Claudine Housen, Staff Reporter
Left: Saint International models (from left) Kibwe McGann, Rayon Orbie and Chris Stephenson show off their well-toned bodies and designs by Carlton Brown at the first staging of Saint International's Digicel Fashion Block on Montego Bay's Hip Strip, on Monday. Right: A model wears a design from Yolande Bennett's collection. - PHOTOS BY CLAUDINE HOUSEN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
WESTERN BUREAU:
IF YOU were in Western Jamaica on Easter Monday and you did not attend Saint International's Digicel Fashion Block Montego Bay show, on the Hip Strip, then you missed something spectacular.
The first Montego Bay staging of Saint International's Fashion Block since the agency's inception six years ago was a huge success.
Slated to start at 8:00 p.m. at the Old Hospital site on the Hip Strip, patrons started to gather around the stage from as early as 7: 00 p.m., and by the time the show got into full swing, even the sidewalks along the strip were lined with people trying to get a glimpse of the statuesque models on the runway.
DESIGNERS
With the mood already set by selectors from Coppershot, the show kicked off shortly after 8:00 p.m. with fashion by 17-year-old Schnel Francis, followed by designers Chris Pablo, Yolande Bennett, House of Flayva by Yola Gray, Terri Nicholson, Shem Deeke, Les Campbell and Ande Sew, before closing with Carlton Brown.
A parade of colour and sophistication, all eyes were on the stage as the leggy models strutted their stuff, hips swinging and legs zigzagging down the runway. Crowd favourite was Shem Deeke, whose artfully crafted swimwear had both sexes drooling over the models. This was topped by only the grand finale in which Saint International male models Kibwe McGann, Rayon Orbie and Chris Stephenson flexed their muscles in designs by Carlton Brown.
HUGE SUCCESS
Hailed as a huge success, Saint International has already confirmed its intention to return with Fashion Block MoBay next year.
"The turnout was amazing," said Deiwight Peters, Saint International chief executive officer (CEO). "It is absolutely overwhelming. We expected a reasonable turnout from Montego Bay being that it is the first time, and we had a short promotional horizon to deal with, but when I see that the park was full ... it is absolutely incredible and it speaks to what we are trying to do where fashion is concerned in Jamaica ... I think the Montego Bay experience was a tremendous success and we cannot wait until next year," Peters said.
