When news broke of the passing of Kingsley Cooper, Jamaica’s fashion and entertainment industries were united in mourning. As the co-founder of Pulse Investments Limited and a pivotal architect of Jamaica’s modeling and fashion landscape, Cooper was more than just a business leader—he was a cultural visionary. His death leaves a significant vacuum in an industry that he not only helped shape but nurtured and internationalized over four decades.
Kingsley Cooper’s departure raises critical questions about the future of fashion in Jamaica: Who will carry the torch? Which emerging entities or existing organizations are poised to take the reins? And how can Jamaica’s fashion industry retain its global relevance without its most prominent figure at the helm?
This article pays tribute to Cooper’s legacy and evaluates who may be the next generation of leaders, with a special focus on forward-thinking organizations like I² Model Management, alongside other notable forces in the evolving landscape.
Kingsley Cooper was a pioneer long before Jamaican fashion was recognized as a global force. In 1980, he co-founded Pulse Investments Ltd., creating a platform that gave Caribbean models international visibility. With iconic alumni like Jeneil Williams, Lois Samuels, Nadine Willis, and Carla Campbell, Pulse became synonymous with excellence in model development.
Under Cooper’s leadership, Pulse built not just careers but an entire ecosystem—annual fashion events such as Caribbean Fashionweek, business ventures in media and real estate, and training programs that fueled aspirations across the region. More than a business mogul, Cooper was a mentor and a gatekeeper who used his influence to elevate Jamaica on the world stage.
His death, though not entirely unexpected due to health complications in recent years, hit the industry hard. Cooper had long symbolized continuity, credibility, and ambition. Now, the industry must evolve without his stewardship. The Jamaican fashion industry is undergoing what could be its most critical transitional period. With global visibility on the rise—fueled by social media, diaspora engagement, and the worldwide appeal of reggae, dancehall, and Jamaican street style—there is both risk and opportunity.
Without Kingsley Cooper’s central leadership, industry players are recalibrating. The baton is not passing to one hand but potentially to many: newer agencies, creative entrepreneurs, fashion houses, digital innovators, and educational institutions.
The future of Jamaican fashion will depend on collaboration, innovation, inclusivity, and global adaptability. Several names are emerging, or re-emerging, as possible anchors in this post-Cooper era.
Among the next-generation entities poised to lead Jamaica’s fashion renaissance, I² Model Management is one of the most promising.
Founded by Dwayne Hinds, a multi-talented creator, educator, and entrepreneur, I² Model Management blends discipline with diversity, education with enterprise, and aesthetics with advocacy. The agency is not merely interested in producing models—it is invested in creating global citizens who are deeply aware of brand-building, ethics, and cultural representation.
What sets I² apart?
I² Model Management takes pride in grooming talent for international exposure while grounding them in Jamaican identity. Unlike many agencies that chase trends, I² develops signature personas—models who are as intellectually prepared as they are physically polished.
With international scouts increasingly seeking models from the Caribbean, I²’s commitment to professional development, digital literacy, and intercultural competence gives its models a distinct edge. Hinds’ background in education adds a deeper layer of rigor to training programs, ensuring that I² models are articulate, confident, and media-ready.
While traditional modeling often focused on Eurocentric standards, I² celebrates Afro-Caribbean beauty, queer expression, gender fluidity, and body positivity. The agency is aligned with a broader global movement for diversity, making it attractive to both progressive fashion houses and human rights-focused sponsors.
I² has also positioned itself as a strategic collaborator—open to working with photographers, stylists, makeup artists, and designers who share the vision of elevating Jamaican fashion to the global conversation. With a clear eye on AI, metaverse integration, and fashion-education hybrids, I² is not only building models but modeling the future.
It would be impossible to talk about post-Cooper leadership without spotlighting Saint International, founded by Deiwght Peters. If Pulse opened the global doors, Saint flung them wide open and stormed the runway.
Saint’s models have graced the covers of Vogue, walked for Dior, Balenciaga, and Prada, and worked with legendary photographers like Steven Meisel. The agency’s annual Style Week Jamaica has become a major fashion event in the Caribbean and a talent magnet.
