TCI News Now!: TCI fashion designer opens Caribbean Fashion Week with a bang!

Model Crystal Patterson in SGFH white silk shantung and imperial pink crop jacket, tube top and imperial pink mini skirt

Turks and Caicos own ignited Jamaican and Caribbean fashionistas’ sensibilities over the weekend! Kazz Forbes, principal designer and proprietor of Saint George Fashion House, opened Caribbean Fashion Week 2012 with a fashion forward spring collection that rivaled many designers working today.

Forbes debuted his ‘Island Breeze: Turks and Caicos’ Resort 2013 collection at the National Indoor Sports Centre in Kingston, Jamaica on Friday, June 8, 2012, in front of a capacity crowd that went wild for the designer creation. Not only was the show a hit, his line-up consisted of the hottest and most in demand Jamaican international models working today: Jaunel McKenzie, Kimanee Wilson, Sedene Blake and Nell Robinson to name but a few.

Silk shantung, dupioni and organza were the fabrics of choice for this easy flowing nod to TCI. The collection consisted of dresses that were fitted, asymmetrical or flowing. There were swimwear, separates and a fabulous white habotai fitted two-piece suit.

Of the showing, Forbes said: “Being in Jamaica always feels great, but being here to present my collection – that, and being the first designer to represent my country -- the ‘Beautiful by Nature’ Turks and Caicos Islands at the twelfth annual Caribbean Fashion Week was an unexplainable sensation. With over fifty designers, it was indeed an honour and a privilege to open the spectacle; coincidently since, on June 8th 2011 – I launched my first collection at Caribbean International Fashion Week in New York on the same day.”

Forbes stated that ‘Island Breeze: Turks and Caicos’ Resort 2013 collection was inspired by the breathtaking beauty of the Turks and Caicos Islands. And, for him, it was the quality of light, the sun’s rays, the sand and sea, the blue of the moonlight and the minty light of the days in the Turks and Caicos that guided his hand in design.

“I go often to the beach, and there I try not just to see, but to feel the beauty of the environment. In my collection, I have tried to re-produce that feeling,” he noted.

Valencia Grant, director of Carib Fashion TV said, “Kazz’s collection is truly the beach incarnate, with a radiant colour palette of turquoise, pink, white and yellow. An undulating, glistening turquoise cape and a starfish accent on a bathing suit top are a couple of eye-catching design elements in this beach-inspired collection.”

Grant added, “Carib Fashion TV loves Saint George Fashion House’s magnificent sheer pieces and scoop-necked white dress, and the candy-floss pink halter dress with the plunging neckline and high-low effect (thigh-high bubble skirt and flowing train) is simply irresistible. There’s so much to love about Saint George Fashion House’s ‘Island Breeze: Turks and Caicos’ Resort 2013 Collection! It’s hard to believe that yesterday marked Kazz Forbes’ first full year in fashion design since his June 8, 2011, New York City debut.”

Caribbean Fashion Week is the Caribbean’s premier fashion and style event. Fashion designer presentations are only one component. The CFW schedule includes workshops and seminars featuring fashion-industry experts as well as buyer matchmaking opportunities. Access to the local as well as an international media pool that travels to the event is also another key feature that designers can take advantage of at CFW. It has a British Vogue rating that is an important new trend in the fashion world. With viewership of 340 million in close to 300 countries via Fashion TV Paris, CFW has a global reach.

One of Forbes’ designs in particular caught the eye of The Bahamas media.

“The one that caught our eye? This two-piece bikini -- WITH CAPE -- by Saint George Fashion House (SGFH) as showcased by model Sedene Blake. Yes, it's truly a super swimsuit, part of the 2013 "Island Breeze" resort collection from Turks and Caicos fashion designer Kazz Forbes. And the runway models showed that if you really want to be noticed on the beach this summer, you've gotta be sporting a cape,” The Bahamas Weekly said.


Top Model Sedene Blake in SGFH 2-piece white and tropical blue swimsuit and turquoise cape	Top Model Kimanee Wilson in SGFH hot turquoise silk chiffon gown

Top Model Nell Robinson in SGFH lilac silk chiffon halter palazzo	Model Rochelle Notice in SGFH white silk dupioni plunge cocktail dress

Model Nastashia Mitchell in SGFH lemon silk chiffon blouse and turquoise shorts	Top Model Jaunel McKenzie in SGFH chalk pink organza halter gown