Naomi Campbell is runway royalty: Act accordingly. Or, if you’re one of 12 contestants on season 2 of Oxygen’s modeling competition The Face, freak out, scream, and otherwise melt down in the catwalk legend’s presence. In a sneak preview from The Face‘s March 5 premiere, Khadisha Gaye — who teaches runway classes in Cincinnati — and Brooklyn’s Afiya Bennett are especially taken by the supermodel coach.
“Oh, my God: Naomi! Can I hug you?!” gushes Gaye as Campbell struts her stuff on a makeshift runway set up in the middle of New York City’s Bryant Park.
Bennett, for her part, is slightly more composed while in the presence of the runway icon, who coaches contestants on The Face alongside Adam Levine‘s model ex-girlfriend Anne V and Lydia Hearst. “The fabulous Naomi! To see her in action . . . she is the queen. She looks beautiful on a runway,” Bennett admits as Campbell poses for adoring fans, aspiring models and The Face host Nigel Barker.
Entering her second season as a model coach on The Face, Campbell — first discovered at age 15 while window shopping in London — isn’t fazed by newbie mentors Anne V and Hearst. “I’m so looking forward to the second season of The Face because we have two new mentors who think they can compete [with me], but they better watch out!”
For much more from Campbell — who instructs the contestants that their first challenge will be modeling in lingerie — watch the preview video above before The Face premieres Wednesday, March 5 at 10 p.m. (EST) on Oxygen.
