From the Jamacian Observer
Supermodel Jaunel's aiming higher
FashionBY Novia McDonald-Whyte Contributing editor
Sunday, January 08, 2006
Jaunel McKenzie has a distinct glow this morning. Her hair is finally done (this delayed the interview by a day), and her skin is make-up-free and flawless. The week in Jamaica spent with family and friends in Portmore, in addition to time spent in Ocho Rios and Negril with her beau, has also contributed to her glow.
Supermodel Jaunel McKenzie Photo: (Bryan Cummings) Model chic in a form-fitting Catch-A-Fire dress with white ballet Tess Giberson flats, an oversize Swatch watch on her wrist and carrying a brown leather Bulga handbag, it seems incredible that the world's #1 black supermodel just turned 20 in December. This, by the way, is the only difficulty.
Jaunel Mckenzie is no longer a slip of a girl clad in Excelsior High School uniform with exercise books in tow, but a well-travelled professional (able to treat her family to northcoast trips) with her sights firmly set on staying the modelling course.
"I'm still on a high from 2005's achievements," she shares, flashing her signature smile and playing with her white gold Gucci necklace that features a heart and gold diamond pendant.
"I completed back-to-back issues of the much-coveted Saks catalogues (autumn/winter and spring/summer - a rare feat). There was also the Pepe jeans campaign with fellow Pulse model Oraine Barrett, the Kenneth Cole campaign, Caribbean Fashionweek and walking the runway at New York Fashionweek for Oscar de La Renta."
McKenzie also boasts an impressive list of loyal clients, explaining to SunDay "I've been fortunate. I've never had to beat the pavements, portfolio in hand, in search of an agency.through my agency, Pulse, I'm signed to Select in London and Woman in New York, Milan and Paris".
She heaps praises on her agencies which work hard for and with her to ensure high visibility and lucrative contracts. No idle boast - the Saks catalogue shoot took place in Buenos Aires, Argentina and was a week of ultra-luxe living. McKenzie is, in fact, kept so busy that she's in New York a mere two to three weeks out of each year.
Her client roster is pretty impressive too, with the likes of: Victoria's Secret, Saks, Bloomingdales, Bergdorf Goodman, Next, Neiman-Marcus all calling for her personally.
McKenzie has also graced the pages of American Vogue a record seven times but, inspired by the successes and longevity of Naomi Campbell and Tyra Banks, is still not satisfied.
"I'm pretty impressed by them both," she shares, going on to explain that "even the sometimes temperamental Naomi Campbell is to be admired for her ability to constantly re-invent herself and to continue working in such a competitive arena.
Incredible as it might sound, Naomi has been modelling since what?- age 13, and has truly made a career out of it. Tyra Banks, with the successful television series American Model and now her own television show, is truly a force to be reckoned with."
McKenzie is refreshingly obsessive about her career and still gets a thrill whenever she sees herself in a magazine like French, for which her cover shot was done by Terry Legoues. At the same time, however, she agonises over the still elusive Italian and British Vogue magazines and wants to do more work with famed photographers Steven Meisel and Steven Klein.
"There you have it, my 2006 wish list," she says. "The wish list also includes a make-up contract, but with only four days left in Jamaica before heading back to New York (she's on option for Vogue) McKenzie is in search of sushi and wants to spend the next couple of days bonding with her little sister Sashaleen.