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In hard times, average companies merely survive. In difficult times, successful companies innovate. Saint International has once again distinguished itself as the innovator in fashion in Jamaica. The nine- year-old model agency will this month launch its high fashion collection, Strut magazine, to accompany all its fashion events. The mag will have its debut on March 13 at the FashionFace of the Caribbean model finals.
Saint boss Deiwight Peters, who conceptualised the publication and the tagline "a walk into luxury", believes that despite the harsh economic times - and perhaps because of it - now is the time to innovate.
"A depression or recession doesn't mean depression in our creative spirit," says Peters. "I live for Barack Obama and his stance of hope. Saint has always been about hope and change for many young Jamaicans and designers and always been unapologetically bold in its concepts and execution. This is just another manifestation of our refusal to put our creative spirit on hold."
The launch of Strut will be the prelude to next year's celebrations marking Saint International's 10th year in fashion and celebrating the creativity behind the Saint powerhouse.
Many of Jamaica's ground-breaking fashion activities were innovations by Saint - The Faces of Summer Model Search was created by the agency for CVM TV and was the first televised model search in the Caribbean. It was around well before America's Next Top Model. The avant garde 'Designer of the Year' contest was the first of its kind that promoted high-profile competition among Jamaican designers and rewarded them for their creativity. This has led to another television innovation, The Trendsetters which will be an intense journey for designers who want to make it from obscurity to retail.
The FashionFace of The Caribbean, which started in 2000, was the first such named competition and the blockbuster Fashionblock - acknowledged as the biggest fashion show in the Caribbean - is another ground-breaking Saint move that has taken fashion to the people in an unprecedented way.
"The publishing arm of Saint International is a new addition which is intended to redefine the company into the next decade," says Peters.
And he has big plans for Strut, including combining aspects of fashion, music and lifestyle elements in a 'go-to' guide for fashion players.
"Over time, Strut will evolve as a voice for serious players of the Jamaican fashion industry. The publication will provide a platform for creating a dynamic synergy between music, fashion, politics, sports and business. This will be an outlet to explore the fun and dynamic side of our fashion culture."
Some of Jamaica's hottest style stars from entertainment, business, politics and fashion will be featured in the 28-pager, along with tips on how to improve your style quotient. Plus dancehall Bad Gyal turned fashion goddess Ce'Cile gives the skinny on love, life and her new bod in an exclusive Strut tête-à-tête cover story. With fashion stars such as Beenie Man, D'Angel and even Lisa Hannah making the issue, Ce'Cile is in great company. The dancehall diva is at home in the company of any stylish star says Peters.
"Ce'Cile is her own character and I like that. She has her own sensibilities. What I really like is the fact that she recognised the importance of image in music. and she unapologetically took on the challenge of redefining her image by shedding the weight and getting a stylist, which is important. She is quite slick and one of my style goddesses."
The Trend Tip Sheet and other great features make this sparkling mag on all things fashionable and fabulous a must own.
The die has been cast and with it the challenge to broaden the Jamaican fashion landscape while maintaining the quality and integrity of a cutting-edge industry.
Saint sent out a challenge to a few freelance graphic designers who could capture the essence of the Strut, 'a powerfully defined, stylish gait'.
The graphic designers received the images and the winning design was by Al Murray and his team, young, talented and creative graphic artistes, with the scope for capitalising on a lot of opportunities.
Source:Jamaica Observer
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