Leighton Levy, Gleaner Writer

Over the years, Saint International has churned out a steady stream of top-class models that have become success stories in the apex of international modelling. But in 16-year-old Shantalle Sitten, the agency may have found the mother lode; a model bursting with so much potential she just screams supermodel.

Sitten, who graduated from Merl Grove High School this past summer with five CXCs, was first discovered two years ago during the Saint International Icon tour. She didn't win but was in the top 15. Back then, Saint boss Deiwght Peters and guest judge Sophia Max Brown were struck by her beauty and elegance.

The following year at the 2008 staging of the Fashion Face of the Caribbean, she was signed by Roman Young of Wilhemina Models (New York). Following that signing, the floodgates opened and the stunning five-foot-10 model earned representation from Elite (London), Why Not (Milan), Metropolitan (Paris) and Mannequin (Singapore).

London Fashion Week

Then just this past summer on her first trip to London, she was immediately booked for an editorial shoot for a brand new British lifestyle magazine. "Girl walks off the plane and next day she immediately books an editorial for EGG," said Peters, who Sitten credits for much of her success so far. "Then every major client in London, which was a very big surprise for us, wanted to meet her now. By the time, I met with her agent from Elite London in New York; he was just beside himself."

He told Peters that he thinks Sitten is definitely going to be a big star. Burberry, Prada Miu Miu and Vivienne Westwood are all eager to work with her. The very svelte youngster also did several top shows for London Fashion Week before returning to Jamaica for graduation.

Very mature for her age, the promising teenager is taking her progress in stride. Sitten said she is confident in how well she has been prepared for these very moments under the watchful eye of the Saint CEO.

"It was a different experience," was how she described her trip to London, explaining that it was the first time she was working outside the agency. "I just applied the training I got here at Saint, which has helped very much."

Crazy

Still, the response of the international community was a little unexpected.

"I was expecting it to some extent but not that much," she said of the buzz she created in London. "The first day I got there, I went into Elite office. We went to meet with Russell Marsh, one of the biggest casting directors in the world, and when I got back to the agency, they were like, 'Oh my God, you're on options for Prada Miu Miu.' I'm like, that's crazy! Burberry and Vivienne Westwood ... it was amazing. I knew I could do it and I am expecting more. I am becoming more comfortable. It's what I want to do, so I am just living in the moment."

Growing up, Sitten always wanted to model. She was a lanky child and her family always encouraged her to model and she loved it.

"I developed this love for it. I have a cousin who was a model and we were very close, so maybe I just wanted to follow in her footsteps and then growing up, I found it very interesting," she said. "So when I was 14 my cousin called me and told me they were having a model search at the Hilton where her mom works. I was so afraid of Deiwght but I faced my fears. He was like 'You're so gorgeous, you're amazing', so that was it for me."

Her mom Christene Anderson, Sitten said, has been very supportive. While she was in London over the summer, her mom called every day, always giving advice.

Goals

Sitten's immediate goals include becoming the supermodel everyone expects her to be and she is already preparing to take singing, acting and dance classes as well as learning a second language. These are the skills she knows she will need to be able to transcend the many boundaries on her way to superstardom.

"The world is now calling. Milan wants her to come for a short time. Cape Town in South Africa is calling. New York is sending powerful signals that they want her to come," Peters said.

The Saint CEO intends to get her into New York early 2010 and then from there to Milan and Paris as Saint prepares to take Sitten to the pinnacle of the profession. He sees her reaching the top within the next three to five years.

"Some of the biggest stars, they sing, they act, they dance, they do everything," Sitten reasoned. "So for me being a model, I think that's a great opportunity to expand my horizons."