On Friday 8th July 2016, the Trinidad and Tobago Manufacturers Association will host its first Creative Industries Day as part of the Trade and Investment Convention 2016. As the bastion for the local creative industries, CreativeTT along with its parent Ministry, the Ministry of Trade and Industry will be showcasing local creatives in the areas of music, film and fashion.
Fashion Exhibit
Representing the fashion industry are four of this country’s leading designers:
Millhouse by Coline Baptiste-Mills and Gregory Mills. Mrs. Baptiste-Mills
Millhouse is a leading menswear label in the Caribbean catering to a select clientele. Founded in 1997, the label has come to be known for its penchant for organic/natural fibres and a clean tailored line of branded male apparel in two divisions, ready-to-wear and bespoke tailoring.
Millhouse is owned and operated by Coline Baptiste-Mills and Gregory Mills. Mrs. Baptiste-Mills is the Chief Creative Officer and holder a Master of Arts in Fashion Retail from the University of the Arts, London College of Fashion. Mr. Mills is Millhouse’s Chief Tailoring Officer and a graduate of the prestigious Savile Row Academy of London.
Millhouse has been featured in several regional magazines including Caribbean Beat, Caribbean Belle and She Magazine. In 2009 they captured the Caribbean (Male) Designer of the Year award at the Caribbean Fashion Awards.
At TIC 2016, Millhouse will be showcasing suit shirts and slacks chinos. For more info on Millhouse, visit their website at www.MrMillhouse.com or their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/mr.millhouse
SewLisa by Lisa Gittens
SewLisa offers womenswear and children's clothing. A recent addition to the product line up is sustainable soft accessories. The company has been in existence for just over 2 years and retails throughout the year at the following locations: Maison Fifi at Long Circular Mall carries SewLisa womenswear and The Shop at The Hotel Normandie in St. Ann's stocks SewLisaKids! Children’s line.
Speaking to FashionTT on their participation at TIC 2016, Gittens explained, “We are hoping to identify potential resources with regards to manufacturing, raw material sourcing and supply chain that exist in the local market, to see if there are any we have overlooked in our research thus far. Also, we are seeking wholesale buyers for our latest fashion product and we expect to increase in brand awareness from our participation.” SewLisa will be showcasing women's fashion including the Rori wrap belt.
For more info on SewLisa, visit their website at www.sewlisa.com or their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/sewlisagittens
Shop Shari by Shari Cumberbatch
SHOPSHARI is a Trinidadian brand inspired by print. The essence of the brand is based on cultural inspiration re-enacting the beauty and diversity of our people through design and the use of colour and prints particularly the combination of various prints.
The brand caters to persons of all ages who are about expressing themselves through fashion while being as comfortable as they can be. Their signature look carters to the lady who loves pockets. Shop Shari will be showcasing a maxi halter in silk with a signature SHOPSHARI necklace at this year’s Convention.
For more info on Shop Shari visit www.facebook.com/ShopShariTT or www.instagram.com/shopshari
Ecliff Elie by Ecliff Elie
A paragon of style and class, Ecliff Elie has become a household name in men's fashion throughout the Caribbean region and beyond. With over 27 years’ experience designing and producing quality clothing in Trinidad and Tobago, Ecliff Elie’s entrepreneurial spirit and eye for design and quality have evolved the brand into a powerhouse. Today, the Ecliff Elie label stands as one of the Caribbean’s leading local brands. The company offers a selection of Resort and ready to wear apparel.
Ecliff Elie's rise to the top began at the age of 14, when he first tried his hand at tailoring. Before long, Ecliff knew that he possessed a distinctive skill-set that would undoubtedly set him apart from the rest. With a goal of delivering exceptional luxury and casual wear with impeccable fit, Ecliff started designing and manufacturing both women and men’s clothing on a larger scale. His hard work and astute vision would bear fruit, resulting in several signature collections. Of greatest distinction are: For The Love of Fashion, For the Love of Fashion II, The Romance, Taste of Berries, El Hombre de la Hora, Cavelie’r Mordn and Viva Arima! As a testament to his hard work and dedication, Ecliff Elie is the proud holder of the 2010 Caribbean Fashion Award for Caribbean Fashion Designer – Male.
Ecliff Elie continues to leave his mark in fashion. He has been described as a designer who has made a key contribution in propelling Caribbean men's fashion into the international hemisphere, and has even captivated international clientele from various countries, including Germany, London and the USA.
In 2012, Ecliff Elie made a strategic move to specialize in male clothing, targeting a growing market and meeting an ever-increasing need for tailored menswear. Ecliff Elie relocated from its startup location in Arima, to the up-and-coming fashion hub of Trinidad – Woodbrook, Port of Spain. The company now operates both an in-house atelier and retail store at its new location, where Ecliff continues to live his mission every day; "To create designs entrenched in innovation and quality that allows our clients to fall in love and support our legacy."
At TIC 2016, Ecliff Elie will be showcasing two executive/corporate wear suits and more information on his designers can be found on www.ecliffelie.com and www.facebook.com/ecliffelie
Movie Screening
Sean Hodgkinson, director, producer and writer will be on hand to screen his critically acclaimed local film, Trafficked. Speaking on the success of this film, Hodgkinson said, “I think that the success of Trafficked has blown everyone away, we are really proud of the film, and we are really astounded at how well the film’s message has resonated with audiences locally and internationally. We could not have done it without the amazing cast and dedicated crew.”
Live Performance by Chromatics
To cap off the day, attendees will be treated to a performance by local hip-hop artist Chromatics whose music is energetic, ethnic and heart felt, with a Caribbean flavour. Chromatics’ unique style of his local tongue fused with a hard core east coast influence all mesh to form a signature sound like nothing heard in hip-hop to date. His onstage presence is that of a veteran and he has performed at numerous venues in the Caribbean, the United States and England.
Visit the Ministry of Trade and Industry’s Pavilion today to view all of these exhibitions.