St. Kitts Fashion Weekend
Raises the Bar Once More

By Suelika N. Buchanan

(Basseterre; St. Kitts): Once again St. Kitts Fashion Weekend raised the bar, proving to be the premiere fashion event of the Federation. Last year, at the first showing, the organizers brought us Eva and Jade from America's Next Top Model, hot Caribbean designer Roger Gary and a host of international models and designers.

This year, we were loving Caribbean Runway Diva, (darling) Nadine Willis and new face of Pulse Models Shevolee Belle.

Perhaps it is the fact that St. Kitts and Nevis hardly has fashion shows of such standards, notwithstanding the fashion events held by Winnielle Model Management, however, the organizers of the St. Kitts Fashion Weekend must be applauded for bringing to an island that is starved of true fashion a chance to see Haute Couture professionals live in action.

The island was also given a special treat as the reigning Miss Universe, Riyo Mori was a special guest. She also made a special appearance onstage along with our very own National Queen Tesia Burton and the Miss Trinidad and Tobago New York Queen.~~Adz:Right~~

The event was also apart of the Tourism Awareness Month celebration which will be celebrated for the entire month of October and added to the fashion weekend were parties on the Frigate Bay strip, specifically Buddy's and also a welcoming party.

The event featured over ten designers including Judith Rawlins of Brown Sugar St. Kitts, Sonia Noel of Guyana, Andrea King of The fifth Element and a returning favorite Cleon Cummings of Debonaire.

Jitsu inspired designer, Kosuke Okawa took the Caribbean interpretation of fashion to the next level when he introduced oufts that exceeded our imagination. His line was a creative collection of the fashion era that is now ruling in the Asian countries.

We were most excited when Okawa came to the stage to take a bow and fluttered around like a butterfly totally high spirited with tons of energy, he made everyone laugh!

Okawa spoke to SKNVibes.com after his showing and said that he is presently on a fashion tour and started in New York.

Andrea King, principal designer of the fifth Element with her tribute to Yemaya presented her line of cottons and linens. The designs that were white fabrics teased our conscious minds and spirit.

King also recently showcased her designs at Caribbean Fashion Week held in Jamaica. Another CFW designer was the Millhouse of Trinidad that presented their spectacular men's line.

Some of the male models in clothing by Debonaire showed that they were too sexy for their shirts as they left them unbuttoned and exposing at the end of the runway much to the ladies in the audience's delight.

Sonia Noel was also a favorite at the event with her chic, high fashion styles and zebra inspired black and white outfits.

However, local designer Brown Sugar proved that she belonged on the list of top Caribbean designers when she presented her signature lines of browns, beige, and natural colours.

Brown Sugar also got a little naughty when a model came out in a very short, bouncy, sexy tube-like dress that had a bright orange lining under the beige base of the dress.

 (Caribbean darling Nadine Willis in Kosuke Okawa Designs)

Patrice Bartlette Henry of Raymonde Signature Designs showcased 'fame' inspired designs that were glitzy and glammy. She used bright reds and bold blacks that shimmered and moved as the models made their way down the runway.

“Darling” Nadine, the first Black Gucci model was high spirited on the runway giving just the right attitude for each design.

 She proved that the runway was certainly her forte.

The local models also strutted their stuff, but were not as frequent on the runway such as the other overseas models.

(Designer Patrice Bartlette-Henry with              (Local Designer Mikieda Franklin with one of her designs) 

Miss Universe)

However, local designers did their best to utilize the homebred models that certainly with the right training and attitude can easily be among the top Caribbean models.

As the curtains came down sometime before midnight, an audience of almost 300 persons cheered on in appreciation for the fashion main course they were just fed.

Organizers Eversley Liburd and Steven Cutting came out on stage at the ending and thanked everyone who contributed to the event and for making it a successful showing.

Now that we have seen Fashion Weekend 1&2 our appetite is opened wondering what is in store for next year, who will be strutting down the runway in what designs?

(Organizers Eversley Liburd (L) and Steven Cutting (R) at the end of the show)