Bahamian model to be 'the face' of Paris' Labo Ethnik 2014

Ajayi Ballentine Clarke of Nassau, Bahamas has just been appointed the face of Labo Ethnik (Paris) Fashion and Lifestyle event by casting director and Saint Lucian Parisian fashion celebrity, Vincent Mc Doom. "I've been working on the runway as we prepare for the May 22nd fashion show," said McDoom who is also the event's artistic director. "My assistant came up to me and showed me the photo of Ajayi since we are in the process of calling agencies for our general casting on May 12th."

"I've been looking for the 'masculine face of Labo Ethnik' for this season since I have already chosen the female face, Brittany Noon of St. Lucia.  Looking at his photo I imagined them together on the runway, and on a poster. They really are the DNA of what I think newness represents in modeling," said McDoom who will also have both models as the 'face of' his Caribbean event later this year.

"Ajayi was perfect, so we made contact, and found out he was not in Europe, but from The Bahamas. I was seeking someone new and Ajayi met all the criteria of what we was looking for," said the pioneer behind St. Lucia's HotCouture event held last year. McDoom a permanent judge on Russia's Next Top Model, and has been involved in France's and Poland's Next Top Model, and a guest judge on Germany's Next Top Model.

With a passion for highlighting Caribbean talent, McDoom will have designers from St. Lucia, Trinidad, Guyana, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Barbados, Jamaica, China, Japan, Africa, Europe, and the USA will also be represented. Labo Ethnik is held annually at Les Docks, Cite de la Mode in Paris and attracts  specialized fashion press/media, fashion editors, TV presenters, newspaper reporters, international fashion bloggers, radio hosts, seasoned fashion designers, international fashion buyers, and fashion's well known celebrities in music, cinema, sports, television.

The last time I wrote about Ajayi was in 2011 when he won a "Walk Off' modeling competition, and since that time the exotic, chiseled features model with a body to match, has been busy developing his career while attending college and working at Atlantis. As for how the young Bahamian model, also known as 'AJ' responded, it was a definitive "YES," ending with, "Now I can do my Happy Dance!"

Ajayi enjoys drawing, playing the piano, free-styling (rapping), dancing and meeting new people. He will most certainly be meeting many new people in 2014!

For more information on Labo Ethnik visit the website: laboethnik.com,  or on Facebook: facebook.com/labo.ethnik

Watch the Labo Ethnik Promotional Video here