Glamour, glitz and a galaxy of
rising stars from the fashion world converged at the first annual Cayman
Fashion Solstice. The three-day fashion and lifestyle bonanza kicked off with a
bubbly welcome party hosted poolside at the Marriott Beach Resort.
Welcome party
Thursday evening’s fete was a
relaxed event meant as a gentle introduction for those who were not acquainted
and a catch up session for locals, residents and a host of models and
designers, many of whom had flown in earlier that day from across the US and
the Caribbean to take part in the trio of parties and fashion events.
As well as Cayman’s own Selita
Ebanks, who went on to all the events and hosted Saturday’s close out show —
Cayman Fashion Gala — Thursday’s soiree was filled with industry gossip, a
rousing set by local band Swanky and the event’s signature drink Stoli
Solstice.
Balmy tropical breezes, choice hors
d’oeuvres and an exciting mix of old and new friends made for an enjoyable
outdoor experience, notable for its high head count of young and beautiful
people. As well the models, fashionistas and on-trend designers, the event
attracted a brace of overseas media, including online style magazine model.com
and regional lifestyle glossy: Caribbean Life.
Chilled out Caribbean pop singer
IYAZ, who used the runway as a stage on Saturday, said: “I’ve been busy working
hard on my second and as yet untitled album. Fetes like this are a chance for
me to unwind with others from the music-fashion and media world and also most
importantly to perform.”
Monochrome mode
Friday’s Sunset White Fashion Fete
similarly attracted a good turnout, many of whom stuck to the dress code which
made for a sartorially cool and sophisticated evening. Hosted at Osetra Bay
Restaurant & Lounge in Morgan’s Harbour, West Bay, the event saw several
revellers turn up in stretch limousines: white of course.
The VIP attendees mainly hung out
in the restaurant’s indoor lounges drinking Stoli Solstices and Gold Cuvee a
sparkling white wine, infused with gold flakes, while others danced the night
away under the stars to the music of local musician Notch and to tracks from
spin-meister DJ Atom Skillz.
“The evening went off without a
hitch and showed all those from the island and from overseas that we in Cayman
know how to host an amazing party,” said the events’ co-organiser Cindy
Rosan-Jones managing director of Guavaberry Marketing (Cayman) Ltd. “People
rocked out and were able to experience the kind of upscale event we will be hosting
annually.”
The events where put together and
co-ordinated in partnership with Signature by Terry Donovan, a New York based
events management and planning firm.
Solstice Fashion Gala
Saturday night at the Ritz-Carlton
ballrooms featured at spectacular 80 foot runway and seating for 450 people.
The main focus of the Solstice Fashion Gala was the couture runway event featuring
the designs and collections of Indashio, Kurto Momolu, Kristen Frazer, Gabz n
Gabz (Caymanian), Tigerlily Hill (Caymanian), Man vs. Machine, Roger Gary,
Claudia Pegus, Mel Simon and Laquan Smith. For many locals the highlight of the
show was to see home-grown celebrity Ms Ebanks walk the runway.
IYAZ also upped the cool factor by
singing three songs including his latest single Bulletproof.
Terry Donovan, the fetes’
co-organiser and producer of that evening’s fashion show, said that Cayman
Fashion Solstice had “exceeded expectations.”
“Saturday evening turned out to be
a spectacular display with designers showing a parade of colour with everything
from swim wear to evening wear. The event was very high energy, the audience
was appreciative and vocal.”
Designer Roger Gary said, “From a
designer’s point of view Saturday was amazing. I’ve done over 1,000 shows in my
career and have shown at many venues across the Caribbean in the past decade,
this show was exceptional for the
models, for the designers. Cayman’s proximity to the US, its amenities and its
clean and safe beaches mean that I can easily see this event growing in future
years.”
Sponsors also left raving about the
three-day fete. “LIME was delighted to be a sponsor of the first-ever Cayman Fashion
Solstice – a unique event that brought the best of runway couture fashion to
the Cayman Islands from a melting pot of designers including several from the
Caribbean,” said the telcom’s marketing manager Julie Hutton.
“This is definitely a date for the
diary for next year and great international exposure for the Cayman Islands,”
she added.
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