ANDRE ROWE
PABLO PALAIRE
LES CAMPBELL
RED BULL ART OF CAN DESIGN
ENTRY TO THE RUNWAY
DEXTER POTTINGER'S 'SWIM IN BLACK' COLLECTION
HAIR AND MAKE-UP
SILLINESS ON THE BUS
Montego Bay residents are used to Fashion Block in the summer, but this year, the Saint International team decided to do things a little differently, hosting the show on October 24. This year was also a first for me- I decided to travel on the bus with the Saint team. Suffice it to say, it was a good choice- it's never a bad thing to be in the presence of fabulous friends.
We left Kingston at 9 a.m. and arrived in the second city at about 1 p.m. We were accommodated at the Coral Cliff first, then transported to the Doctor's Cave Hotel for lunch, make-up and hair, before being transported to Gloucester Avenue for the show at 9 p.m.
When we got there, the location was stunning- white tents for backstage and dressing; a VIP section courtesy of Red Bull with an exclusive bar for juices and wines; a white runway about 6 feet high and over 100 feet long; it was show time.
Admittedly, the show started about an hour late, but when it did, it was well worth the wait. With over 30 models and about 13 local designers, designer/stylist Dexter Pottinger kicked things off with a segment dubbed "Swim in Black"- all black swimsuits accessorized with black shades, poufy hair, black stilettos, leather and studded bracelets- where Shena Moulton, fresh off the runways of Calvin Klein in New York and Louis Vuitton in Paris strutted confidently, while Stacy Ann Anderson, having given birth recently, was back, thin and gorgeous as ever.
Les Campbell showed his usual colourful mens and womenswear collections, though seperately, while designers like T&T Fashion and Akira Lyn (new to showing at a Saint show) showed their more laid-back casual wear, the former in black, green and gold knit-wear, Lyn in more breathable and slouchy cottons.
The menswear designers were not to be outdone- Mark Anthony showed his trademark customized fitted shirts, while Pablo Palaire sent his male models swaggering down the runway in gorgeously coloured and eye-catching tailored suits. Andre Rowe closed the show with his collection of lace and plaids from his Casa De A'Rowe line, before we were whisked off to the Blue Beat where we partied the night away. Here's to a show well done.
