Trinidadians and visitors alike are still talking about last weekend’s inaugural fashion, food and funk experience that attracted local and international celebrities – from Trinidadian cricket legend Brian Lara to the world’s number one male supermodel Tyson Beckford – at the upscale Carlton Savannah hotel in Port-of-Spain.
Produced over three days by special events company Antilia in conjunction with The Carlton Savannah and local design artist and producer Charisse Parsons, hot Caribbean fashion designs were brought to life by the award-winning fashion icon Meiling; former Miss Trinidad and Tobago Anya Ayoung-Chee, and emerging designer Anthony Reid, leaving patrons wanting more at the electric be. weekend experience.
“We believe Trinidad and Tobago is well placed to become the next hot fashion centre,” said Antilia CEO Simon Khan, who asserts that the weekend event has boosted the quality of the region’s creations in the eyes of many overseas-based guests, including media operatives who flew in for be. themed event.
“The glamour of fashion is best accentuated by special events, celebrity integration and the media. That is what we have done: created demand for fashion by pioneering a world-class inaugural event series, in addition to positioning fashion-related celebrities in T&T to attract the media, create buzz and generate broad exposure for all stakeholders,” said Khan, who noted that from the energetic catwalk of Meiling’s monochromatic “Noir” collection to the unveiling of Ayoung-Chee’s “Anya de Rogue” lingerie collection, the event showcased some of the Caribbean’s most avante-garde fashion trends in a way that locals as well as international media and thought leaders would recognize as world class.
The be. experience featured rooftop cocktails and panoramic views over the Savannah and downtown Port-of-Spain on Friday night, an international standard, high-end fashion show experience on Saturday night, and a “hip” day time pool party and runway show complete with video presentations and live performances on Sunday. Spotted throughout the weekend were Emmy-Award winning ‘mas man’ and artist/designer Peter Minshall; former Miss Universe Wendy Fitzwilliam; former Miss World Giselle Laronde-West, and American Reality TV Star Angela Simmons.
Antilia also mounted a concept “clothes line,” displaying original T-shirt collections from New York “It Girl” Vashtie Kola and edgy, young designer Nicholas Salloum.
Trinidadian Nigel Rojas opened Saturday night’s show with the ruling People’s Partnership government’s hit song “We Will Rise” and his band Orange Sky also closed the show with a live performance of their hit songs from over the years, while specialty drinks such as Belvedere Caipiroskas were served up during the cocktail hour. The Carlton Savannah’s gourmet hors d’oeuvres were passed throughout the night and Veuve Clicquot champagne flowed by the bottle.
And to make sure that guests could see the quality on display, Optometrists Today set up an interactive eyewear display from designer brands Roberto Cavalli, Prada and Michael Kors in addition to offering branded giveaways to participants of the be. event series.
