Jamaican Top Model Jeneil Williams Lands Jean Paul Gaultier Campaign

International top model Jeneil Williams is no stranger to receiving coveted jobs in the fashion industry, but the Jamaican stunner has possibly landed her most memorable gig yet! Fashion giant Jean Paul Gaultier chose Williams to star in his latest campaign alongside Ginta Lapina, Hannelore Knuts & Maria Kashleva.

The Spring/Summer 2013 campaign, shot by Sebastian Kim, showcases the models portraying some of Gaultier’s most groundbreaking pop culture muses, Madonna, Boy George, David Bowie & Grace Jones. Jeneil was chosen to portray the edgy, androgynous Grace Jones. Lapina wears a rendition of the iconic conical bra designed by Gaultier that Madonna made famous during her 1990 Blonde Ambition World Tour, Williams sports an androgynous black suit which is reminiscent that of one Jones had worn, Kashleva goes for the New Romantics look Boy George made famous, while Knuts evokes Bowie during his Ziggy Stardust years.

Jimmy Choo Chooses Jamaican Top Model Jeneil Williams: Resort Campaign 2013

Jimmy Choo, who has become quite the staple for women’s fashion around the world, has chosen international top model Jeneil Williams as the face of the Resort 2013 ad campaign, as shot by Solve Sundsbo.

Williams was made known when she won the now popular Caribbean Supermodel Search by Pulse Models Jamaica, headed by Mr. Kingsley Cooper. Mr. Cooper has also made a name for himself for spotting talent. Williams is not the only model to receive international acclaim through his model search.

Models such as Carla Campbell (first Caribbean model on the cover of Sports Illustrated: Swimsuit Issue), Nadine Willis (known mostly as former face of Gucci) & Jaunel McKenzie (former #1 black model worldwide) have all benefited from Cooper’s competition & are all signed to some of the world’s top model representation companies.

Jeneil has worked with many other fashion giants such as United Colors of Benetton, Diesel & Lanvin, and has appeared in magazines such as Harper’s Bazaar, Teen Vogue, Russian Vogue & even the historic all black issue of Italian Vogue which featured the industry’s most revered black models of the past & present.

EXCLUSIVE Interview!! : Jeneil Williams

  

  

Pulse model Jeneil Williams cemented her claim as one of the world’s most important black models and a superstar in the making when she was selected by Italian Vogue for their special issue on black models to be published in July ’08. Jeneil was always a pace-setter. On her arrival in New York 18 months before, she was selected by Benetton for their campaign. Immediately, the edgy, dark chocolate stunner, was summoned by Anna Wintour, Vogue’s Editor in Chief, for a most crucial once over. After Mario Testino, arguably the world’s most respected photographer, requested a meet, the writing was on the wall.

 

 

 

  

Dre: What is your full name? 

Jeneil: Jeneil Williams 

Dre: Where did you grow up?  

Jeneil: Kingston, Jamaica 

Dre: What was your upbringing like? 

Jeneil: It was.. I won’t say hard but challenging which helped me to be strong and focused. 

Dre: When & how did you start modeling? 

   

 

   

Jeneil: I entered Pulse Caribbean Model Search and came second so it started from there. 

Dre: What agency/agencies are you signed with? 

Jeneil: Pulse in Jamaica; New York Models in New York and Ford Model Management in Paris. 

Dre: Has it been hard trying to make it as a black model or as a Caribbean model? 

Jeneil: I think it’s hard for some people and it comes easy for some; I think I am one of the ones it’s hard for but anyway you take it, modeling is not easy, it’s a lot of hard work and this year might not be for me but next year could be for me lol  

Dre: Job-wise, what are you currently doing? 

Jeneil: I am just finishing up Fashion Week. 

   

   

Dre: Would you describe your personality as diva-esque or humble? 

Jeneil: I am a very humble person. I don’t really talk much. 

Dre: If you were not a model, what could you see yourself doing? 

Jeneil: I might still be doing track. (athletics) 

Dre: What is your advice to struggling black models?

 

Jeneil: Well, I will say to them if you really want it don’t give up. Just believe and have faith that your big break is going to come one day. 

  

  

Jamaican supermodel Jeneil Williams

 

 

 

 

 

List of accomplishments
A multiple magazine covergirl, Jeneil’s list of accomplishments, other than Italian and American Vogue, Essence, Cosmo and Bennetton campaign, include the cover and 20 pages of Italian fashion bible BNM, Japan’s Neutral magazine, the cover of SHE Caribbean and America’s Trace. She has been Models.com World Model of the Week on two occasions.

 

 

 

Shot by the revered Steiven Meisel in New York this Wednesday, Jeneil is elated to carry the Caribbean’s flag in this regard.

To be recognised by Italian Vogue as one of the handful of hot black models expected to set the pace in the years to come, is a most uncommon achievement and Jeneil will be justly proud. For an encore, she shot a multi-page editorial for Essence magazine a day later. This is Jeneil’s second Vogue, as she shot American Vogue two months ago, also in New York.