The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly from Caribbean Resort Style Week

This has been a hectic but fabulous month of November so far; the unofficial fashion month of Trinidad and Tobago! Every night I'm at events, and every day I'm meeting with designers and brands to retail on nomorefashionvictims.com (Shameless plug.)

This whirlwind month of fashion shows, product launches and Christmas markets was kicked off last weekend with the annual Bits and Pieces Christmas pop-up on Saturday and the Resort Style Week Port of Spain Show on Sunday at the Trinidad Country Club. The show lineup was impressive with big names like Meiling, Zadd and Eastman, Claudia Pegus and Millhouse to name a few. It was expected to be the fashion event of the year.

I can't get too lengthy and I don't want to go one reviewing each designer. There's another show in a couple hours and I need to hustle if I want to make it! So, here's the gist of it, and how I feel.

I'm always going on and on about the Caribbean aesthetic, and by now even I am sick of hearing about it. This show though, was a clear indicator of what Trinidadian designers think of the way Caribbean people dress or should dress.

The Good: The strongest designers to me are Meiling, Zidelle Daniel for XOZ, Adrian Foster, Charu Lochan Dass for CLD,  The Cloth, Aisling Camps and Zadd and Eastman.  Meiling, Aisling, CLD, Adrian and Zidelle all have something in common. Their aesthetic is clean, easy to wear, architectural, well-constructed and classic yet with special and surprising elements. They shy away from colour, which with the stigma of Carnival and our fusion of vibrant cultures, is a deviation from what some may perceive as a signature detail in the "Caribbean Aesthetic". Yet, they insert into their collections subtle and unexpected moments of chromatic hues here and there.

 

 (left)Chartreuse ribbon belted over Meiling's a denim and gingham patterned look
from Meiling's "Borrowed from the Boys" Collection 

On a mostly monochromatic collection, Zidelle incorporated this multicolor beaded bodice. Yes! Those are beads!

 The Cloth and Zadd and Eastman are very different from that first group. They embrace the conventional island inspiration of vivid flora and kaleidoscopic cultural influences. Yet, they maintain very sophisticated style lines and thoughtful design. While I am very drawn to the boxy silhouettes and woven cottons of the others, I am still enchanted by the flowy ease of Zadd and Eastman's collection, and the almost jarring juxtaposition of prints from The Cloth.

Somewhere between these two groups is that "Caribbean Aesthetic". 

My favourite look from Zadd and Eastman

The Cloth

The Bad: While some designers showed styles that would be fitting over a swimsuit (it was a Resort show after all) I feel there is still a disconnection between Runway fashion and Real Women. Everything is gorgeous when it blowing in the breeze and taped down strategically on a tall, slender girl with professional hair and make-up, but not so much on 5 foot tall me after eating some crab and dumpling at Pigeon Point. I urge the designers who like this style, to do more than just stitch triangles of fabric at the corners and call it a dress. Design is more than just what looks pretty. Get creative and try some manipulations of your pattern. Add an interesting detail or technique. Stop giving us the same old.

 The Ugly: I was shocked to see certain pieces on that runway, let me tell you. I won't call any names or post any pictures because people are sensitive. I never mean to embarrass or insult anyone but some things have to be said. Puff paints and glitter glue do not belong on any runway anywhere except for Project Runway's Threads which features little children getting creative with crafts and clothes. Zidelle Daniel made feathers out of fabric and cleverly layered them over one another on a casual crop top and hand stitched them into place. If she can invest so much thought, effort and creativity into a basic piece, how dare you squirt colourful glue onto silk like if this is kindergarten? You are spoiling good and expensive fabric. Not acceptable. You can do better than that. Also, I saw a "Sari" with a deeya painted on it. A sari is a piece of cloth wrapped. draped and tucked around a body. That is your design? A piece of cloth that people have been wearing since clothing was invented? This is what you do to make it modern? You draw a deeya on it? It baffles me that this particular collection was shown on the same platform as the greats. Fabric surface treatments have long been a Caribbean thing, but there must be some way more current, sophisticated and beautiful than drawing and painting pictures like if people want to be murals. If it looks like it belongs in a gift shop in Piarco, start over. I know not even you want to wear that.

