Audience impressed by Déjà Vu fashion show

Local fashion designer Kimon Baptiste has predicted that this is not the last time Vincentians will experience Déjà Vu.{{more}}

Baptiste, speaking to SEARCHLIGHT on Saturday night, moments after the curtains came down on her inaugural production at Balcombe’s residence in Indian Bay, said that she intends to make the event a regular item on the local fashion calendar, showcasing local creative talent, with a splash of international flavour.

“I plan to make Déjà Vu an annual event. Hopefully we can get some more international designers visiting our island, and seeing the talent that we have here and we just need to be exposed, and with that exposure and hopefully I can assist others through fashion.”

Those in attendance showed their appreciation for the effort put together by Baptiste, along with Lisa Cordice of “Poshelle” Designs, Shernicia Mayers’ “Atelier Shernicia”, “Tami B” by Tamiko Browne, and New York based Vincentian Donna Weekes, who brought her “Ethel” brand to the runway.

Featured designer Viktor Luna, with whom Baptiste worked during a three-month internship in the United States, also wowed the crowd with his “Gala” presentation, which Vincentians can boast of being the first to see.

Luna himself indicated to SEARCHLIGHT that he was so impressed by being in St Vincent and by the warmth of the Vincentian people, that he is inspired to reflect his visit in an upcoming collection.

“I want to bring something for the spring/summer, and maybe incorporating some prints or pictures that I took here, in the collection.

“The experience was just ecstatic. It was amazing. I’m sweating. I’m excited,” the designer bubbled.

“I love St Vincent; it was a beautiful island from the time I landed. I loved the serenity; it’s such a calm beautiful place.”

Luna told SEARCHLIGHT that working with the former Miss SVG and designer of a number of local and regional award winning gowns was a learning experience for him, and during her internship with him, he saw her as an equal and not a student.

“Kimon brought a lot of expert advice to me, so I saw her as a designer who is very talented; she learned some tricks from me and she pretty much had it down, that vision. With that said, she does a lot of gowns, so she brought that gown making experience to me, so I was inspired by her as much as she was inspired by me.”

Baptiste hailed the event a major accomplishment and thanked the other designers, organizers and all others who make Déjà Vu the success it was.

She credited her ability to pull off a highly appreciated collection to her passion for perfection.

“I’m always willing to learn and I want to learn as much as possible about this craft and my internship with Viktor helped me to do that.

“Tonight I presented men’s clothing as part of my collection, and the people enjoyed that, so it was great to be one of the few designers that was able to present men’s clothing on the runway; so I am really happy that my craft is growing and hopefully it can grow some more,” Baptiste said. (JJ)