Saint International models Sigail Currie and Sasha Gaye Hunt will be the only Jamaican females on show as the prestigious biannual international fashion week cycle kicks off at Bryant Park in New York City today.

From February 13 to 20, New York plays host to Mercedes Benz Fashion Week, also known as Seventh on Sixth. For these seven days, the world's top designers, make-up artists, stylists, editors, celebrities and production crew will make 'The Big Apple' the centre of the fashion world.

Models.com has posted the show packages of the New York agencies and Currie, represented by Code Models, and Hunt, Fusion Models, are the only two female models set to appear.

The news comes as no surprise to Saint International CEO Dweight Peters.

Amazing feedback

"The girls have been getting amazing feedback from some of the most influential casting directors and show producers," he revealed. He also noted that one of his young male models, Creing Wittingham, now signed with Major Models, is also getting great feedback.

Several New York agencies have also indicated that strong options are coming from the best of the clients. Currie has already confirmed at least two appearances for the This Day Arise show and Farah Angansana. Her options include Izaac Mizrahi, Richard Chai, Philosophy, Herve Leger and Jonathan Saunders.

Really great response

Wittingham's agency, Major, has confirmed that he is getting "really great response", with options for top fashion players such as Yigal Azrouel, Rag and Bone, Marc By Marc, and Victor Glemaud.

Peters says Currie's option list reads like fashion's 'who's who', which includes BCBG, ADAM, Elise Overland, Juan Carlos Obando, Band Of Outsiders, Herve Leger, Y-3, Diesel, Haute Hippie, and Sophie Theallet.

Saint International is celebrating nine years in the business and Peters has also been invited to New York by several fashion heavyweights to celebrate with his models.

Ironically, this season will be bittersweet for organisers and participants. After 16 years, New York Fashion Week moves from Bryant Park to its new home at the prestigious Lincoln Centre, come September 2010.

Creing Wittingham