy Jones, "Jaunel has corporate clout, is fabulous, has super sex appeal, is elevating the game, and is undoubtedly sparking a major movement in world fashion".
The Jamaican supermodel has moved from 29th to 25th position in the world rankings. Jaunel is also rated as the world top black model by models.com and has been kept busy with her hectic runway schedule in New York this week before heading to London, then on to Milan, Italy, with a final stop in fashion's couture capital, Paris, France.
McKenzie can be seen gracing some familiar catwalks as she headlines the main page of www.style.com. However, her fantastic run to fame began at home in 2002, when she won Pulse's Caribbean Model Search. Her journey into fashion began that February Friday when Pulse's chairman, Kingsley Cooper, took polaroids of Jaunel and sent them to Paris.
OTHERS
She was recently in Kingston, Jamaica, for a special Jamaica Trace editorial. Fellow agency colleague Kimanee Wilson shared cover honours with Sean Paul, while two of Pulse's new faces, Jeneil Williams and Adrianna Bryan, made their editorial debut.
"Pulse is confident that she will continue to break new ground as she blazes an indelible trail, giving Jamaicans even more reason to be proud!" the company said.
Other successful Pulse models include Kimberley Mais, Angela Neil, Juline Samuels, Lois Samuels and Nikki Vassell, Nadine Willis, Carla Campbell, Sunna Gottshalk, Nell Robinson, and Oraine Barrett. "Jaunel was outstanding from the day she came to Pulse. A photographer took a general snapshot at one of the preliminary open calls of the Caribbean Model Search the year Jaunel entered (2002) and she stood out from among the group," commented Pulse's Romae Gordon.
She added "it is important for young aspirants to understand that modeling is a business. Apart from the physical requirements, a good attitude, professionalism and a great personality are some key characteristics for success in the industry. Jaunel has been blessed with the physical and personal attributes that have contributed to her success. She is beautiful, intelligent, focused and has a great attitude to work. She is a great example of what a young model ought to be".
