Jamaican models take New York Fashion Week by storm
KINGSTON, Jamaica — SAINT International made a big impact at New York Fashion Week (NYFW), with its models walking for top designers and standing out during the Fall 2026 shows.
The SAINT International model factory, led by head honcho Deiwght Peters, had a conveyor of Jamaicans hitting the runways all over the city for the Fall 2026 Ready-To-Wear collections that ran from February 11 to 16.
Naki Depass ruled the roost with nine booked runway turns for the season with appearances that included American designer notables Thom Browne, Marc Jacobs, TWP, Laquan Smith, Cinq à Sept, and Area.
Her SAINT compatriot Dru Campbell joined Depass in the model line-up at Michael Kors’ 45th anniversary show at the Metropolitan Opera House.
Campbell, returning to The Empire State for her second NYFW go after making a debut in the American metropolis last September, started her runway assignments with yet another turn for the Coach show. The 19-year-old subsequently walked for five more designers including Tory Burch and Calvin Klein — both repeat clients — as well as Altuzarra and 7 For All Mankind.
Elsewhere, NYFW staple Tami Williams, who made her modelling debut at 15 in The Big Apple as a semi-exclusive model for designer Alexander Wang’s Fall 2014 runway show, booked three plum fashion house unveilings: Sergio Hudson’s eponymous brand’s 10th anniversary show; Cucculelli Shaheen by co-founders Anthony Cucculelli and Anna Shaheem; and Jamaican designer Rachel Scotta’s Diotima.
For the latter’s show titled “Femme Cheval” and inspired by late Cuban artist Wifredo Lam, Williams was joined on the runway by her SAINT sister Depass, who together were Looks 8 and 12.
SAINT male face Romaine Dixon meanwhile hit the runway for Sunday’s for Cult Gaia’s runway show titled, “Shirzan — The Gathering” by creative director Jasmine Larian Hekmat on look 43. Immediately following on the runway was Depass in Look 44 for the Los Angeles brand’s 55-look collection.
“The SAINT model army truly had a banner season in York for the designers’ and luxury houses’ fall season preview shows,” Peters told Observer Online of the just-wrapped sprint of more than 60 runway events and presentations that ran throughout the weeklong event.
“Naki in particular had a spectacularly fantastic season, and Dru built on her NYFW introduction from last year with another good run,” he said of the pair of SAINT stars.
SAINT International star Tami Williams in Look 16 for Cucculelli Shaheen Fall 2026 Ready-To-Wear collection at New York Fashion Week.
SAINT star Romaine Dixon in Look 43 for Cult Gaia Fall 2026 Ready-To-Wear collection at New York Fashion Week.
SAINT star Naki Depass in Look 44 for Cult Gaia Fall 2026 Ready-To-Wear collection at New York Fashion Week.