Guyanese beauty Bergette Parris was crowned `Miss McKenzie Fashion 1966'.

By Walter Greene

Caribbean fashion, as we know it may have started when Jamaican singer
Harry Belafonte sang `Day-o' wearing a colorful floral print shirt,
opened to the navel over tight trousers, or when Caribbean women
adapted the cool, flowing bandana plaid, or floral skirts and calico blouses, complete with an
African `turban' inspired head scarf which was worn for comfort not
necessarily style. One, it kept the head from exposure to the fierce
sun, and also kept the hair from excessive perspiration. When the Indians
and African came to work the plantations, they brought the sari's and
African wraps to the situation. All these looks were balanced with
ideas from what the wealthy wives of plantation owners wore, sometimes
too heavy or cumbersome for the workers, so they adapted the white
cotton `shift' dress. Easy and light which dressmakers in those days
embellished with lace, satin ribbon trimmings and motifs for church and
festive occasions.

THE WEDDING FASHIONS
A major point of focus was the role of the `seamstress' or `dressmaker'
back in the day. Growing up in the Caribbean, as a kid, your clothes
were made, not bought. I remember being measured by the local tailor for
trousers for church and school. Shirts were also custom made, girls
dresses were made to measure as well by the several seamstresses in the
city. In many cases, customers would bring pictures from magazine and
these talented seamstresses would copy the styles, sometimes adding
their own flavor to enhance the creations. There was almost a
competition-like atmosphere between dressmakers. It was one-of-a-kind
made to measure garments - It was truly `Caribbean Couture.' Weddings
were also a big deal, they were like fashion shows on Saturday
afternoon outside churches. People gathered outside the church mainly
to see what the bride, bridesmaids and guests were wearing as they entered and exited the
church for the wedding ceremony.

PANAMA HAT & SEA ISLAND COTTON
Entertainers always were looked at as fashion icons, the well dressed
band members in string and brass bands were expected to dress a certain
way, especially when performing on tour, visiting neighboring nations.
Of course the British style was widely copied, and with the powerful
influence of the Indian style of dress, accompanied by the French and
Spanish influences, a new shape and style began to emerge. The popular
`Panama hat' which was adapted by school girls in the 40s and 50s was a
direct throwback from the Caribbean workers who traveled to Panama to
work on building the Panama Canal. The actual hat is made from what is known as `Panama straw.' Also significant to the region was the use of Sea Island cotton, which is one of the more exclusive and expensive cottons in the world. Trinidad fashion designer Claudia Pegus championed the re-birth of this fabric when she showcased a special collection all made from Sea Island cotton a few years ago.

FASHION AND THE CARIBBEAN BEAUTY QUEENS
The Caribbean fashion arena came under the spotlight after Caribbean
beauties began gaining notoriety when they began winning and placing in
International beauty contests. They didn't look for foreign designers
to outfit them but used local talent for their costumes and evening
gowns, which brought a lot of attention to the local creative fashion
design process. In 1963 Carole Joan Crawford of Jamaica was the first
Caribbean beauty Queen to win the prestigious `Miss World' title. The
first Black `Miss Universe' was crowned in 1977, when Penny "Janelle"
Commissiong from Trinidad and Tobago won that title and Wendy
Fitz-William followed, also won the `Miss Universe' crown in 1998. Wendy's winning gown was a collaborative creation from local Trinidadian designers Peter Elias and Meiling. Grenada's Jennifer Hosten, who won the `Miss World' crown in 1970, was the first Black woman to win that title. Other Caribbean beauties who pushed the fashion button forward included Shakira Baksh `Miss Guyana 1967' who was second runner-up to `Miss World' that year. She floated onto the stage at London's Royal Albert Hall, wearing a stunning gold, sequined one-shoulder gown designed and created by her mother, Mrs. Swarbra Baksh, who was a well known seamstress in Guyana during that time. Cindy Breakspere of Jamaica won the `Miss World 1976' crown and title. Lisa Hanna, also from Jamaica who won the `Miss World' title in 1993. Giselle LaRonde `Miss Trinidad & Tobago' won the `Miss World' title in 1986 and Gina Swainson `Miss Bermuda' won the `Miss World' title in 1979. A slew of `Miss Guyana' winners placed among the top 9 in the London based `Miss World' every year from 1966 to 1970, all wearing creations from local fashion designers. Umblita Van Sluytman `Miss Guyana' 1966 was among the finalist and caused a stir in her `National Costume' designed by Guyanese premier fashion designer George Morrison. The costume depicted traditional Amerindian wear, but she told the media and judges that the Amerindians did not wear tops with the ensemble and went bare breasts, which raised eyebrows and set lips a wagging. In 1967 Shakira Baksh placed third and subsequently married actor British actor Michael Caine. In 1968 Alexis Harris daughter of celebrated Guyanese author Wilson Harris placed sixth. In 1969 a school teacher from rural Essequiblo placed fourth and in 1970 a Chinese national Jennifer Evan-Wong from rural Linden placed ninth and in 1971 petite Nalini Moonasar from Courentyne, Berbice placed fourth...it was a shot-in-the-arm for Guyana's National pride.

