FASHION'S NEW LEADERS
THE NEW
IDEAL
The Collection MoDa is ushering in a new dawn on Jamaican fashion and design. Here's St Patrick on what this may mean for every aspiring creative hereafter.
"Daring" is a word that will always be in fashion, whether it's in reference to a trailblazing trend, a hot new designer or a risk-taking entrepreneur. Kerry-Ann Clarke is the gutsy girl boss behind concept boutique KERRY manwomahome and who's brainchild; ‘The Collection MoDa’ is in discussion. Her ballsy move to launch a 4th major Fashion Event to compete with staples Saint Style Week, CFW and the lesser of the lot; Ocean Style Week was heavily anticipated and highly revered.
Right off the heels of Montego Bay’s answer to CFW, the Collection MoDa armors up for the critics to close out the year of fashion events. Always one to look forward Clarke and her clan of power women Cortia Bingham, Aiesha Panton, Gail Moss-Solomon and Fidge Fletcher are intensely focused on making true on their mandate; a mandate that promises a quality platform from which designers and artisans will be able to launch their careers.
Started under the leadership of Clarke and KBW’s Kibwe Mcgann in 2012, “The Collections” –as it was called- quickly became the most talked about fashion event nationally. After a second go and an added spin-off in the Business of Fashion Seminar, Clarke and Kibwe -the girl/boy duo- called it quits. This year the MoDa ladies return with MoDa Grooming which took place earlier this year and the well talked about MoDa Market; of which they say “is a curated pop-up store where they celebrate the work of the best emerging designers and artisans in the region.”
But what does this mean for Jamaican fashion and design?
Well for beginners the 15 shortlisted MoDa Grant competitors are dueling for over $500,000 in cash and prizes which includes all of two high quality sewing machines from Singer. Outside of this lot of ‘crème’ designers, the MoDa group ventures off into the Business of Fashion Seminar to encourage, inform and inspire scores of dreamers with expert speakers including myself. But to the meat of my big talk is the MoDa market and their exclusive list of wholesale buyers. Curated by Conversation Pieces’ Aiesha Panton, all designers and artisans go through a series of communication between Clarke (The Expert Retailer) and Fidge (The Seasoned Stylist) to present their best work. And only your best is good enough for the hundreds anticipated to attend and the big budget buyers from Tryall, Geejam and the Island Outpost group plus others. Between the exposure for the runway designers showing, to the sale potential of the MoDa Market Merchants; The Collection MoDa is undoubtedly a step in the right direction where Fashion in Jamaica is concerned.
DON’T MISS A BEAT! Stay tuned to thecollectionmoda.com and follow them on social media for updates and ways how you may be able to get in on their groundbreaking events.
