From:TheBahamasWeekly.com

Focus on Fashion
The Colour of Love at Islands of the World Fashion Showcase
May 26, 2017 - 11:30:03 AM

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Photos: Roderick Wells / Islands of the World Fashion Showcase

Nassau, Bahamas - The seventh edition of Islands of the World Fashion Showcase, under the theme “The Colour of Love”, took the audience on a romantic journey to an idyllic destination island wedding, featuring apparel and accessories from underwear, swimwear, casual and resort wear, to evening dresses, suits and bridal gowns, accentuated by exquisite jewelry. Owen Bethel, producer of the event, described it as a “mosaic of fashion, art, and culture, depicting a sophisticated island lifestyle, or designs for the sophisticated urban castaways.” The ambience of the romantic garden setting in the Humidor Piazza at Graycliff Hotel provided a complementary environment for a night of dazzling elegance.

A new component of the award-winning event was the Haute Arte Couture segment where the budding Bahamian designer, Renaldo Johnson, presented two designs inspired by the works of two visual artists, “Creative Industry” from the Geisha series by John Cox of The Bahamas and “A la sombra de nuestro ensueno” (In the shadow of our dreams) by Alberto Lago of Cuba. Mr. Johnson fused the central images of the butterfly and the geisha from the two pieces of art and, in a dramatic twist of artistic freedom, incorporated the theme of “love” as depicted in Giacomo Puccini’s classic Italian opera, “Madama Butterfly” and a 1988 Broadway adaptation of that opera titled “M. Butterfly”. Mr. Johnson noted that he “was also influenced by the recent recognition given by the Met Gala in New York to the Japanese designer, Rei Kawakubo, the founder of Comme des Garcons. The Met Gala is a haven for elaborate couture pieces.” The result was the creation and presentation of two stunning and colorful couture designs.

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Photos: Roderick Wells / Islands of the World Fashion Showcase

The Fashion Showcase also featured designer labels, DKlypse Swimwear from The Bahamas, Rock That Style from Barbados, Sun Sea and Sand by Persida Louison from Haiti, and Exiles, a collective collaboration of designers from The Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, and the USA.

Kristen Cartwright, designer for DKlypse Swimwear, stated that “The Goddess Collection features high cuts, snake prints, bold colors and sexy cut outs, while celebrating a woman’s natural curves, making her feel confident, sexy and comfortable in her own skin, and allows the world to acknowledge her as a Queen just as she sees herself.”

Greg Williams, designer for Rock That Style, fuses “fabrics which are breathable for the Caribbean climate, and breaks the mold for Caribbean men’s fashion by presenting different garments in a wide colour spectrum.”

Persida Louison, designer for Sun Sea and Sand, states that her “collection always reflects a dreamy palette of Haiti’s shores, suggesting an impression of serenity and an invitation to the core of the way of life for over five centuries.”

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Photos: Roderick Wells / Islands of the World Fashion Showcase

Exiles’ principal, Owen Bethel, describes the collection as a “blending of cultures, creativity, and lifestyles of relaxed sophistication in an island paradise. It is a collective initiative drawing together under one label the creations of select designers of apparel, jewelry, and accessories, primarily from islands around the globe. The paramount requirement is that the designs are truly functional as resort wear. For this collection we are pleased to have exclusive designs by Brynda Knowles (Bahamas), Raymond Brown (USA), Renaldo Johnson (Bahamas), and Saint George Fashion House by Kazz Forbes (Turks and Caicos). These designs have been accentuated by accessories from Harl Taylor BAG and Aidan Anais of The Bahamas.

The exquisite jewelry, this year enhanced by the design and creation of men’s and women’s tribal body chains exclusively for Exiles, is the handwork of Caroline Anderson, whose artistic pieces have previously graced the runways of Paris.”


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Photos: Roderick Wells / Islands of the World Fashion Showcase



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