BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – SAINTS INTERNATIONAL model Crystal Cunningham of Trinidad and Tobago strongly advises aspiring models to invest in themselves and to always have the best personality and attitude.
“No one wants to work with ‘divas’, there is always another model ready and available to take your spot!” Cunningham told SKNVibes Pep.
Cunningham’s journey into the world of modelling and pageantry started in 2004 when she entered as a contestant in the Miss Trinidad & Tobago Pageant. Since then, she has participated in a number of regional shows.
However, it was her acceptance of an invitation in 2008 to compete in the Saints International Fashion Face of the Caribbean contest which proved to be an exciting new chapter in her life.
The agency’s CEO Deiwght Peters was impressed with her performance and vowed to get her on the international scene.
After working on her physical appearance to match international standards and taking photographs with New York’s best photographers, Cunningham was sent to South Africa.
She is signed as a commercial model with Saints and describes herself as a very outgoing person who loves food.
“I love to travel, meet new people and experience different cultures,” she said. “I love food, fashion and entertainment so it's not surprising that I also love to shop and eat. I also have this insane weakness for chocolate, and I'm also quite shy.
“I don't like to be put on the spot so I would never do karaoke! I'm happiest when the people I care about are happy - my family means the world to me and true friendships are treasured, honesty and respect are values I live by I'm true to myself and others so what you see is what you get.”
Cunningham said that while the industry is more than what meets the eye, it calls for a lot of investment which include time and money before one could develop into a professional model.
“Invest in yourself. In this industry your greatest asset is you, so spend a lot of time developing your mind and your body. Know the industry. There are different types of modelling (high fashion, commercial, etc.); so, spend time trying to develop a greater appreciation for the industry as a whole.
And, lastly, align yourself with positive people who can help you realise your dream,” she said.
Commenting on fashion industry in the Caribbean, Cunningham said there is a lot of talent (both designers and models) within the region and the demand for Caribbean models and designers is steadily growing within the international markets.
“I believe that we need to share our experiences so that we can learn from each other, thereby allowing us to further understand the dynamics of this industry and what is required to help us compete internationally,” she said.
She described her trip to South Africa as both amazing and a learning experience.
“I couldn't have asked for a better experience. Cape Town is naturally beautiful – majestic mountains, stunning views and romantic beaches. I also learned about my black history and got the opportunity to visit Robben Island, which was the prison where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 27 years,” she said.
During her stay in South Africa, she was fortunate to receive jobs for Levis (Levis footwear Campaign in South Africa), Oprah Magazine, DRUM Magazine, Ponds, Jillz Apple Cider (Amsterdam), Badila (Greek Catalogue - Spring/Summer 2009 www.badila.gr) and Bouyguese Telecommunications (France).
In terms of her future goals, Cunningham said she is going to explore other markets in New York, Miami, LA and Chicago, and would love to get into acting.
“While in Cape Town, I was lucky enough to receive a small feature role in a film which will be released for the World Cup. The movie is called ‘Themba’ and it's about a poor African boy who dreams about being a football star. However, his life is plagued by a number of challenges but he eventually makes it,” she said.
