Siim kicks off fashion year in sizzling style
Simply mounting a collection, and calling it a fashion show, will no longer suffice in 2003. Fact is, on Saturday, January 11, the fashion bar was raised to an incredible height.
Michelle Simone Clarke for Siim, assisted by Carlton Brown, exhibited perfect stitches 40 times; and in a zig zag kind of way created the kind of fashion dialogue that will have multitudes tacking and zipping along for the rest of the year.
“The drums are restless tonight….” was the theme of the Siim Spring/Summer Collection.
Guests were transported to the hazy heights of Smoky Vale, amidst heavy foliage, hairpin bends, and dewy mist – the result of earlier showers.
The ruins of the Bellevue Great House felt suitably eerie, bamboo torches lit the driveway and then the sounds of pulsating drumbeat by the Kingston Drummers.
Pieces of art blended in well with the decay. Dewy grass-cushioned steps, mud clung to heels, and then there was more light. This sudden illumination led to offerings of skewered rundown chicken breast, coffee and pimento crusted loin of pork, pickup salt fish on cucumber rounds, corn fritters, ackee and red herring on puff pastry. Naturally, there were wines and since Colin Hylton of the Guilt Trip provided the feast, there were desserts to follow. – his signature rum and raisin cheesecake, and pimento brownie with chocolate coffee glaze. The drums became mellow, allowing other instruments to create a cacophony of sound.
The production commenced:
Programme in hand, explanation read: “For this my second collection I have tried to distil from our history, the essences of the varied and random mixing of cultures which has made us Jamaicans one people out of many.” And so the show began, (a production that could have taken place in a French chalet or an Italian villa. A show that Lagerfeld himself would have approved) aided by the polished musical mix of Alric and Boyd. It commenced with white cotton, the colour an ominous reminder of the supernatural spirits, already conjured up by the hysterical drumbeat. The second piece was also white, a cotton halter with scalloped rear opening and khaki and powder blue wrap skirt. The Siim line once again revealing the designer’s architectural eye, with a preference for height, volume, complex lines, cuts, apertures and sheets of transparencies.
From the denim jacket, we moved to the contrast wrap jumpsuit. The Saint female models were handsomely accesorissed by their male counterparts, suited by designer Carlton Brown, who opted for the luxurious feel of mohair, silk, and suede. Rock glass in hand, they flirted, teased and seduced. Siim’s response was a look for the versatile woman. Using cottons, linens, and silks models stepped out in drawstring trousers, Sunday sailor cotton blouse with pleated waistband, paired with green-banana striped capris, cut on the bias. The line presented hand-beaded, mono-filament straps, and hints of embroidery.
From cool, casual day to the cocktail hours, and to the dramatic evenings there was something for every woman: a chic twist on the riding dress presented in full linen with front and rear openings and worn with cotton strands by Garth Sanguinetti, a white on white linen cocktail suit with satin shoulders, sash and heel guards.
Anodised aluminium Arawak leaves by Sanguinetti closed the ensemble. The jumpsuit got a new twist with green lace streamers, and then came the magic of collection.
The exotic and impatient passions of night poured energy in a backless silver shift with invisible straps. Chiffon was ushered in and the cool night air added even more sensuality to the sunset silk chiffon swallowtail evening dress. An amazing swatch of dark chocolate charmeuse, perfectly accessorised was the premier coup de foudre, a solitaire butterfly evening dress in iced cafe Indian silk with gold threads the second, a Chinese bronze silk brocade jacket and brown crushed satin skirt the third, and then came an unbelievable fourth a China doll, black and gold cherry blossom silk brocade evening dress with striped silk organza train. In between all of that, the perfect black sheath mesh counterweighted cocktail dress. And then it came, the tuxedo la femme, white on white linen and satin tails and matching pants with satin side inserts.
As the models created an amazing finale against the remains of what was once the formidable Bellevue Great House, and designers Michelle Simone Clarke, and Carlton Brown basked in the applause of the audience, the pity was that neither Anna Wintour nor Andre Leon Talley were on hand to witness this incredible presentation. The good, however, is that “this magical setting will prompt us to look with love upon our common history in the light of all of the wonderful talent that still lives in this beautiful country.”
(Photos: Garfied Robinson)