It would be remiss of Dazzle Magazine if we didn’t dare to dazzle you with the images of sweltering ‘hot’ models on the runway of Hot Couture, a new feature of the newly rebranded St. Lucia Jazz and Arts Festival.
The event which took place May 7, 2013 at the Audi showroom was nothing short of amazing. The copious time and effort that must have gone into the show’s production was the catalyst for what can only be described as a burst of energy and colours as a host of 16 designers and 42 models fired up the runway.
When the Saint Lucia Tourist Board unveiled the Jazz and Arts Festival at a media conference on February 1, they announced that a number of new activities involving the arts would be incorporated into the festival, including poetry and dance, and for the first time ever a fashion show of international standard featuring local, regional and international designers. Shortly after, it was revealed that revered fashion icon and TV personality, Vincent McDoom had been solicited as creative director for the show.
Dazzle Magazine spoke with Vincent Mc Doom, Flavia St. Clair, a Hot Couture model and Sharleen Lagon, a designer to get an inside look into how Hot Couture materialised and their personal experience in being part of such a historic event.
Vincent tells Dazzle Magazine why Hot Couture was so important to him:
“I went to Paris twenty-five years ago, because I won the first ever young Saint Lucian Fashion Designers contest which was put on by Junior Branford, Peter Marcellin and the Saint Lucia Government.”
From then Vincent would enter straight into the fashion arena of Paris where he was employed at the Hot Couture House of Paco Rabanne. Vincent goes on to tell Dazzle Magazine that he saw “Hot Couture” as his calling, so he gave up his job on Russia’s Next Top Model and decided to come home to give six weeks of his time to assist the Saint Lucian models and designers. Vincent further elaborates, “I was given such a huge opportunity and I wanted to share my experience, expertise and professionalism with these young individuals. So when I was called upon by the Saint Lucian Government and the Saint Lucian Tourist Board, I answered present because I felt it was a calling and it was high time we redefined an industry which was dormant in Saint Lucia.”
Vincent’s vision for the show extended far beyond a Saint Lucian audience as he wanted to create a show that would be “on par with any other fashion week hosted in other countries around the world.” It was with this in mind that he sought to provide a platform for our local designers. This, Vincent believed, was paramount to hosting a fashion show that would be a true reflection of our local talent. He was tasked with the challenge of casting and training the beautiful models who would later become known as the ‘Hot Couture Models’. Saint Lucian-born international supermodel, Denise Lay would work closely with Vincent to train the models, empower them and teach them the appropriate techniques needed. Vincent would embark on a mission to “highlight Saint Lucian talent.”
On the night of Hot Couture, the Audi showroom quickly filled with patrons eager to see whether the show would live up to the hype and expectations. There had been so much press leading up to the event, not to mention the mini scandal which had been overblown for weeks. If the sold-out tickets was not enough to deem Hot Couture a success,when Mala Bryan opened the show wearing a piece from Sunblew Designs by Luciana Maxwell of Saint Lucia, the results were in. Hot Couture was nothing short of epic. It was truly amazing how professional and stunning each of the models looked.
For Dazzle Magazine, it was difficult to tell the international models from the newly casted ‘Hot Couture’ models. For the duration of the show, the audience continued to be wowed by some of the jaw-dropping designs, the finesse and sheer beauty of the models. Sharleen Lagon particularly thrilled the audience with her new contemporary line. It featured black and white structured yet edgy pieces. It was pure brilliance.
Sharleen shares a little of her experience with Dazzle Magazine:
Sharleen says she discovered her passion for fashion around age twenty to twenty-one. She participated in a competition dubbed “Aspiring Designer of the Year,” hosted by Joyce Medericks in which she won second place. Since then Sharleen has devoted all her time and energy to creating her designs. She says that working on Hot Couture has evoked in her a whirlwind of emotions. She saw the show as a chance to showcase her work to a larger, more appreciative audience. Additionally, she seized this opportunity to work with Vincent as she believed his wealth of experience and expertise would not only assist her in developing her craft but also open doors which were once closed to her. The initial inspiration for Sharleen’s line was sparked by a competition she attended in Jamaica. She got to sit with Vincent who was very helpful in directing her creative process. Sharleen says she was happy with the end result and appreciated being given the opportunity to showcase her work.
In speaking with Vincent, he was very concerned about how the models had been treated locally. With 30 modeling agencies on island, Vincent believed none of them had equipped the girls with the right tools for the job. He wanted to empower the models, nurture them and help them to truly realize their talent and potential. What was even more important to him was helping them build their self-esteem and their value.
Dazzle Magazine spoke to Flavia St. Clair, one of the Hot Couture models:
Flavia says at her first training session she was nervous, as she did not believe she could give off what was expected of her. She describes the experience as “great,” and further explains that she “learnt so much about modeling, the runway and the fashion industry.” The training sessions impressed on her the importance of having a good knowledge of the fashion industry and helped to build her confidence. Flavia who admitted to feeling shy in front of cameras was pushed to overcome her fear. Now she says she is ready for anything, including another Hot Couture show!
We at Dazzle Magazine were blown off our seats at Hot Couture. Each clothing line displayed by the designers was mezmerising. The models were even more captivating, their exuberance rousing up the audience and sending them into a clamor of applause.
“I’m allergic to failure!” said Vincent Mc Doom; and, in truth, despite all the challenges experienced, Hot Couture was a success. Undeniably it was one of the best events on the calendar of the 2013 St. Lucia Jazz and Arts Festival.