CARIBBEAN DESIGNERS
Caribbean designers like Jamaicans; Sadie Soas, Ivy Ralph, Norma Soas
and Daphne Dawkins; Noreen Phillips from Antigua, George Morrison from Guyana and
Gregory Lord from St Lucia have definitely paved the way for a new
breed of fashion designers too numerous to mention who are shaping the
way Caribbean men and women dress. Now, there is even a fashion reality
show called `Mission Catwalk' which is patterned after `Project Runway'
complete with challenges and live-in young designer from the Caribbean
region. The winner of Project Runway is actually a young, rising
fashion designer from Trinidad & Tobago; Anya Ayoung-Chee. Trinidad &
Tobago, like Jamaica and Guyana have fledging fashion industries as
well as manufacturing outlets that offer jobs and opportunities for
locals.

RICHARD'S PICKS
Richard Young, a noted Trinidadian fashion icon, who has been involved
in every aspect of fashion for many years noted the fashion designers
from Trinidad and Tobago who are making a difference on the Caribbean
fashion landscape: "You have to forgive my bias for exalting Trinibago
designers like Heather Jones, for her down to earth distinction emerging
from simple life but possessing a simple gift and charting a definite
Caribbean signature in her contribution to our regional fashion
template. Meiling for maintaining classic, refined even distilled
fashion sensibility heralding an island style. Claudia Pegus for her
lush luxurious choice of fabrics, she's a true Caribbean Haute Couture
designer." Richard also sited designer Diane Hunt of Radical Designs in
Trinidad for her clean, easy, comfortable, distinctive style, and his
brother Robert Young of the line `The Cloth' because of his Picasoesque
style in applique design - a signature stamp that was a movement away
from what was becoming the norm. "He uses wearable art to make
statements about world conditions, regional and local conditions. I
like Calvin Southwell's work in Antigua because there is a certain
flamboyance and a certain sun-kissed excitement of his interpretation
of what is the Caribbean essence."

CELEBRATING OUR STYLE
The Caribbean fashion stamp is steadily growing. The birth of Caribbean
Fashion Week some 12 years ago has been a powerful launch pad for
several regional designers at their yearly three day showing in
Kingston, Jamaica, while `Styleweek' in Jamaica has attracted major
media houses like Italian Vogue, V Magazine from Belgium and Nova TV
from Croatia spreading a global awareness of Caribbean fashions. We've
come a long way of what people thought our style and fashion focus is,
There is definitely a Caribbean perspective. Gone are the days of the
straw hat and floral print shirt. With the popularity of Carnival mass,
reggae music, the growth of the Rasta movement in Jamaica and the
fashion that goes with it; the popularity of the Bobo-Shanti movement
in Trinidad and their fashion influence has impacted the youth as they
portray their own unique awareness of roots and culture, by the way
they dress. A new Caribbean aesthetic is emerging. We are defining
ourselves as people with Caribbean style who dare to be different, that
may be loud, that may be extravagant or an idiosyncratic approach to
style.

OUR FASHION DESTINY
Richard further re-iterated that being fashion savvy is not just about
knowing the fashion guru's of the world and copying them, "It's time
for us to inaugurate and originate and pioneer our own fashion thinking,
even if inspired by global trends, we must not be simply `mimic men.'
Our Nobel Lauderdale V.S.Nipaul proclaimed this ability of this
masterful sense of plagiarism which has been re-inforced by our colonial
mastery but now we have freed ourselves from that and as a result we

have to charter our own fashion destiny - Its time to celebrate our
uniqueness, our style. Celebrating our Caribbean style is a liberation.

We have to define who we are in glorious, no apologetic self, affirming
and above all quintessential Caribbean flavor, moreso, the world is
looking into our glass of peculiar style interpretation."