Zidelle's Beautiful Fabric Feathers

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CLD's Magic Formula to running a Fashion Business

When she crashed onto the scene with momentum that can only be compared to a snowball, the name which no one knew mere days before, was now the talk of the town; Charu Lochan Dass.

Her début RTW Collection shown at Aria in 2013 caught everyone by surprise, and we love surprises like these. Her high-end (in our domestic fashion market), cohesive and full-sized Collection was something that budding designers struggle to produce within the resources we have in the local industry. Apart from it's aesthetic appeal and impressive craftsmanship, her audience applauded her achievement in jumping this hurdle that many struggle to overcome. Mere months later, Charu opened her CLD boutique at 55 Gallus Street, Woodrook. the official launch attracted stylists, fellow designers, customers, friends and countless supporters. Since launching her brand less than a year ago she is designing the Miss T&T Universe contestants' gowns, and has even dressed the Prime Minister!

I visited the boutique recently, there to meet her and the wonderful clothes. I had to find out her secret recipe to this dream that she has now shown us is real and tangible.

I love Charu. I love her spirit. She is like your best girlfriend, telling you as it is, making jokes and having sudden short-lived burst of anxious thoughts which can best be cured with a drag. Asking her all her business after only meeting her twice was shockingly natural.

We both are quite to-the-point. I asked her,
                                "How does one go about getting all of this?"
I was referring to all her successes; the store, the racks filled with her own beautiful designs and the wonderful reputation that accompanies it all.

She asked if she could be frank. I would prefer her to respond no way else.
                                 "Money."

Yes! Of Course. Ha! That's the problem. We knew that. I wished that she had some magic trick she could offer me; some loophole, some connection in the business. Disappointed, it seemed to me that she was simply blessed to come from a wealthy family and like all other spoiled rich kids, could have the business of her dreams. That's when it got interesting.

The scenario was not how I pictured it. Daddy didn't hand her a silver spoon to go be Kim Kardashian. Charu delved into her story; the journey that has brought her to where she is now. She told me about taking risks and sacrificing to expand a Mehendi booth she ran at the Divali Nagar while working at a low paying job. She put literally all her money into it. RISK. She was not afraid to take risks. She really believed in herself. She went against the advice of others who showed her why things wouldn't work. The profit was rewarding.

It was not so simple though. As she grew and expanded with gruelling effort, the work and time invested in growing her booth into stores in different plazas seemed to be in vain with sudden major personal setbacks. She FOUGHT. When it was easy to give up and scale down, Charu found it appropriate to go after her dream, and signed up to London College of Fashion to study fashion design. It was something that she could not have done before due to certain obligations. Instead of focussing on what she lost, she saw that she had nothing more to lose. Life in London also threw it's challenges. Charu had to work to support herself there, switching roles with former employees of her own; doing jobs that had her question the path she had chosen for herself.

When she finally returned to Trinidad, she wasted no time getting her business together. This woman has a DRIVE like no other.

She told me that she never stopped because she knew this was for her. Though times were difficult, there were always doors opening and leading her in this direction. INTUITION and not fighting against what is natural helped her to take every step in the correct order which has brought her to where she is today.

So that's what I learned from Charu. To be successful you have to be realistic. It takes Money. To get that money you have to be willing to take Risks. You need to Fight through the hard times if your Intuition tells you that you are on the right path. You need to stay Driven and never tire.

*If there is one direct piece of advice she gave, it was that a fashion is 90% business and 10% design. Her experience in retail has helped her tremendously.

Pop Hop, a Launch and Runway oh my!: Busy weekend for Trini fashionistas

Whatever plans you made for next weekend; CANCEL THEM. There are at least three much anticipated events happening on the 12th and 13th of April.

Can we also talk about how cute the poster is?

