It was a night of haute couture as the organizers of BB Fashion Week launched International Fashion Festival Barbados at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Conference Centre. The modest crowd at the opening gala on Friday was treated to a showcase of designs by Hollywood wunderkind Oliver Tolentino.
The Los Angeles-based Filipino designer showed a variety of “old Hollywood” – inspired gowns made of eco-friendly fabrics, and his use of bold colours would not be unfamiliar to a Caribbean audience. Tolentino has worked with celebrities from Sophia Bush to Cee-lo, and his works have graced the stage of several major stages and events, including the Golden Globes, Miss World and America’s Next Top Model.
According to Rodney Powers, executive director of Unique Productions Worldwide (UPW) Ltd, the International Fashion Festival was launched to assist in funding the Adopt-a-Designer programme, a joint venture by UPW, the Barbados Coalition of Service Industries and the Small Business Association, which aims to provide young and up-coming designers with the opportunity to work with international fashion-houses as well as aiding in their own brand development.
The fifth edition of BB Fashion Week is scheduled to take place in October this year. (AB)
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Being the first of its kind in Barbados, the International Fashion Festival surely did not disappoint the patrons who were delighted to see the work of fashion greats Oliver Tolentino and Romero Bryan on Night Two.
Organized by BB Fashion Week, aspects of the festival also included the launch of the Fashion Industry Development Programme for Barbados, which involves an “Adopt a Designer Programme” where three designers would get the opportunity to work with a professional team in order to bring their product to an international market. The launch of that programme also included the open opportunity for one young writer in Barbados to be selected for an internship at Ebony Magazine during the summer.
Both Oliver Tolentino and Romero Bryan said they had a wonderful time during their stay in Barbados and were thankful to the people who made their trip possible. Having tasted our rich Barbadian culture, both designers have big plans in store for their next collections. (SM)
