Barbados Today

by Kimberley Cummins

We Are Fashion should have been renamed we are talented.

That was because the 11 second-year students in the Garment Making programme at the Samuel Jackman Prescod Polytechnic displayed an abundance of skills.

Yesterday afternoon in a mini fashion show titled We Are Fashion in the hall at the Wildey, St. Michael institution their work was put on display for other students and specially invited guests, including a group from Texas A & M University, to see.

After a more than one hour late start, the standing room only audience witnessed a variety of creations made from materials that included leather, suede, spandex and lace. One design category was Island Girl, which had a natural feel to it with the use of loose-fitting fabrics that were tied-dyed for the island effect.

There were plus size and business wear displays, African wear in the Africa We Come From segment,†plus a 1920s themed evening wear segment, children’s wear conceptualised using fruits and vegetables as well as a casual wear made from recycled denim.

Speaking to the media, the main instructor, Lisa Holder, said the show was a climax of the students designers’ two years in the course.

She said: “I feel an immense sense of pleasure and pride to witness the fruits of my efforts. Working with this group of student designers on show this afternoon has been a great privilege for me. I had the opportunity to assure them of their tremendous talent, whilst at the same time relating to their joys, concerns and difficulties experienced.

“I look forward to the ultimate reward, when some of these creative individuals go on to further their studies at [the Barbados Community College] and then to other design schools overseas. I wish them every success in their endeavours and know that their hard work can have substantial dividends in spite of the challenging market trends.”

In their two years in the programme the students learnt garment construction, pattern construction, communications skills, small business management, health and safety, design technique as well as textile design. Each student displayed at least eight pieces.†kimberleycummins@barbadostoday.bb††