Invest in local talent

Private sector entities and governmental bodies are being asked to consider investing in local models, as these ambassadors seek to represent the nation proudly on all world stages.

This hope comes from former Miss Universe Jamaica, Davina Bennett, as she shared closing remarks at the end of Runway and Pageantry Master Class workshop held over the weekend at South Beach Hotel. Model Patrol, founded by Barbados’ Miss World 2018 representative Ashley Lashley, and Co-operators General Insurance Company Limited organised this workshop to help give young local models an opportunity to strut their stuff, and have a chance to be signed to Bennett’s ‘A’ Model Management (AMM), which is based in Paris.

In speaking to sponsors and media just before she announced the lucky entrants who were to be signed to her label, Bennett was vocal in her belief that more investment needs to be made in the sector.

“The models that are here have true talent, they just need a little bit more development, which means they need help from both private and public sectors that are here. It is not just for the opportunity of a foreigner to come in, and give an opportunity to these models, but for the countryman to also lend a hand and assist them in moving forward,” she said.

The former Miss Universe Jamaica also advised model hopefuls to be wary of the process it takes to make it into the modelling world. For her the road was never all glitz and glamour; instead, it took lots of patience and drive to reach a comfortable place.

“There is a development stage. A model is not signed today and on the international market tomorrow. If a model is signed today, she maybe on the international market next year. It’s a process, which means there has to be patience, determination and drive, and to continue to go at something until the time is right. If this is your craft, and this is what you love, it means you have to continue to work at it and perfect it,” Bennett explained.

Though the workshop was predominately about developing local models and selecting a few to join Bennett and her brand, a special effort was made to donate raised monies to the Barbados Council for the Disabled, as Bennett and Lashley always seek to give to charitable efforts in any exercise they undertake.

At the end of the presentation, the three young Barbadians who were selected for the international opportunity were Alek Murrell, Carly Jordan and Anne-Marie Ramsey.