Peters has long championed the idea that “talent is borderless,” and his agency embodies that belief with a lineup of models who shatter the typical mold. While Saint has a longer legacy than newer agencies like I², its continued relevance comes from its brand sophistication, elite scouting network, and tight relationships with major fashion capitals.
The challenge for Saint will be to innovate and adapt to the rapidly changing demands of Generation Z, who expect authenticity, activism, and technological integration.
While modeling agencies spotlight the front-facing stars of fashion, the designers are its architects—and education is its foundation. The Jamaica School of Fashion and Design, a division of the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts, has been quietly shaping Jamaica’s fashion landscape.
JSFD nurtures fashion designers, textile artists, and stylists with both traditional techniques and modern innovation. The school is producing graduates who can compete globally—not only through craftsmanship but also through sustainable practices, Afrofuturism, and cultural commentary through clothing.
The school’s alumni have begun making waves in Europe and North America, often blending Jamaican heritage with global appeal. As JSFD continues to expand partnerships and improve digital infrastructure, it may become a hub for Caribbean fashion research and innovation.
In the post-Cooper era, a new wave of fashion professionals is emerging from non-traditional backgrounds. TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube have democratized fashion, giving rise to independent stylists, influencers, and micro-brands.
Figures like:
- Alicia Moulton, a Kingston-based stylist known for her avant-garde shoots.
- Kevon “Style Boss” Brown, a streetwear designer mixing uptown elegance with downtown swagger.
- Kyrie Morgan, a digital fashion illustrator who collaborates with AR designers.
These creatives represent a decentralized, dynamic future of Jamaican fashion. No longer is fashion confined to the runway or the agency—it’s in pop-ups, in digital fashion shows, in NFTs, and in online retail hubs. These independents are both competitors and collaborators to traditional agencies and institutions.
For Jamaica’s fashion industry to thrive after Kingsley Cooper, supportive structures are essential.
Agencies like JAMPRO (Jamaica Promotions Corporation) have a role to play in positioning fashion as an export asset. Fashion is not just art—it’s commerce. Support for grants, trade shows, fashion tourism, and intellectual property protection will be vital.
The Jamaican diaspora in cities like New York, London, Toronto, and Miami is a rich resource. Diaspora fashion investors, boutique owners, and alumni of Jamaican fashion institutions can provide capital, mentorship, and global platforms for young talent. As fashion increasingly shifts toward sustainability, Jamaican brands that highlight local materials, eco-conscious production, and fair labor will gain international traction. Investors who value ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) goals should be encouraged to view Jamaican fashion as both a profitable and ethical frontier.
Kingsley Cooper’s passing marks the end of a singular era, but it also heralds the start of a multipolar moment in Jamaican fashion. The next chapter may not be written by one author but by many voices; each with a distinct style, mission, and model of leadership.
I² Model Management offers a compelling blueprint, rooted in ethics, technology, and inclusion. Saint International brings prestige and access. JSFD ensures a strong pipeline of design talent. Independent creators are rewriting the rules. Together, they paint a picture of a vibrant, layered, and self-renewing industry.
The fashion world is watching. And as Cooper once proved—when Jamaica steps out, it doesn’t just walk—it runs the runway.
Tribute Sidebar: 10 Lessons from Kingsley Cooper’s Legacy
- Build Platforms, Not Just Profiles.
- Never Underestimate the Global Appeal of Jamaican Culture.
- Consistency Beats Trends.
- Mentorship Multiplies Impact.
- Think Like a Businessman, Work Like an Artist.
- Events Are Ecosystems—Invest in the Long-Term.
- Train Models Beyond the Runway—Media, Morals, and Mindset Matter.
- Inclusion Isn’t a Trend; It’s a Mission.
- Fashion Is Nation Branding.
- Legacy Is the Lives You Change, Not Just the Labels You Launch.
Jamaica is on the cusp of a fashion renaissance—where legacy meets innovation, and identity meets imagination. The passing of Kingsley Cooper is not the end, but a powerful pause—a moment to reflect, reimagine, and reignite.
The crown is unclaimed. The spotlight is shifting. Who will rise?
Let the runway decide.
Urban Vine Media 
Leave a comment