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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Bombay Dreams 4: The finale

As I walked under the glaring red canopy I knew exactly how I would write this. Bombay Dreams was undoubtedly living up to its title. Soothing breathy music of a bansuri glided easily on the air, thick with the  flooding aroma of warm Indian spices. The dim saffron candlelight blanketed the scene with a veil of etherealness. Women quickly filled up the room, all glittering elaborately in traditional Asian draped styles. I lapped it all up like Panchamrita.

I sat lonely at Table 22, eagerly anticipating the show. After schmoozing with familiar faces, I sat down to welcome the show's opening. Tassa drums echoed from the outside halls and soon filled our room. A lineup of musicians and crimson clad dancers then filtered through the aisles and to the stage, covering their heads with tremendously ornate umbrellas. Let it begin!

I said before that I knew how I would write this. I even wrote in my notes "Write the article describing the event as though it were a dream". I was so taken by the decor that looked made this often transformable Hilton Ballroom look like it did that way for decades. I came for the designers, but was so easily distracted by the intoxicating ambiance and heart warming story of the whole thing, that I found fashion secondary. Then Peter Elias sent his collection down and I remembered why I was there!

Fashion shows in Trinidad are a very sobering thing. The hype and anticipation always have you looking forward to them, then some stupidness gets sent down the runway and you wonder what possessed you to spend shoe money on this crap. Bombay Dreams was not like that. It was extremely well organised and went on smoothly. Perhaps with the filtering of designers to only the most experienced names (minus Meiling who sadly did not take part this year) helped contribute to the quality of the production. Peter's work was floaty, bright and beautiful as always, but it wasn't anything new. I've seen him mix prints and combine Caribbean with Tribal and Safari enough times to know he can. The models looked flawless and seemed to feel fabulous in his styles.

Claudia Pegus was next. Woo papa. Now, I have great admiration for this woman. I worked with her before on a show, and I always tell the story of how she heroically stitched a falling hem on a giant tulle skirt as it was being walked out to the stage. Her strength and savvy overcome her tiny facade. She rocks. HOWEVER, that which she sent down the runway yesterday, calling "Ganges meets the Nile" was clearly not a Collection, but instead a collection of mismatched styles that may have been sitting in her showroom for seasons. Ryan Chan is calling his collection "Psycho Diary", but I feel like the title would have been more fitting here. I was overwhelmed by feathers and sequins and trains, oh my! Not to mention the extreme over-styling of all that glitters, sparkling from every nook and cranny on those poor models. The catastrophic Oktoberfest creations which graced the Miss TnT Universe contestants made another appearance, feather boa and all. It wasn't all bad though, there were some definitely beautiful looks in the mix! I like when she went for the bright hues of yellow undertones on sheers. Would be gorgeous on many women. Also, when done in moderation, her beading was exquisite. A bit of editing could have made this work, but as is, eek. (See my Instagram pics and videos @stephanieramlogan)

Now I'm not a flower painting kind of girl, so Heather Jones has never been a fave of mine. I sure ate my words last night. Her Collection was the stand-out for me. Again, as with all shows I see here, some editing would have helped, but overall, the way the fabrics hovered on the air was enchanting. The pieces were exquisitely constructed, incorporating contemporary cuts and silhouettes with her traditional hand painting techniques. I especially loved the sheer embroidered leggings, which resembled something I loved from Antonio Berardi Spring 2012. The way Athalia Samuel moved in her white gown looked like a sequence under water. The slow fluttering of these fluid fabrics really added to the dream-like feel of the whole night. I heard the Collection is sold in Japan. Hope I don't have to go that far for a piece of the action!

 

I wore select pieces from my mom's Bridal Indian Jewellery, a simple Black t-shirt from Calvin Klein and Emerald taffeta wrap trousers from Adrian Foster.

From the Stage to the Shop: Tobago Fashion Weekend Afterthoughts

I spent the week rummaging through Social Media, macoing hardcore to catch a glimpse of the Tobago Fashion Weekend happenings. I was quite saddened to see that I missed out on what appeared to be a fantastic platform for new and more well-known designers to show what they're made of. It was really a special moment to see UTT Students showing alongside veterans like Claudia Pegus, and standing their ground with work that was comparable in technique, quality and beauty. Congratulations to everyone who showed! Despite the rain and other hiccups, TFW definitely did not disappoint.

Sterling Nelson

Sonia Noel

I know everyone has been waiting to hear my commentary on which designs I loved and which ones in my opinion crashed like a 747 on a rainy day, but as I perused the hundreds of images posted to Facebook, I thought of a bigger matter than that of my taste and criticism. What is the purpose of all of this? Even more, do people get the whole purpose of it all?

I believe it was Anthony Rahael who said that Fashion Shows are not just a pretty display for people to ooh and aah at. (Paraphrasing of course.) They are a part of a business model. Fashion shows are an opportunity  for buyers, stylists and customers to see the fashion product, so as to make a decision regarding purchase.

Christian Boucaud Easter Collection

Very recently I see boutiques starting to incorporate Trinidad based designers' items in their stores and I must say I am thrilled at this progress! Rachel Ross and Meiling are now joined by Fete A.G.D. jewellery at the Gallery in Long Circular Mall. Vamp Boutique on Mucurapo Road houses Statements by Sarah Young as well as Hak Gwai Designs. Indulge on Tragarete Road started by carrying Christian Boucaud, and now have Whole Peace Swimwear. Afiya Bishop currently has made samples of her own label "Loud" available at her store, next to trendy imported garments, and I'm hearing talks of her soon to be including another Trinidad based Label (Not at liberty to disclose this yet, but it makes me pretty excited!!) These are just a small few, but I know of at least 2 more very popular shops that are scouting local designers to stock on their shelves! Let's not forget that some designers like Christian Boucaud and Rhion Romany, have opened up their own shops!

As an individual consumer, I urge you to take a look at the great stuff that you have available to you right here. Some of my favourite things I have ever worn have been designed and constructed right at home in Trinidad.

Designers are on a wave to have clothing Ready to wear. Van der Vlugt and Adrian Foster put out special designs this past month, available in select colour and sizes, ready for you after alterations. Our fashion industry is finally becoming a tangible resource as it is reaching our consumers more readily. I expect that soon we will be able to view and purchase pieces online!

I started NoMoreFashionVictims as a means to open up the eyes of my fellow Trinis to the fashion industry. The market will not exist nor grow if the potential consumers are not just uninterested, but unaware of what the industry is in the first place! I am happy to see people's eagerness about attending Fashion Socials like the Filtered Fashion schmooze Thursdays at Paprika, as well as Fashion Shows and Launches. (Heard that J. Angelique's launch is totally booked out already!) It is great to know that people are not only looking to see what is happening, but are coveting and purchasing fashion made in Trinidad!

Designer Christian Boucaud with Model Athaliah Samuels at TFW2013

I have been saying all along that 2013 is the year for our fashion. The steps have been small but steady and I am hopeful about the future. I now await an increase in school programmes, workshops and the availability of the human resource and machinery required to grow these small businesses. For now I will close my eyes now and dream of the the department store dressing room where I would hang up garments from Zadd and Eastman next to Michael Kors and Max Azria.

Zadd and Eastman TFW2013

Zadd and Eastman

Photo Credits: Inken Janning, Tobago Fashion Weekend, Christian Boucaud Designs, Adrian Foster