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Premium Class Wins Best Modeling School Award Again
Premium Class Modeling Academy was named Best Modeling School in the Dominican Republic for the second consecutive year at the 2026 Dominican Fashion Awards, while its model Ashley Díaz was named Model of the Year.
Premium Class Modeling Academy secured two of the top honors at the 2026 Dominican Fashion Awards, earning Best Modeling School in the Dominican Republic for the second consecutive year and celebrating the recognition of its model Ashley Díaz as Model of the Year.
The awards were presented during a ceremony at the Carlos Piantini Hall of the Eduardo Brito National Theater in Santo Domingo, marking a significant milestone for an academy founded only two years ago. The double recognition places both the institution and one of its models among the year’s notable names in Dominican fashion.
A Two-Year Academy With Growing International Reach
Founded in May 2024 by communicator, entrepreneur and former beauty queen Mayra Delgado, Premium Class has developed a training program that extends beyond traditional runway instruction. Its curriculum includes photoposing, public speaking, etiquette and protocol, professional casting, styling, personal branding, emotional intelligence and social responsibility.
The academy says its programs have trained hundreds of girls, young women and women while preparing models for both Dominican and international opportunities. Its collaborations and participation have included New York Fashion Week, Colombia Fashion Kids, RD Fashion Week, Miss World Dominican Republic and Miss Teen Mundial.
Recent achievements associated with the academy include Joheirry Mola, Miss World Dominican Republic 2025, representing the country at Miss World Vietnam, as well as Samira de la Cruz, who was crowned Miss Petite Teen International 2026. Alana Ruiz also finished as second runner-up and World Princess at Miss Teen Mundial 2026.
The academy also reported that more than 40 of its models participated in the opening ceremony of the 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games in Santo Domingo. In May 2026, Premium Class held its first Fashion Gala, bringing together 180 models, 17 designers and 600 guests.
Ashley Díaz Named Model of the Year
The academy’s second award was presented to Ashley Díaz, who was named Model of the Year at the national level. Díaz trained at Premium Class and has since developed experience on international runways, including two editions of New York Fashion Week.
Her professional work has also included campaigns for brands such as Adidas. She was featured in the launch campaign for the official jersey of the Dominican Republic’s national basketball team, adding commercial work to her runway experience.
For Delgado, Díaz’s recognition represents the progression the academy aims to achieve through its training model, taking young talent from the classroom into professional fashion opportunities.
Training Beyond the Runway
Premium Class describes its approach as a 360-degree model of preparation, combining technical modeling skills with image development and personal growth. The academy’s program is designed to prepare participants for castings, fashion presentations and other professional environments where communication, discipline and personal presentation are part of the work.
The institution’s consecutive Best Modeling School awards, together with Díaz’s national recognition, highlight the academy’s expanding presence in the Dominican fashion sector. Its stated focus remains on developing new generations of Dominican models and preparing them to compete in professional environments at home and abroad.
