It was a pair of first-time 18-year-olds who took the top spots in SAINT International’s Fashion Face of the Caribbean modelling competition on Saturday, June 1 at AC Hotel Kingston.

Deandre Carr and Arianna O’Connor were the winners in the respective male and female categories.

Avant-Garde Designer of the Year went to Karlene Levy.

“I was a deer in headlights at the announcement that I’d won. I was shocked behind the stage. I know I had to pull myself together to do my final walk. And I did, and I killed it,” O’Connor told the Jamaica Observer.

Carr shared similar thoughts as he also received plenty of applause from the audience upon the announcement of his victory.

“I’m excited. It was never expected, so I’m thankful,” said Carr.

Both rookie models found unexpected success on their first time out.

Carr was discovered by SAINT International’s Peters during a scouting event at his school, Denham Town High. The 18 year-old student decided to try his hand at modelling.

For O’Connor, her road to Fashion Face of the Caribbean was almost a missed opportunity when she was not in attendance when SAINT International first visited her high school. Luck would have it that their paths crossed this time with the help of a friend.

“Honestly, I wasn’t aware of Fashion Face of the Caribbean, and the stars it has created until I entered,” said O’Connor.

With such a big win, O’Connor is positive about her modelling career going forward, and has begam to prepare herself for whatever may come.

“I expect to hear a lot of nos before a lot of yeses, but I expect to have a successful career,” said O’Connor.

The Avant Garde Designer of the Year, Levy, has entered the competition multiple years going back further than she cared to remember.

“I was excited to win. The competition was really strong this year. Last year they come out in force, but this year they were really strong pieces. I know from I’m in the competition I have a chance, but hearing your name is just like wow. It was a beautiful feeling,” Levy said.

“I love jazz, but I do love the dancehall genre, so whenever I think about these pieces, as long as it has to do with Jamaica, I always go with more of a dancehall theme. So this is a futuristic dancehall vibe,” Levy said.

Peters was more that satisfied with the latest staging of the event.

“It was another stellar show. The energy of the audience was just palpable. It was exciting. The event in and of itself has really concretised and certainly reaffirmed SAINT International’s position as the leading model and fashion management agency in the country,” he explained.

Peters plans to raise the dynamics and the character of future SAINT International events beyond local expectations.