Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Fashion Block Mobay 2009

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.

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Kingston's Fashion Night Out


Fashion's Night Out (FNO) was a global party that spanned from America to India, France to Japan and took place on the night of September 10. Conceived this past spring during Paris collections by a cabal of editors and publishers from 13 international Vogues, and spearheaded by the US edition, the intent was to remind everyone of the need to shop again.
If you missed out in New York or London, The Jamaica Observer has your back- on the 29th of October, 2009, over 100 retailers located in the capital of Jamaica are confirmed participants in FNO Kingston, which will start at 5:00 pm and see stores stay open late until 10:00 pm with all participating stores slashing prices by 20, 30, even 50%!
Here are some participating stores and boutiques

- Jordu
- Kerry manwomanhome
- Shimmer
- Spicey Couture
- June Plum
- House of Flayva + fashion cluster
- Max Brown
- Go West
- Xtra's Clothing & Accessories
- Swiss Stores
- Eyeland Eyewear
- Fashion911
- Fashion Fever
- Foot Candy
- House of Gold
- Jars Boutique
- Heart & Sole
- De Gap
- Alexxya's
- Loran V
and Puma!

See you there!

Couture Fall 2009

The couture collections for fall were mostly scaled back from the grand theatrics of the 90's and early 2000's, but the pieces were just as opulently designed and tailored. Here are some of the best looks channeling grand ice queens, black widows, the 20's and 50's, the Middle East, religion and paganism:

Valentino









Jean Paul Gaultier



Christian Dior





Elie Saab






Givenchy





Christian LaCroix