Kavelle Anglin-Christie, Staff Reporter
LEFT: These models pose backstage in Jamaican designer Carlton Brown's pieces. RIGHT: Deiwight Peters, (left), Saint International's CEO, poses with (l-r) Saint model, Tafari, designer Siim and another Saint model, Maurice, at Kulture2Couture in London. - CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS
THE KULTURE2COUTURE fashion show which Saint International and some of our local designers attended in London, England, was said to be a resounding success.
According to Dewight Peters, CEO of Saint International, they achieved their goal, which was to expose London and the world to Jamaican fashion.
"For us, the Jamaican contingent, a good impression was made and it was a success. Our fashion and design group realised that market was a vastly untapped one, especially in terms of the Afro-Caribbean designs, and there are lots of prospects for Jamaican designers," he said.
Peters also said the event taught the designers new things. "They saw which trends could work on the world stage. They also learnt about the retail and design element and saw what people would pay for their things and that they may be undervalued here in Jamaica."
NEW ADDITION
The show was held November 25 to 27. The fashion show was a part of the annual Black Historic Season, and Kulture2Couture is a new addition to the season.
"The mayor of London wants to make it an annual event, which will serve as a platform to promote black designers," said Peters in an article published in the November 27 edition of The Sunday Gleaner.
Saint partnered with Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO), for the event, which Peters said was in an effort to showcase the talent of African and Caribbean designers.
The designers who went were Lisa McIntosh, Les Campbell, Simone Clarke and Carlton Brown. However, pieces from Minka and Dexter Pottinger, were also showcased, though they were not able to attend. The Jamaican designers there were the only ones from the Caribbean showcasing their clothes at the event.
OPPORTUNITIES
Lisa McIntosh, designer of the NeahLis fashion line, said the event was not only exciting, but it also opened a lot of opportunities for each of the designers. She said it was her first time showcasing her clothes in London.
"We were really surprised about how the people reacted. We went to a different country and with the newspaper reports, they never really get to hear the good things in Jamaica, but the people there were excited to meet us and see our designs," she said.
"I met a lot of people and they gave me their numbers and that sort of thing for me to keep in contact with them so they could get some of my pieces."
McIntosh spoke of some of the things she learnt in the fashion workshop, called 'master classes' where the designers would get to learn from some of the best in the industry.
"I learnt creativity and how to go about marketing your stuff," she said.
GRATEFUL
" ... But more than that, I am very grateful to Mr. Peters for this opportunity. He worked his butt off for us. I remember the day I went to him at the New Kingston Fashion block and told him I wanted to do designing and since then, he is like 'Lisa we are going here, you need to come. Lisa we are going there, you need to come'," said McIntosh.
She says she also learnt new things from the other designers displaying their fashions. "Quite honestly, their pieces were different, but they were good. They made good use of the fabrics and that sort of thing, but it was good."
Les Campbell, also said the event was a success, actually, he said, "It was excellent. It was absolutely excellent."
" ... There were a lot of people there and they were so excited about the clothes that came from Jamaica, and they couldn't believe they were from here," he said.
It was also Campbell's first time exhibiting his clothes in London, as such, the event exposed him new clients.
"I got a lot of offers from the people there and they wanted what they saw on stage, but you know those are the model sizes, so they ordered them in their sizes. They were just raving at all of them," he said.
He and McIntosh said they would be returning for the show next year.
"It was a good experience and helped in some way to change the face of Jamaica. It was a significant milestone in the Jamaican fashion industry and helped the designers to see that the world is indeed their stage," said Peters.
