International Fashion House Saint Laurent Chooses Saint Model As Face For Latest Campaign

Saint International has been enjoying remarkable successes in its 16th year. With four male models wrapping up Milan Fashion Week, and five models heading to Paris next week, the modelling agency boasts one more achievement in the form of 16-year-old newcomer, Jenese Roper.

On July 29, Roper was unveiled as a new face of the legendary fashion house, Saint Laurent.

"It's the first Jamaican model to be a campaign face for the global advertising print campaign for the legendary French brand," Deiwght Peters, CEO of Saint International, explained.

The company became popular through the creation of iconic and memorable pieces such as the tuxedo jackets for women, released in 1966 called Le Smoking suit. It is one of the most significant fashion houses in the world, a leader in the rarefied couture realm, with revenues exceeding €1 billion.

Roper won the prestigious Fashion Face of the Caribbean Model Competition on March 19, 2016 and was offered contracts on the spot, confirming with Premier Models in London and Why Not Milan. She was also recently confirmed with Elite Paris.

NECESSARY DEVELOPMENT

Usually, when a model is signed internationally, they undergo a period of development, before making their debut on a fashion week runway or shooting an international editorial.

"It is the first time ever that a totally new Jamaican model, who has never left Jamaican shores, with absolutely no international experience - no runways, no editorial, nothing - has been selected to front a major global campaign," Peters said.

"I was asked to make a submission to the Saint Laurent team, as I got information they were looking for a new face. Jenese was shortlisted and presented to the designer," Peters said. Roper and Peters then flew to Paris to meet the design team.

"Jenese has a quiet confidence and very competitive, so I had a good feeling about it," he said of his newly minted star.

The bold black and white images were photographed by Corrie Schorr and styled by the designer Anthony Vacarello in Paris.

- K.S.