By Yolande Gyles, Staff ReporterJAMAICAN DESIGNERS matched their South African counterparts cut for cut, stitch for stitch and fabric for fabric at the 'International Mecca of Style' event held in the ballroom of the Jamaica Pegasus hotel, New Kingston, on Sunday night.
The local contingent in the form of Simone Clarke, Les Campbell, Carlton Brown, Tasha Hussey, Minka, Heather Layne, Yola Gray and Rob H showed that local designers also have an eye for fashion.
Steering clear of the regular 'island' prints and colours, they used a variety of materials, colours, cuts and interpretations to weave a new vision of Caribbean aestheticism.
Yola Gray, the first Jamaican designer on display, premiered her Flayva Collection. It proved to be a flavourable delight of soft flowing fabrics which were sometimes draped, other times tucked or simply tied. She made the unconstructed seem perfectly made.
Gray's designs were followed by Tasha Hussey's. As has become her signature, Hussey used natural fabrics such as cotton and cotton blends to create modern classics for both men and women. However, the standout outfit in her line was a black and white one-sleeved dress which featured circular cut-outs at the side. The dress was both sexy and classy.
Next on show were designs from Heather Lane of Élan. It was announced that Lane would be debuting her men's collection.
It turned out to be a single ensemble. Nonetheless, that did not detract from her presentation. Her designs were primarily crushed cotton outfits that conjured feelings of modern bohemia. Her blouses and skirts were long and flowing and her pants clung to the body, though not too close.
Where Lane's collection was calming, Les Campbell's was rousing. The veteran designer produced what is probably his best line in recent memory. He chose to showcase a mix of fabrics and designs. Some were soft and flowing while others wrapped the body like a second skin. Campbell used grey as the dominant colour, with some splashes of red and black.
While womenswear dominated the night's fashion fare, menswear from Carlton Brown held its own. Brown used bright colours and made slight variations to regular men's outfits.
Also on display were breathtaking creations from young designer Minka. Her all-crochet 'Treasure of Life Collection' featured bikinis, coats, blouses, pants, skirts and hats. They were beautiful even if some were a bit risqué.
The pick of the crop among the local designers was Simone Clarke's SIIM line. When it was announced that her line would be taking the stage next, there was spontaneous applause from the audience. As her creations were paraded on-stage, it was clear to see why she was a favourite. She used her signature fabrics of linens, silks and Chinese brocade to fashion unusual and stunning pieces.
The final local designer was debutante Rob H. His designs featured a heavy use of raffia over linen dresses. They were dramatic but not practical for dressing purposes.
The other designers at the event were South African's Marc and Michael, Avi Muller - all for the Envi line and Charmaine Zuma.
The International Mecca of Style fashion show was the climax of a week of activities which saw photographers, hairstylists, major international magazines and designers in the island for what was Jamaica's first fashion week.
