Young male designers find success at Styleweek
Published:Monday | July 12, 2010 | 12:00 AM
Garfene Grandison, Gleaner Writer
Saint International's, International Mens Collection, kept on the lavish south lawns of Devon House proved to be one of the most successful stagings to date.
The four segment show, paraded fashion from 10 of Jamaica's most promising designers in the country.
Most of the designers were trendy, stylish and represented the 'swag' factor that many Jamaicans have come to know and embrace.
Known for his eccentric and bold sense of style, Dexter '3D' Pottinger had mixed reviews from the patrons who surrounded the runway. Prior to his debut on stage, the patrons were ecstatic about what they were going to be treated to by the fashion designer turn video director.
The rather dramatic opening to Lady Gaga's Alejandro ensured that there was about to be a showcase of bold, eccentric designs.
Continuing where the introduction had left off, each model stalked on to the stage with some element of eccentricity to their given ensemble. Whether they were the glasses or the neck pieces, the patrons were thoroughly engrossed to see what would be next.
Did they understand the concept of Pottinger's new designs? Many didn't, and as such The Gleaner sought to unearth the creative talent behind the designs.
Pottinger shared that it was his trip to Cuba that inspired his line. "When you hear about Cuba you just think of old buildings, but it was one of the most beautiful cities I've ever seen. It's very old but the glitz and the glamour are still there with all the people dressing up in nice clothing. So it was the mixing of the old with the bling."
No newcomer to the Styleweek platform, Pottinger shared that Styleweek has grown since its inception but he still thinks there needs to be a spin on the event. "Even though the designers are coming up with new concepts and designs and Saint still has good models and the people still love it, there's more that can be done," he stated.
Two designers who are new to the Styleweek family but did an exceptional job at the opening night at the international men's collection are Richard Campbell of Drenz Fashions and Ricardo Johnson of Roj Designs. Both came ready with bold and trendy designs that had many patrons in the audience 'oohing' and 'aahhing' while leaving others simply enamoured with the intricacies of the designs.
Campbell was very much appreciative of the opportunities afforded to him by Styleweek. "Tonight the reception was terrific. Just hearing the applause of the people it just shows that they are appreciative of all that Drenz has to offer." Coming from a t-shirt line, Drenz has evolved into other outer apparel such as pants, jackets, shirts and ties. And he plans to take the line even further in order to build the brand. He is looking to launch a Drenz website soon in order to catapult his brand even more.
"I have been doing good so far but I hope to take it even further by doing more fashion shows while still maintaining the presence in the streets. However, I pretty much just want to develop the business aspect a bit more and have it down pat," he said.
Exceeded his expectations
Styleweek, Campbell states, had exceeded his expectations because he thinks it can create revenue based on the platform being given by Saint to showcase the talents and creativity of the Jamaican people. "Having Jampro (Jamaica Trade and Invest) and the Ministry of Culture being a part of this initiative is great because it bridges the gap between Jamaica's creative talents and the rest of the international world," he ended.
Also happy to have been a part of Styleweek for the first time, Johnson was just expecting a sombre feedback but he told The Gleaner that he got way more than he had bargained for as a newcomer.
Being in the designing business for just two years professionally, Johnson hopes to take it to the highest level to establish his name as a household name and Saints, he says, has afforded him that opportunity.
"Styleweek is essential to young Jamaican designers. It offers a change to showcase talents to the rest of the world. It opens the doors for young Jamaican designers to increase their knowledge base so that many others like me will be able to express themselves through the use of fabric and designs," he says.