BBFW 2015 Review

This year marked the 10th year of Barbados Bridgetown Fashion Week and it was once time again for fashion lovers to gather and see the SS 16 collections of up and coming designers. I’m still basking in the glow of the collections that were featured on November 21st and 22nd. I have to admit the students of the Caribbean Market Center, D’Marsh Couture, the Barbados National Dress Project as well as the Yendor bag collection stole the spotlight for me as they produced some very outstanding collections, each with it’s own unique artistic voice.

Here are my favorite looks from the designers of both nights:

When I saw the Him by Mark Pierre, three words came to mind. All I think was punk, edgy and androgynous. This collection would be ideal for the man who loves to push the fashion boundaries.

As for the collection I Am Nyvek, let me just say that every woman present that night wanted at least one piece from this collection. There was great detail paid to these pieces and in my opinion the whole collection was clean and looked effortless.

 

D’Marsh Couture from the USA showcased both a men’s and women’s collection that both had a fun flamboyant side to them. The looks were polished but still a relaxed vibe.

The Barbados National Dress Project by Rodney Powers was themed Wear It With Pride and as the blue and yellow stripes came down the runway being a fellow Barbadian I felt extremely proud and I would love to cop the shift dress from this collection.

The showcase of the Yendor bag collection titled Body And Sole also by Rodney Powers peaked my interest as the bag were made using the leather of the black belly sheep, which is an animal indigenous to our country Barbados. The bags came in a wide variety with something for every taste level with clutches, chain strap, backpacks and other styles. My overall opinion was that they had a sophisticated look with great detail and craftsmanship.

 

*Photos have been edited for this post, original photos are from Muze Caribbean*

Click the link below to see all the collections that were featured.

Muze Caribbean

Fashion Fridays _ Overall Impressed

The Overalls Edition

Overalls are everywhere, you can get them in pants or dresses, long or short, even in colors and textiles other than blue denim. This look gives an simple effortless appearance that is not only comfortable but trendy as well. Once a wardrobe staple reserved for farmers during the depression era, hence dubbed the name “farmer browns”; they then later popped up throughout the history of fashion in the 60’s and 70’s with the hippie movement and then with rise of pop icons in the 80’s and 90’s. Nowadays, overalls are apart of modern day street style and when done right, you can look really superb and not like if you just walked off a farm.

Short Pants Overall

This look consists of: floral crop top, seaweed green overall and laced-up heeled booties.

Midi Dress Overall

This look consists of: white crop top, sage green midi dress overall and white converse.

Happy Fashion Friday my trendsetters.

The Scarfs For Summer Campaign

Hey there again my trendsetters, I know the title of this post probably will have some of you thinking “what!?!” some of you may even be already saying “this girl gone and lost her mind, talking about scarfs and summer in the same sentence!!!” I know, I know, summer is all about shedding away the layers of clothing and soaking up the sun, but as I was browsing through my closet I came across my collection of scarfs and the wheels began to turn in my head. I thought to myself that it was such a shame to keep these beauties tucked away; for sure scarfs can be used for more than just covering a pair of cold shoulders or for wearing during the colder months. I love scarfs, I think they are great accessories and simply amazing as they can be tied and styled in so many different ways.

Of all the many options available out there, I chose these chic ways to utilize scarfs which I found to be great for summer time.

Wear as a Head Tie

Summer was meant to be enjoyed to the fullest, minimize time spent on hair with a quick fix on a lazy day or for a bad hair day.

Accessorize A Hat

Add spunk to a simple hat.

Wear As A Halter Top

Because you never have enough halter tops during summer.

Wear As A Wrap

Who says swimsuit cover-ups have to be boring.

Hopes this gives you some inspiration to rock some scarves during this summer.

Until next time keep it cute and classy.

Fashion Fridays_Fantasic Florals

The Flower Edition

Happy Fashion Friday to all Trendsetters, hope all is well with you. Yesterday I posted a DIY tutorial “Rock It Yourself: Summer Florals” where I showed you how to make a floral headband and a floral bralette top. Today I’m going to give some inspiration on how you can incorporate these beautiful DIYs into your wardrobe. After all it’s summer, it’s time to have fun!

Floral Headband

This look consists of: Floral Headband, Circle Frames Shades, Custom Made White Top, Olive Maxi Skirt,Tan Belt and Tan Gladiator Sandals.

Floral Bralette Top

This look consists of: Floral Bralette Top, Aviator Shades, White Watch, White Cardigan, Denim Cutoffs, White Belt and White Converse.

Hope this has you Trendsetters thinking of some cool ideas.

Until next time.

Healthy Hair Journey Update _ Protective Styling

I know some of my Trendsetters maybe wondering how the healthy hair journey is going, so this post it to give an update on  how my process is coming along. On one hand, thanks to my hair regimen I have experienced some steady hair growth and on the other hand, I did a mini chop eliminating all the straight relaxed ends which felt so liberating and that makes me now fully telaxed. However, because of the mini chop I went from shoulder length to just below nape length which may seem as if it my hair hasn’t grown much in terms of length comparison but on the bright side it has gotten much thicker.

