Take inspiration from the region as we count down to a new decade. SO returns to Saint Lucia, where Trinbagonian icon Meiling Esau, Anthony Reid for Meiling for Men and Ecliff Elie stamped their class on the runway, unveiling collections that would up the style ante of any festive gathering.

SO travelled to Saint Lucia courtesy of Caribbean Airlines

About Meiling

The four-decade-old label has a legacy of sustainability and mentorship as creative director Meiling Esau believes that industry knowledge is something to be passed on to apprentices who in turn help to ensure that the label and its outstanding brand values live in perpetuity.

In 2018 she completed two cycles of mentoring for fashion industry enthusiasts and practitioners. The ages ranged from 16-60.

Meiling’s energy-efficient atelier incorporates recycling and upcycling and relies on hand-embroidery and signature bead designs for its haute couture pieces.

Meiling is a 2008 recipient of the Chaconia (silver) Medal, a long-time collaborator of Emmy Award-winning Mas Man Peter Minshall and a 2017 Honorary Distinguished Fellow in Fine Arts from the University of Trinidad and Tobago.

Meiling was in 2018 selected to represent Trinidad and Tobago at the first-ever Commonwealth Fashion Exchange at Buckingham Palace.

About the collection unveiled at The Make it Happen Foundation under the patronage of Raquel du Boulay Chastanet, First Lady of Saint Lucia:

‘Less is more’ has long been Meiling’s mantra. Go elsewhere for frou frou. The effortless collection in black that incorporated silk, cotton and organdy with subtle hints of lace embodied in classic silhouettes all with a surprise or twist opened with the designer’s unforgettable moth oozed minimalist sophistication with an ode to sustainability.

Anthony Reid, creative director, Meiling For Men

How impactful was the collection?

Let’s just say that the Prime Minister of Saint Lucia Allen Chastanet kept his Meiling for Men midnight blue brocade jacket on after his turn on the runway. Indeed, the corporate executives and politicos who modelled the line not only secured theirs but ordered more.

(Photos: Belle Portwé)