Tesi Johnson, Gleaner Writer
SAINT INTERNATIONAL'S Style Week Jamaica has ended and fashion followers are gearing up for Pulse's Caribbean Fashion Week (CFW). It offers a chance for local designers to showcase their talents. This week Flair turns the spotlight on cosmetologist/designer, Pat Wright, who is one of the designers to be featured this year.
Mrs. Wright is no stranger to CFW. Wright Style has been one of the featured designers since the inaugural staging in 2001.
The line has remained on the show's roster, according to Mrs. Wright, because it provides valuable exposure for her brand. "It keeps your name out there," she said. "I wouldn't ordinarily be able to afford a model such as Jaunel McKenzie, but with CFW I have such access," she added.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Mrs. Wright has long been involved in beauty and fashion. Before Wright Style, she was, and still is, the proprietor of a chain of salons. She is also the director of Sunset Spas, and delved into fashion, as a result of numerous compliments she got for her outfits, which she often designed herself. With that, Wright Style was born in 1991 and has remained a staple on local fashion scene ever since. However, Wright Style is not only confined to the local market, but has already begun penetrating the foreign market as it has begun production on the Freezone to manufacture clothing for export. "This year we will be putting extra effort into moving Wright Style to the export market in which I have no doubt we will be successful," said Mrs. Wright.
For this year's show, Wright Style promises to give customers what they've always expected of the line: simplicity, ease of wear and practicality. She and her team of stylists aim to show potential customers how to mix, match and coordinate the basic pieces to form a lovely outfit. She has no intention of working with new materials but plans to stick with linens and bandana, with which they have thus far found success. This year, however, they have toyed with the madras variation of the bandana style.
Of her colleagues who are also slated to display their work at CFW 2006, Mrs. Wright said she admired the work of designer, Mutamba. "I love his easy-going pieces." She also praises the work of Meiling. "She's fantastic, she is the designer's designer."
Clothing from Wright Style is available at the store of the same name, at Shop 39, Sovereign Centre, 106 Hope Road, Kingston 6. Some of their clothing are featured on their website at www.wrightstyleja.com.