One of the factors that played a part in my decision to cut away the relaxer ends was when I saw the  above pic on Instagram and it made me really think, “do I really want to hang onto to these ends just for the sake of saying my hair is now at a different measurement level?” Honestly, no, I  prefer health over length as with time healthy hair will grow but damage hair will just break off eventually. My answer to the pic would be A, unfortunately I didn’t take a pic before I cut off the relaxed ends but here’s a pic of my texture at 20 weeks post my last telaxed process on January 25 2015.

Apart from wearing milkmaid braids here’s a look at the protective styles I’ve done over the last couple of months……

Before this hair journey I always used extensions and braids as my protective styles, but I have found the use of wigs to be fun I can achieve a natural look which takes less time to acquire whether it be a different colour, long, short, curly or straight. I’ve found it easier to do than going through the time-consuming process of styling my thick mane, while dealing with a busy toddler and my day-to-day activities. The wigs aid with my relaxer stretch where I can prolong the time period longer, help to avoid the risk of damaging my hair and scalp from excess combing and pulling as some styles it requires a lot of manipulation and they allow me still have full access to my hair where I can moisturize,wash and condition weekly.

I don’t sleep in the wig I only wear it when I’m going out, 

I allow my natural hair to breathe otherwise

and at night I tie my head with a silk scarf.

What protective styles do you use and do you have hang-ups over wearing wigs and other faux hair?

Pompasetting

Last post my trendsetters, I told you that the fashion beast within me was awaken and I was left hungry for more. Well, I was given the opportunity to feed this beast at the recently held PompaWeekend at Divi Southwinds’ Pure Ocean Restaurant. Judging from last’s year event, I was excited to see this year’s fashion show and  I wasn’t disappointed as it introduced me to many new local designers that I was totally unaware of.

The PompWeekend, which is in its second year, is another opportunity for young fashion designers to showcase their designs. This year I have to say that organiser and publisher Toni Thorne and her team at Pompasette Magazine outdid themselves and gave the true definition of a seamless runway with close to 20 designers showing. There were so many collections to see and there was something for everyone including fashion for both males and females. The looks included elegant and casual ready to wear pieces, business wear, bridal wear and swimwear. The designs were chic, playful, urban and edgy with the use of colour, patterns and construction that ranged from demure to risque. I have to give credit were credit was due and even though some of the designers were self-taught, it truly didn’t show as the collections were of high standards.

As Toni always says,” Pompasette is more than just a magazine” and in addition to the stunning runway show the finalists of the “Wear the Issue” Inter-school competition held by Government Information Service (GIS) walked the catwalk in their T-shirt designs; there was also the launch of Settlers Season which was previously known as “Settlers: The West Coast Experience”; as well as entertainment provided by an artiste from the Honey Jam Jazz Barbados. Kudos must go out to Toni Thorne and her team on another successful event.

Here’s a look at some of my favorite designs:

Don’t forget to grab your free copy of the latest issue of the Pompasette Magazine available in various locations island-wide.

(BBFW) Bridgetown Barbados Fashion Week 2014

For a brief moment I wanted to rip my shirt off with my bare hands and scream “feed me more” like WWE wrestler Ryback but with my son in hand and realization of my surroundings I had to refrain. BBFW 2014 had awaken my inner beast and left me hungry for more. The independence weekend kicked of at the Hilton Barbados Hotel with an invite only cocktail launch and press release that promised fashion enthusiasts that they were in for a treat. Take my word for it, as it was surely a weekend to remember with two nights of fresh and innovating designs showcasing Spring/Summer 2015 collections from both the local and international celebrity designers. The air was filled with loud coos of approval, blinding flashes and shuttering sounds of the cameras.

The runway shows kicked off with Jewelry by Antonia. It was a selection of beautiful necklaces, earrings and bracelets that ranged from simple yet stunning pieces to more elaborate breath taking ones. These designs would make the perfect statement piece as the could be worn with a red carpet look or easily dress up a more toned down outfit.

The collection by Jacqueline Benn Schuppe  was named Ling Ling; a name she is affectionately known by and it was influenced by the 50’s.  Clever use of denim, tulle, lace and cotton modernized her vintage inspired pieces. One could never refer to her collection as dated with an array of dresses, classic blouses and skirts well accentuated with accessories appropriate to the time the era from pearls to turbans and other head pieces.

Up and coming designer Carla Gittens fresh from Jamaica Mission Catwalk season 4 where she was first runner-up debuted her collection Designs By Carolori for the first time here at BBFW. Carla’s collection was feminine and give an air of effortless with bold bows and flowers to compliment some of the contemporary designs.

This was the second time for Charles Corvsky Dieujuste showing at BBFW and he surely lived up to expectations based on his previous showcase. Once again femininity and sophistication was evident as his collection breathed luxurious elegance with chic flowing pieces. Charles final piece was a crowd pleaser, comprising of a black lace and tulle dress which was more risque but it was still coherent with the other looks as it easily flowed down the runway.