First off, is the cleverly named Easter Pop Hop Shop by Team M at Meiling's on 6 Carlos Street from 4pm to 8pm. I have regrettably missed every shopping event that this group has thrown because of work, but not this one! The fantastic list of designers include some of my faves; Anthony Reid, Meiling, Rachel Ross, Sanianitos, Shannon Alonzo and Zee D. They ask that you come in Easter Headgear, so I cannot wait to see what people are going to turn up with. If you need more info, check out their Facebook Event:  https://www.facebook.com/events/419103741567651/









On Sunday the impressive Charu Lochan Dass opens her boutique on Gallus Street Woodbrook, her second branch following her store in Princes Town. To celebrate the opening she is having a special launch at the location. I for one am over the moon about this expansion, since it all goes a bit fuzzy for me once I speed past Chaguanas. Finally I will be fitting myself into some of her exquisite pieces!

After you post some selfies at Charu's, quickly get over to NAPA for Runway Shift! Cocktail hour is at 6.30 and the show starts at 7.30pm. Finally after a 9 month long screening process, 5 designer finalists will be showing their mini-collections to Simply Runway customers and the fashion public. They are competing for three three-month rent free Spots at Simply Runway Accents. The aim is to move local fashion from Runway to Retail; a stifling transition for many aspiring designers in the Caribbean.The initiative was conceived by Simply Runway Owner, Candice Baccus, and after a year of detailed planning and coordination, I am very happy to see this monumental day come true. Young, up and coming designers really struggle with the retail aspect of their business, and I hope that this project stirs a revolution in the business of Trinidad-made fashion. The finalists are all CAFD graduates; Adrian Foster, Anicia Brooks, Lisa See Tai, Mary- April Coutou and Megan Charles. I know have my favourites, but I am looking forward to see what each designer has come up with.  Oh , and btw, I'm the MC, so come say hi.
To follow up more and to find out where you can get tickets,this check out the page : https://www.facebook.com/runwayshift 

Raising the Bar

Charu Lochan Dass; creative director for the newest fashion label to come out of Trinidad; CLD, has raised the bar when it comes to the level of quality and style in the fashion we produce. I left her show energised! Every look that came down the sleek Aria Lounge runway was blow after blow of gorgeousness. She has described her look as sophisticated and sensual, but from what I saw I would say it is bold and daring, straddling the line between risque and classy. Her necklines plunge low, her slits peak high, and her lacy bodices reveal a peepshow of bare breasts. Yet, with the elegant colour palette and the lustrous silk fabrics, the styles are far from hoochie. I also heard Charu say in an interview, that her look is not of the Caribbean aesthetic. I beg to differ. If uber sex appeal, pops of vibrant colour, breathable, water-like fabrics and tropical inspired prints are not Caribbean, I don't know what is. It's the new way to view this often debatable "Caribbean aesthetic". Coconut bras, grass skirts and hand-painted turtle motifs are not it.

She has a definite consciousness of who the CLD woman is. The CLD woman is not afraid of what people say. She is the one everyone is whispering about when they see her, because she captivates attention. You want to be known by her. She is powerful and confident, yet relatable and fun. She takes care of her body, and is always up for a glamorous night out.

Fantastic CLD branding, with chic shopping bags,
professional Lookbook and great Logo tees. No website yet though!
CLD better get on that quickly! This is too good to be watered down by being run via a fb page.

From the pictures that most of you might have seen by now (my photography skills failed miserably), I'm sure you have, as I did, swooned over the romantic yet modern cool-toned floral print used throughout. It's on blouses, trousers, a pantsuit and dresses. Ah, separates. How my heart sings when I see designers acknowledge the practicality and sellability of separates. Then BOOM. Lipstick red trousers turn the corner, and the palette changes to the racy hue, painting a series of sixties inspired silhouettes. I'm just in awe of her craftsmanship, knowledge (and application of it) and vision. I am such a fan. This entire collection is on my Christmas Wishlist.

If I had to give any advice, other than to keep being fabulous, I would say two things. Firstly, even though the clothing is absolutely beautiful as shown on the runway, for real life, perhaps inserting a semi-sheer nude lining under the front panels of the lacy bodices will help make the garments a bit more marketable. I don't know how many of us are comfortable enough baring our nipples to the world. Also, the Collection is being called 2014 Ready To Wear. I would hope what is meant is that it is Spring RTW, implying that mid-2014 we have another Collection to see! I think the aesthetic has massive International appeal, and I would love to see a Fall/Winter Collection as well.