It is surely tempting to cliché this article by labeling the Face of Settlers 2012 winner as a “jack” of all trades.
However you put it, though, emerging as the new face of Settler’s: The West Coast Experience (SWCE), Nadine Jack seems to be steadily adding to her accomplished list.
With a portfolio encompassing fashion design, jewellery design, modeling, architecture, as well as spa treatments, Nadine has seemingly drawn from these artistic strengths to come out as top runner for the competition, which is officially the island’s first Crop Over event for the year.
It comes in the form of a midnight travelling carnival in mid-April entitled Settler’s: The West Coast Experience, which will feature the early settlers to the island.
Flyers, posters, advertisements and campaigns throughout the region and beyond will bear the face of the modest and well-spoken Nadine.
She says that the experience gained from the competition is invaluable, and while the accolade is worth a lot, the important part for her is the wealth of knowledge that she has learnt during the creative process.
After months of battling several other females, she has charged through surprise challenges, hiking through gullies, scaling hills, break-of-dawn makeup sessions and one grueling judging assessment, to conquer it with a grin, and without breaking a heel.
She professed to be half expectant, half disbelieving of the newly-acquired title, which was announced at the carnival’s launch on February 4 at Limegrove Lifestyle Centre.
Still breathless with excitement, the 29-year-old beauty flipped her hair from her face, glowing with satisfaction.
“I have to say I thought I had it all along, but then when that time came I was like, I don’t want to be one of those people who thought that they had it and then they don’t. So, I was trying to humble myself and be like ‘Alright Nadine, you might have it or you might not.
At times, I thought I had it but then, at other times I thought it was one of the other girls. When they announced the names tonight my heart was beating really really hard, and then when they actually called [my name] I was like –Yes!”
The golden girl gets to be an integral part of the design process as well, which immediately made her ears prick. However, managing director of SWCE Toni Thorne says that she will not be working alone.
“We are really pushing because we don’t want to have a lapse in quality whatsoever. We have identified a wire-bender. We don’t want [the costume] to be too big, because obviously this is the first year that we have a queen of the carnival and every year we plan to make it bigger and bigger. But she will still be very unique and people will notice her.
“So, we have to make sure that’s she’s comfortable with what she’s wearing. We have to make sure that it is authentic (relating to the theme) and also something not too lewd, because we pride ourselves on being decent people.”
Ready or not, Nadine Jack cannot wait to show Barbados what she has to offer as she explores the perks of her new title. She has already claimed to have benefitted throughout the competition by networking alone. And more is to come.
But until then, she has a carnival to prepare for.
“Yes, definitely I’ll be wearing heels. The tallest ones I could find!” she laughs, sharing her secret for carnival stamina. “Advil, all sorts of painkillers, triple S tonic, all sorts of things. Whatever it takes. Everything! Everything!”
