A few of my faves from Pilar, Claudia Pegus, and Zadd & Eastman.
Check out last month's Au Courant Mag. for a close-up
I did things belatedly, and a bit backward, dealing with the 'bad' and the 'ugly' of Fashion Week Trinidad & Tobago (FWTT), weeks after its conclusion in June, and it's high time I dealt with the 'good!' So here goes:
Claudia Pegus (the Classic Collection, NOT CPFS) : Talk about grown-up glamour! With a hint of old Hollywood flair, Pegus' collection was a course on High Class. Every look was well tailored creating sharp silhouettes and a 'naughty lady' effect, using Pegus' signature materials (Taffetta, Lace, Silk, Tulle, etc) and rich, peacock tones. Think of the upper class 'lady that lunches,' out on a secret rendezvous, and you'll get the effect.
Radical Designs: More of a sportswear collection, the showing by Radical Designs stood out to me for one main reason: it signaled a return to the Radical Designs of yore. Recently, the Dianne Hunt lead fashion brand tended to regurgitate old designs and their basic tees with a generic graphical print on it. This showing reminded me that Radical can indeed put out inspired linen and cotton suits, dresses, and such.
Pilar: I believe Ms. T&T 2008, Anya Ayoung-Chee attended Parsons Design for Graphic Arts, but apparently, some of the design mojo from the Fashion department must have rubbed off on her, too. Debuting Pilar, a line named in memory of her deceased brother, Ayoung-Chee focused on incorporating ethnic prints , cottons and African elements into her first collection. Full of contemporary pieces with simple construction - shorts, halter tops, circle and full skirts - a Pilar piece is the kind of design you'd wear for the club, a social, dinner, or just hanging out.
Zadd & Eastman: This team is the one to watch - trust me! Zadd & Eastman was originally known as the 'go-t0' designers for a slammin' beauty pageant dress. But the South Trinidad-based team (Omzad Khan & Nigel Eastman, I believe) keep creating original, flirty, and girly pieces that scream 'buy me!' From their old standbys (ruffles on skirts; delicate prints & patterns) to new, form-fitting silhouettes, it was a strong showing that further heralded Zadd & Eastman's arrival on the fashion front.
Meiling (the Classic collection, not Msquared) : Meiling did what Meiling does best, by giving us a collection of airy separates and dresses that are decidedly feminine, but with womanly touches of grown-up style, and an air of mysterious finesse. With a muted, natural palette and the usual Meiling cottons, the collection didn't represent anything groundbreaking or novel, but was a solid showing nonetheless.
You might note, that my favourites - save for Zadd & Eastman, and Pilar - are the 'usuals.' You know, those designers whose names are synonymous with Trinidadian design. And it was not a conscious decision, really.
The truth is (as I've said so many times before on Au Courant,) that Fashion is an actual industry, just like Sports, Media, Construction, and so forth. And as such, there are certain standards and processes that must be present in a designer's or brand's efforts, for it to be considered a serious collection.
To me, those standards and processes (sound garment construction and aesthetic; tasteful, inventive, and practical clothing; cohesive collection presentation; company/designer overview; contact information; designer/business plan, etc) were lacking in the vast majority of collections, with the exception of the long-standing designers I listed above.
Well, I guess there's something to be said for longevity, after all...
LMN Harris
NB. Images courtesy Triniscene
