Kingsley Cooper, founder of Pulse Investments, has died

Kingsley Cooper, a pioneer in the Jamaican fashion industry, attorney, and the founder of Pulse Investments, has died at the age of 71.

Cooper had reportedly been hospitalized in Florida before his passing. Pulse Investments, in a statement late Tuesday night, confirmed his death.

“It is with the greatest sadness that Pulse Investments Limited Announces that Chairman and founder Kingsley Cooper CD died peacefully this evening,” the statement read, in part.

Cooper’s legacy as a fashion pioneer extends far beyond Jamaica, impacting the entire Caribbean region. He played a pivotal role in establishing and nurturing an international modeling industry for the Caribbean, discovering and developing numerous supermodels and international stars.

In 1980, Cooper, alongside fellow attorney Hilary Phillips, founded Pulse Modeling Agency. The agency became a cornerstone for top modeling agencies such as Ford and Wilhelmina, paving the way for Jamaican models like Lois Samuels, Nadine Willis, and Althea Laing. Laing made history as the first Jamaican model to appear on the cover of Essence magazine, achieving this milestone twice. She gained prominence in 1985 after winning the Miss Jamaica Fashion Model title, an event organized by Pulse.