Styleweek makes Peters proud

Patrina Pink, Gleaner Writer

Saint International CEO Deiwght Peters said he was proud of this year's staging of fashionweek, especially in light of financial obstacles.

"The event is expensive to stage and its free to patrons so that's always a challenge," remarked Peters. But for Saint International, Styleweek was worth the challenges as it kept Jamaicans on the cutting edge of fashion and encouraged creative endeavours.

"When you look at the innovation that was displayed tonight (at Sunday's Fashionblock) you'll see that we are doing something right in Jamaica, a lot of these designers come from humble backgrounds and their progress should be encouraged," remarked Peters.

The creative ethos of a nation, inflamed by fashion was on display Sunday night, when Fashionblock provided a fitting end to Saint International's fifth staging of Styleweek Jamaica.

The fashion-conscious and the not-so conscious turned out to experience what ended up being a night of wonders. Designers displayed efforts that teased an eager audience with clean, sharp designs and sometimes shapeless absurdities with the bulk of designers offering up wearable Caribbean and rock-inspired concoctions.

Traditionally Jamaican, the show began after its intended 9:30 p.m. start, but performances from Tami Chynn and Tifa 'certified' that Fashionblock was about to rock patrons to the core. A packed audience, designers, both local and international, a legion of eager Heart Trust NTA volunteers all converged to make Fashionblock a success.

There were notable presentations from Tanya Cameron, whose Shades of Africa sought to fuse the motherland and its patterns with an edgier, more urban appeal. For Cameron, it was a bastard birth but one she says works well.

"We used a lot of denim, in addition to the African fabrics. It was like a marriage of east and west".

Cameron encouraged patrons to close their eyes and 'picture a small paradise on a tropical island with bright colours, exotic birds and the clear blue sea.

Cutting edge fashion

Gregory Williams' HOD line treated patrons to a less wearable, but certainly more cutting-edge interpretation of form. His punk-rock meets the disco era concoctions didn't appeal to everyone, but certainly generated much discussion.

New York and Connecticut-based Donovan Depass was also well received and TK by Kenya's presentation of black and white themed wearable female designs also struck a chord with patrons. It was Kenya Henry's first Fashionblock as a designer but the hairstylist had been responsible for creating the coifs at previous Fashionblocks.

If there was a roof covering Knutsford Boulevard, Dexter Pottinger's 3D designs would have taken it down. Pottinger treated patrons to bright and daring colours.

One design was accompanied by what appeared to be a wedding veil meets dessert-tent contraption.

Pottinger added flare and excitement to a night that may have been described by fashion enthusiasts as a little on the conservative side.

"My goal is to make sure that people know Dexter Pottinger and that I set the trends," exclaimed Pottinger, after making his descent from the runway.

The show was closed by i nternational designer, Indashio, whose line of casual shorts and tops almost created an anti-climatic end to an otherwise interesting night of fashion.