Mélange Travel & Lifestyle Magazine October 2019 | Page 32
introverted teenager, she has,
after her time spent in Paris,
“come into her own” and she
is now ready for the Bal des
Débutantes”
Articulate and quietly
intelligent, it isn’t all about
Parisian fashion and
photoshoots for Rhyan.
She is currently attending
boarding school in Canada,
pursuing courses in Film,
Language and Literature with
the aim of embarking on a
career in the Arts, and many
of her summers have been
spent working at her family-
owned Coco Palm Resorts, in
Rodney Bay, St. Lucia.
Confidently, Rhyan expressed , “I
think the program with Vincent
was very impactful on my life
as I got to grow as a model and
a person, and expand my skills
and self-confidence. In working
with him, I had the privilege
of meeting many people who
helped me on this journey and
would do it again.”
Rhyan’s program culminated
with a photoshoot amidst
the streets of Paris, where
appreciative on-lookers
witnessed beauty, elegance,
grace and composure in
action. The photoshoot was a
fun, yet daring experience for
her, “It was very challenging
because I am usually reserved,
but this experience pushed
me out of my comfort zone. I
had to learn to ignore who is
watching me. It also forced me
to experiment with wearing
different types of clothes. As
the shoot continued, I learned
to become accustomed to
being in public with passersby
observing as if I was the sole
performer at an event,” Rhyan shared.
By the end of the photoshoot,
confidence emerged, true inner
poise and grace were manifested
and an aptitude for modelling was
discovered. As Vincent expressed:
“Throughout this entire program,
Rhyan was a pleasure to work with
and her hard work over these two
weeks have borne fruit. Initially an
Rhyan is also active in her
community. Being the
daughter of a political figure,
she has been involved in
public events as far back as
she can remember. “I have
been on the campaign
trail with my father since I
was a young girl and often
participated in charity
events to support local
communities and families.
In recent years, I have been
increasingly involved in
my grandmother’s charity
“Pawasol Pour Ti Manmai”
(Children’s Umbrella Charity)
which focuses on supporting
the medical needs of
underprivileged kids and
also providing them with
the tools necessary to attend
school,” Rhyan said. The
last Friday of every month
when she is on the island,
you will find her with her
grandmother at Rodney Bay’s
Flea Market, supporting this
cause.
Rhyan also assists her mother,
Raquel, with her dozens of
Community Nights which
are regular fundraisers held
all over the island to raise
funds for needy persons and
causes in rural communities.
Mrs. Du Boulay-Chastanet,
a St. Lucian Attorney by
profession, also hosts an
Officers’ Ball each year
through her “Make It Happen
Foundation”, where funds are
raised to support the work
of police and firefighters on
the island, as well as a Prime
Minister’s Independence
Ball which raises funds for
numerous charities. This
year, the proceeds of the
Ball held in February went
to 15 different charitable
organizations. “I am a part
of each of these charity
events in some capacity and
by my participation, I have
become acutely aware of
the importance of helping
others,” Rhyan said.