- Contributed

This past week fashion connoisseurs, international designers, models and celebrities assembled in the Big Apple to commemorate the ultimate fusion of fashion and beauty, New York Fashion Week.

All eyes were focused on Pulse's striking, young star, Gaye McDonald. Hand-picked by casting directors to strut her stuff for 13 designer collections, including Diesel, Heatherette, Diane Von Furstenburg, Marc Bouwer, Y and Kei, and Mary Ping, McDonald's exquisite beauty, professionalism and abounding confidence made her a delight to watch as she beamed in the understated glamour that is staple among the 2008 spring collections.

Unveiling designer garb from Chaiken, Ports 1961 and Sabayaschi, and the renowned elite young designers' incubator Gen Art, which has nurtured the likes of Zac Posen, McDonald was in her element.

The young model heated up themetropolitan runway in Diane von Furstenburg's spring collection, themed 'Under the Volcano.' Furstenburg's exhibit was inspired by "the fantasy of escaping to exotic islands", and as a true exotic isle native herself, McDonald sparkled in the bright silk pieces and further livened Furstenburg's explosion of colour and pattern.

The 5'9" stunner with the flawless skin and winner of Caribbean Model Search 2005, McDonald also did work for the popular celebrity fashionista and stylist Kai Milla. Intended for confident, passionate women, Gaye energised and revelled in Milla's ultra sexy line of angora, embroidered cashmere, shearling and leather garments.

Perennial hip label Heatherette also requested the services of McDonald, who rocked to the hip hop fun atmosphere that is always on the cards when the design duo of Richie Rich and Traver Rains puts on a show. They went an extra step with their theme this season by engaging the hip hop mogul P Diddy, who was visibly pleased with what he saw from his VIP front row seat.

injected more power to portfolio

Walking among featured collections from the industry's greatest style makers - Chanel, Vera Wang, Marc Jacobs and Carolina Herrera - McDonald has certainly injected more power to her portfolio by way of her presence and performance. On this her first visit to the annual style extravaganza, Gaye has done remarkably well, and seeks to remind all why she is "the girl with that special 'X factor'."

Fresh from an extensive Nordstrom campaign shoot in Seattle, her record-breaking Cosmopolitan booking and off the pages of St. Lucia's SHE Caribbean, not to mention her amazing 18 pages in Japan's fashion bible Luire, McDonald presents herself as a cemented member of the new cadre of emerging supermodels and continues to make profound impact on the international fashion scene.

As her star begins its ascent, Ms. McDonald jets off to London for the collections in that city before rounding out the fashion circuit in Paris and Milan.