Fashion Week 3: Haute Mess

Even though I did say I was NOT going to do a review of Fashion Week Trinidad and Tobago 3, I gave in when the title for this blog post came to me, and actually this is less of a review and more of just my random thoughts during the show.

This was my third year attending Fashion Week T&T and I always go on the final night.

Armed with my $200 Cyan ticket for an evening of fashion entitled "Haute Caribbean", I got to the Hyatt just after 7:00, met up with my peeps, got interviewed and asked who/what we were wearing and then we made our way inside. Because we were early I got a seat right behind my friend who was in the media section. Nice. The first thing to sour me for the night was my camera falling and then subsequently not working and leaving me with no photos from the runway.

I actually think a lot of the fashion was OFF the runway and on the patrons as we saw mini dress, ball gowns, sequin pants, boots (yay!), rompers, short pants suits, shoes and accessories galore!

Here are some of my thoughts which I tweeted during the show:

Is it just me or are these seats too close together @FashionWeekTT

This show is NOT going to start on time. People still being seated @FashionWeekTT

Telecomms service at #Hyatt is poor. Tweets taking long to go through @FashionWeekTT

Not even a bottled water this year? We had cocktails last year!

@FashionWeekTT playing de ass flicking lights off then on and back again.

Chairs being placed at the end f the runway for patrons to sit. Ha! @FashionWeekTT #bullshit

Real people waiting to be seated still and the show start @FashionWeekTT #bullshit

Who is this guy with the lisp who's announcing? @FashionWeekTT

I wonder if these models watch #ANTM? It doh look so.#FWTT

The ladies behind me love everything! Lol #FWTT

How wearable are these designs? #FWTT

Look Buffy @FashionWeekTT Errr...why? #FWTT

Swappi now @FashionWeekTT Err...why? #FWTT

Lol. People leaving yes #idohblamethem

Overall, for this their third year, Fashion Week T&T left a LOT to be desired, from the general disorganisation (I was NOT standing up if I had paid for a seat!) to some of the designers featured, to the last minute cancellation of the scheduled seminars.

In my opinion, you paid more but got less, and unless some changes are made, it does not look like I will be heading back as a paying patron next year.

Fashion Week Trinidad & Tobago 2009 - The Aftermath...

Date: Sunday 31st May 2009

Place: Hyatt Regency - The Waterfront

(Click on the pic to visit the Fashion Week website)
Pic from Fashion Week FB group

Last year for Fashion Week I spent my entire evening standing up despite having a ticket in hand. At the time I was told by one of the organisers that "You paid to see the show and not for a seat".

Despite that I was eagerly looking forward to this year's Fashion Week since I heard that this year it was being held at the swanky Hyatt Regency.

I made sure to tell my crew who were going that:
1. We were to reach early to get seats and not have a repeat of last year and;
2. we were to be dressed to kill, after all...is Fashion Week Trinidad & Tobago!

With those two items covered we arrived at the Hyatt just about 6:15pm and made our way inside.
What a change from last year!

UTT students work on display

Instead of being under a hot tent and fighting up for a seat, we were in an air conditioned venue, offered cocktails on entry and there was even a "green carpet" area for you to be photographed by the photographers on duty (if they found you worthy of course!)

B-mobile's setup at Fashion Week 2009

After doing a bit of socialising, I made my way inside and was showed to my seat and waited for the show to start.

The schedule for the night was: Peter Elias, Pilar, Chiz*l Menswear, M Squared, Kimya Glasgow, Christian Boucaud Designs and Zadd and Eastman. You can read up on the designers here.

Unfortunately because of where I was seated (and because my camera is a basic lil ole camera) most of my pics came out like this:

First up was my boy Peter Elias.
We saw some lovely vibrant colours in his collection, and one of my favorite models Latoya Woods in this lovely orange number.


Up next was Pilar by Anya Ayoung-Chee.
Anya's designs consisted mainly of lots and lots of African print (Jimmy Aboud anyone?). If you've seen Anya out and about, you've seen this collection as it is very much her style, with shirts masquerading as dresses and cords masquerading as belts.


Next we have Chiz*l Menswear.
Wow. The crowd went from silence (probably wondering WTF? Rubber slippers is style now?) to lusty applause at the end of his presentation.
Lots of half naked chiseled men in next to nothing.

Next on the list is well known designer Meiling.
*yawn*
If you've seen M Squared in Micles, just picture it in pastel colours. Meiling didn't even come out on the runway after her designs were shown.



Who's next? Let's see...Kimya Glasgow.

Kimya's line was nice and simple.
Mainly white with some green and purple accents, this line was simplicity at its best. One of her models (chick in the green top and white skirt) stumbled a bit on the runway and very admirably carried on.


Next designer was Christian Boucaud Designs (and don't get fooled by the name, this is a woman designer).
Made up mainly of swimsuits I think these designs may have been better received if different models were used.
Some of the models had less than perfect skin and the crowd remained quiet for the majority of her presentation as if in shock.
FUSE Agency needs to come better with their model next time man.



Zadd and Eastman ended the show in beautiful greens and blues.
Another designer that was well received.



The show ended just around 8:00pm and afterwards I got to meet and take some pics with America's Next Top Model-Season 11 , Mc Key Sullivan.

Mc Key laughs after showing how she learnt to wine

There was a bit of a bottle neck to leave the venue afterwards, but overall I enjoyed the show, and the ambience was definitely better than last year's event.

Definitely a must attend next year!