Photo: Ralph Mecke
Caribbean Fashion Rocks!, New Yorks signature runway for island designers and models, will be rocked this spring by three of the worlds foremost Caribbean-born fashion modelsJaunel McKenzie, Carla Campbell, and Oraine Barrett.
All hailing from the famed Pulse Model Agency in Jamaica, the super models, along with Pulse Chairman and CEO, fashion industry luminary Kingsley Cooper, will be guests of honor at Fashion Rocks 3rd annual staging at LQ New York in New York City on Sunday, April 25th.
Since its inception in 2007, Caribbean Fashion Rocks! has provided a unique platform for Caribbean designers and models to penetrate New Yorks renowned fashion industry. For the 2010 staging, Fashion Rocks will turn its focus to the regions burgeoning modeling industry, honoring Cooper for his pioneering role in developing an international modeling industry in the Caribbean, and producing the fashion industrys groundbreaking Caribbean supermodels.
Jaunel McKenzie is the first Caribbean-born model in history to be ranked the #1 black model in the world by Models.com. The Jamaican-born model was discovered by Pulse at the age of 16 during their very first Caribbean model search in 2002. McKenzie has built an enviable portfolio, with multiple spreads in Vogue 11 for American Vogue and one each for the German, French, and Italian editions. She has also done spreads for Elle, W, Vibe, Allure, and Victoria Secret. McKenzie has starred in campaigns for Tommy Hilfiger, Nordstrom, Banana Republic, and Addidas, and has walked the runway for Kenneth Cole, Catherine Malandrino, Derek Lam, Heatherette, Gucci, Dolce & Gabana, Louis Vuitton, and Stella McCartney, to name a few.
In 2006, Pulse model Carla Campbell was featured in the highly coveted Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, becoming the very first Caribbean-born model, and one of a select handful of black models to grace its pages. Also hailing from Jamaica, Campbell is also the second Caribbean model to hit the pages of Victoria Secret. Campbell has done editorials in Essence, French Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, Seventeen, Maxim, and has been featured on the cover of Esquire Magazine. Loreal, Nike, Avon, Eckored, and Footlocker are among her featured campaigns.
After escaping a brutal attack which left him seriously disfigured, Oraine Barrett has overcome hurdles and broken barriers to follow in the footsteps of iconic model Tyson Beckford, being the second Jamaican model to star in a high-profile campaign for timeless American brand Polo by Ralph Lauren. Barrett has also been featured in campaigns by Abercrombie & Fitch, John Bartlett, Phat Farm, Liz Claiborne, and Pepe Jeans, and has done editorials for Sports and Style Magazine and Japanese Vogue.
When most people think of fashion capitals, they think Paris, Milan, or New York City not the Caribbean, states Robert Clarke, CEO of Irie Jam Media Group, New Yorks leading outlet for everything Caribbean, producers of Caribbean Fashion Rocks! The Caribbean region has produced some of the worlds greatest supermodels Jaunel, Carla, Oraine, Tysoneven Naomi Campbell has Caribbean roots. It is an honor to have Jaunel, Carla, and Oraine walk the Fashion Rocks runway. And an honor to recognize Kingsley Cooper and Pulse, they represent the best of the best in the Caribbean fashion industry, and demonstrate how influential our industry is globally.
McKenzie, Campbell, and Barrett will be joining some of New Yorks prominent and upcoming models on the Caribbean Fashion Rocks! runway this April, wearing designs from local fashion lines including Michael Gillings, Jewel Shannon, Kay Dane, Rep JA, and Royal Rush, among others.
Irie Jam Media Group and Syntyche Dawkins for Social Eyes Entertainment Inc. present Caribbean Fashion Rocks! at LQ New York on Sunday, April 25th in New York City. The event will honor Kingsley Cooper, Chairman and CEO of Pulse Model Agency with a Lifetime Achievement Award. Featured models include Pulse super models Jaunel McKenzie, Carla Campbell, and Oraine Barrett. Featured designers include Michael Gillings, Jewel Shannon, Kay Dane, Rep JA, and Royal Rush. Limited advanced $30 tickets are available at Irie Jam Media, and several satellite ticket locations throughout the tri-state. Tickets can also be purchased online at www.iriejammediagroup.com. Showtime is 7PM Sharp. For more information, contact Irie Jam Media at 1-888-IRIE-NYC or caribbeanfashionrocks@gmail.