Learning a second language is always a plus and it offered me the privilege of working with designer Karlos Nunez as Dominica Republic as his translator. His menswear line entitled “Men Tailory” had a touch of the 40’s yet it was very modern. There was a wide selection of ready to wear pieces that were sharp and crisp accessorized with suspenders, gold chains links, hats and designer bags. His pieces showed great detail, craftsmanship and understanding of fabrics. Favorites with the crowd and myself were his trench coats pieces which had a hint of suspense to the character. Over all his collection would be perfect for the man looking for the “charming gentlemen” look.

The word “Anticipation” would be an understatement when referring to the level of excitement there was to see the collection “Alien Queen” by Viktor Luna finalist of Project Runway season 9. Viktor drew his inspiration from the pop king himself, the legend Michael Jackson. Just like Michael was ahead of his times, Viktor’s collection was avant-garde, futuristic, biker chic yet feminine. His designs mostly consisted of leather pieces, bondage straps, armor like details, spikes and studs giving a yin-yang feeling of good and bad merged into one. The final piece really embodied the collection’s name “Alien Queen” and at the end of his collection all I could say was ” Abduct me now! Beam me up Scottie”.

So there is no doubt in my mind and I can truly say that once again Barbados has proved to be the fashion capital in the Caribbean.

(BBFW) Bridgetown Barbados Fashion Week_All Access Granted

For this year’s BBFW along with my media pass to cover the event, I was also granted an all access pass which gave me permission to venture backstage. I must admit that I chose to take pics of the models coming down the runways and chatting with designers and fellow bloggers. However, I did manage to take the opportunity to go back stage and took some snaps before the runway shows of Aria Urban and Kimystics collections.

Here’s a glimpse of a few of our local models all beautified and waiting to strut their stuff on the runway.

 

Danielle in Aria

Zoe and Kari in Aria

Aria Collection

Aria Collection

Shanni in Aria

Nikita in Aria

Paige in Aria

Kimystic Designs

Paige, Rhea, Thandika – Kimystic Designs

 Kimystic Designs

 Kimystic Designs

Kari in  Kimystic Designs

Nikita in Kimystic Designs

So my trendsetters, that’s rounds up my coverage of BBFW 2013, remember to keep it stylish and chic until next post……

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(BBFW) Bridgetown Barbados Fashion Week_ Final Showcase

All good things must come to and end….

For the final night of Bridgetown Barbados Fashion Week (BBFW) belonged to the men. The featured designer of the night was Carmichael Byfield of House of Byfield hailing from Rotterdam, Netherlands. He stepped away from the concept of the more tradition suits and produce an array of colorful, edgy, modern day suits for his menswear line with the use of bold prints. Even though his pieces were daring being loud in both color and print; the designs still had a range between the more demure man to the more extroverted man with the big personality. From the entrance of the first model to the finale, he held those present in his palm of his hand with his eye-catching, elaborate designs and presentation.

This year was another great showing from the fashion designers and we look forward to seeing for much more from in the future.

*All photos aren’t mine, some photos belong to fellow fashion blogger Natasha Beckles of In My Wardrobe.

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(BBFW) Bridgetown Barbados Fashion Week_1st Showcase

Through the rainy weather I waddle and wade,
No Mr. Rain, you can’t rain on my parade….

Fashion lovers braved the heavy showers to head to the Independence Square for the spectacular of the first night of Bridgetown Barbados Fashion Week 2013 (BBFW). For the first night, the talented barbadian designers were they showcased their ready to wear Spring/Summer 2014 collections.

Opening the show was the designer Shanika Burnett with her Shakad Luxury Resort Line. Her designs brought the sunshine onto the runway with her women and menswear collection. Her pieces very easy on the eye and transported one to a private cabana on a remote island. Shanika portrayed great craftsmanship in her use of natural fibers, colorful tie-dyed and hand-painted creations.

 

Roazana Moseley of  La Rosa Couture was different from the regular line up of BBFW as she modeled her creations for full figured women. From the runway it proved that curvaceous women can still be classy, chic and voluptuous. She had a collection that ranged from relaxed flowing pieces to form fitting pieces.

The remarkable Rhea Cummings Jordan who on the very said night wore both hats of model and designer debuted her Aria Urban Fashions collection at BBFW. Rhea’s ensembles very colorful utilizing the colors pink, green and orange with the inclusion of bold prints. As the vibrant designs came down the runway, it was evident that she created for the “fun girl” with architectural cut-outs, daring hem lines and bared midriffs. The line had a flirtatious air about it as models parade the designs with coquettish antics especially in the finale as they blew bubbles into the crowd.

Bring down the curtain on the first night was Kesia Estwick with her Keisa Couture. As of the norm Kesia didn’t disappoint and her designs surely spoke for her. Know more for her streetwear collections, Kesia showed she was versatile with an ethereal collection that married classy and chic with edgy and modern successful. She exhibited a line of elegant pieces that were full with sheer sultry pieces and fairy tale couture gowns in an array of prints, whites, blacks and oxblood reds. All the pieces had intriguing details from both the front view and the back.

Judging from the first night viewing, the second day of shows promised to be day not to be missed.

*All photos aren’t mine, some photos belong to fellow fashion blogger Natasha Beckles of In My Wardrobe.

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