Alicia Roache, Staff Reporter
CONTRIBUTED -
Dexter Pottinger at work on a mo del.
DEXTER POTTINGER has, in the past seven years, successfully
navigated his way within an industry that is as fickle as the next fashion trend and as testy as a kindergarten classroom.
At age 22, he speaks animatedly about the virtues and vices of being a fashion designer, stylist and model in the local fashion industry.
Dexter is a pleasant young man, seemingly unfazed by the many troubles of adult life.
"This year, 2005, I'm going to be happy, because I'm a young, talented person," he says.
He says this in much the same way he says everything else, as though 'it's that easy' and there is absolutely nothing that could stop him. He is unguarded and devoid of the cynicism that seems so often to affect persons with experience and responsibility. And yet, Dexter Pottinger, is not short of either experience or responsibility.
PASSION FOR STYLING
This interview could be about many things fashion-related. We could focus on his experiences as a fashion model in London while he was signed to Saint International but that would be old news.
Or, we could focus on his skill as a designer. He has a line called 3 D (Dexter's Denim Dimensions), which has made it on many fashion shows locally, and which, interestingly, does not comprise many denim creations.
But today we talk to Dexter about his present passion: styling.
He has now positioned himself as one of the more popular local stylists with his work on the Rising Stars (Cavan, Diana, Renée and Candy). He will proudly tell you he does all their styling, including print ads and music videos.
"I did Diana's video," he says. "That was really good. It was
dramatic and exciting and different. That was good. I took three days. I didn't sleep for three days, just to get the set together and the lighting and stuff, but it was really good. I loved it," he beams. "I like working on sets that're different."
His passion for things that are 'different' informs many of his choices and his focus as a stylist, and is reiterated many times
during the interview.
"I think out of the box. I sit down and think about stuff. I can get a simple fork in my hand and come up with an idea for a fork," he says. The ideas for the 'Rising Stars' videos were certainly not conceived inside the 'box' that is popular music video fare.
He believes that as a stylist, one should "sit down and come up with different, creative ideas and be different. Just come different. don't try and copy the bling bling and the heap of girl all the time".
"I love when I can sit down and watch TV and see a good video. I'm tired of seeing the same garbage jumping up and down."
One might think that the pre-packaged pop that is the Rising Stars is a good place for a fashion model and designer-turned-stylist to ply his trade.
But Dexter stands out as more than just a clean-cut beauty
practitioner. His designs, which are always edgy and attention-catching, suggest that there is more than meets the eye of the youthful,
pleasant designer.
A PACKAGE
He also has a real sense of Jamaican street style, a feature which is often far removed from what is presented on the runways of fashion shows.
This is what informs his work with dancehall artistes such as Macka Diamond, Lady Saw and Capelton artistes with undeniable street credentials.
"I think Macka when you see her, she's so rough is such a nice person. And, again, she wants to come different and she knows how to play her game. Everybody wants to get to 'the level' the Sean Paul, the
whoever is up there. I think that's why she called me. She wants to be different."
"The Jamaican culture is also that 'yuh nuh waan fi inna whe yuh fren inna'. So everybody wants to be different. Everybody wants to get the attention. Jamaicans pretend that they don't want the attention, but they do want it," he argues.
There has been, in recent times, more focus on imaging and styling in the entertainment industry. Where are all the other stylists?
"I wouldn't say I'm the only male stylist in Jamaica. I heard that there are other guys on the scene, but I'm the only one that's giving the difference. The stylists come in with the pants and shirt and they can do a set, but I don't think they come up with the ideas. And that's what I think the artistes like."
Besides the ideas, Dexter comes as a package. He does hair, make-up and clothing for his clients, creating a total look, which he says is another career defining attribute.
"I've been on a set where I work with make-up artists and different hair people and it's just not coming together... People just give me jobs because they don't want to have these people clashing on set."
TRAINING
While he will tell you that he was born with the talent to be
creative, Dexter has also had real world training and experiences in the avenues he pursues.
Training in make-up application at the Face Place locally and in both make-up and fashion styling with Tyron Mayes at New York and at the Fashion Week there, have helped to hone this talent.
Yet he insists that one cannot learn to become a stylist. "I think it's just an art," he says. "It's not everybody can be a stylist. You can't go to school to learn styling. I've had people who try to imitate me in terms of hairstyling. I'll have a girl who says 'Dexter, see I do your hairstyle' and I say, yes you can do that hairstyle, but I can do 16 more of that hair."
Though he is currently creating a buzz in the local fashion, and he will admit that he has developed a good reputation a s a stylist, the journey has not been entirely gratifying.
"You have some people that think it's not necessary to pay a stylist and they can't do the job without you. Some of them are just dishonest, one, and some of them just don't want to pay the money. Some of them don't think that a stylist is important."
POSITIVE ASPECTS
However, Dexter has decided to focus on more positive aspects of the industry. He wants to develop young talent.
"I used to have to fight with these old folks to make the young, fresh ideas work. My new thing is developing young models to the international level. Whenever a new model is leaving, we give that model a free shoot, so when they're leaving, they leave Jamaica with fresh photographs in which I get to style," he said.
And in which they get a chance to shine.
