Some of the finalists in the 'Jamaica Fashion Model' competition pose for the camera after their names were announced at the Villa Ronai in Stony Hill, St. Andrew. The finalists in the 'Petite Fashion Model' and 'Male Face of Jamaica' model competitions were also chosen at the event. - Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer THE SCREAMS from segments of the audience at the Villa Ronai, Stony Hill, St. Andrew, on Sunday threatened to shatter eardrums as the objects of excitement, several scantily-clad male and female model hopefuls, pretended not to notice the commotion they were causing.
They simply performed their best stage walks, posed, turned and exited as Pulse chose the finalists for their various fashion-model competitions.
The event began at approximately 4:30 p.m. when Pulse CEO Kingsley Cooper, who served as the compére, introduced the audience to this season's 'Petite Jamaica Fashion Model', 'Male Face of Jamaica' and the 'Jamaica Fashion Model' competitions.
The first group introduced to the audience, which was comprised of mainly of models' families and friends, were the entrants in the Petite Jamaica Fashion Model competition.
The 82 female contestants, dressed in bikinis of various styles and colours, made brief appearances on-stage and were boisterously supported by well-wishers. They were followed by the entrants in the Male Face of Jamaica contest. The 61 semi-finalists, again dressed in swimwear, also made abbreviated sojourns to the stage.
The final group of 117 models to take the runway were the entrants in the Jamaica Fashion Model competition. As these models made their appearances , Cooper explained to the audience that other finalists were being chosen in Barbados, Trinidad, St. Lucia, St. Kitts, St. Vincent, Antigua, Dominica, Cayman, The Bahamas and Guyana, for the Caribbean Fashion Model Competition.
DIFFICULT
After a 20-minute intermission the finalists in each group were announced and introduced to the audience. When it was over, 180 persons were chosen from the group of 260 to contest the individual competitions. The finals will be held at the Hilton Kingston Hotel's ballroom on August 31.
According to Cooper, this year's eliminations were difficult. "We had a very competitive batch of models from which we will see the bright faces of tomorrow," he said.
Last year's winner of the 'Male Face of Jamaica' competition, Serchen Morris, has already done several layouts in major fashion magazines. Meanwhile, Janelle Robinson, the holder of the 'Supermodel of the Caribbean' title, is currently signed to the Ford Model Agency in New York. 'Caribbean Fashion Model' winner Jaunel McKenzie is now a part of THE GAP campaigns.
