CIFWK fashion show sets catwalk ablaze
Norma Ebanks Designs
Sai Sankoh
Bold black dresses
Norma Ebanks Designs
Norma Ebanks Designs
Adrian Alicia
Adrian Alicia
Bold black dresses
Tiffany
UZURI
UZURI
TFL
D’ Marsh
Bold black dresses
Sai sainkoh
Tiffany
UZURI
UZURI
UZURI
Norma Ebanks Designs
Bold black dresses
By Christopher Tobutt
Camana Bay’s Arts and Recreation Centre came alive with models, designers, and fabric, feathers, flame and finery woven into the magic of clothes that inspire us, and making us feel special and wonderul - the living art of fashion. The show, on Saturday 20 April, was the pinnacle of gorgeousness for this year’s Cayan Instyle Fashion Week showcase, a four-day event that could hold its head up high among the Paris London and New York fashion events and saw fashionistas photographers, members of the international press and A-list celebs flying in from around the world to witness the spectacle.
The first celeb to grace the catwalk was Kiara Belen, America’s Next Top Model – who was the MC for the evening who kept the audience entertained with her wit, her singing – she has a beautiful singing voice – and also modelling, as she made an appearance or two with Cayman’s very own top models. There had been a special effort towards inclusivity – with models representing every age , gender, ethnicity culture, size and shape. But they all had confidence as they paraded, strutted and swaggered to the very front of the catwalk, perfectly setting each outfit as they oozed confidence and style. That was thanks to Caymanians’ natural ability to rise to any occasion and outshine everyone – but it also owed much to the training offered by another celebrity, international runway coach Alva Page. Page had worked hard with all the models who had been selected out of hundreds, at the show’s Casting event which took place some weeks earlier, at the Kings Sports Centre. Earlier in the day there had also been a separate Children’s fashion show which showed that teenagers and young children can also be catwalk-confident.
There were literally hundreds of breathtaking outfits – with every colour hue and shade represented – subtle balances of understated beiges and subdued pinks shimmered next to luminous golds, silvers and dazzling sky-blues and turquoises, Firey reds and golds so that the models seemed to burn like brilliant flames - both from local designers and international fashion houses. They included D’Marsh, Seems Africa, Bold Black Dresses, Sai Sankoh Epta Wear, Bold Blak Dresses (which were actually mostly, very colourful!) Shameless Opinion, Uzuri, Adrian Alicia, Tiffany, Karen, Epta Wear and last but not least, the bold and beautiful designs of Norma Ebanks, The show’s founder.
There was casual resort wear, bridal gowns, streetwear (from Vibe Rags, in particular) haute couture, modern and gothic. There was swimwear and suites – with some bold colours for men. International fashion photographer, Nigel Barker spoke about how inspired he was whenever he came to Cayman’s fashion Week, and Minister of Tourism Hon. Kenneth Bryan praised the event, and its organizers, as he expressed a commitment to increase financial support for the Fashion Week in future years, to really put Cayman on the map as a center for fashion excellence.
During the Gala event, Cayman Instyle Fashion Week recognised students from the Creative Fashion School, started by Norma Ebanks to encourage young people in a career in fashion design. They were Mary Jane Jalojos, Gladys Graham, Linette Thompson and Chrissie A. Ebanks.
Email Christopher.tobutt@gmail.com for photos
05 Jun, 2024
11 Jul, 2024
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