RHION ELIJAH ROMANY

For quite some time, this alumnus of Queen’s Royal College has been an ardent admirer of and inspired by well-known local & international fashion impresarios, who have fine-tuned their skills to transform and enhance the global meaning of style to suit ever-changing social trends. A Caribbean climate of inspiration allowed Romany to channel his natural ability of selecting edgy, contemporary designs for his clients via his wildly successful retail boutique, KrAze.

The stirring of his honed design talent, however, came with the successful launch of his exclusive swimwear collection for summer for Cropover 2012.

A mere 2 years later, the young designer has amassed a sizeable Fan base, as well as glowing praises from his peers in the industry. The experience also served as a constant state of creative awakening: it challenged the daring 24 year-old to nurture & explore the untamed arena of fashion design.

For Rhion, design inspiration is easily motivated by the evolution of the Trinidadian social lifestyle. His productions draw real-time references from the spaces that he occupies, and he takes pride in the progress of his generation that continue to reciprocate creative avenues that keep fashion trends unique and current.

Rhion’s point of view & impeccable taste levels remain highly consistent for his premiere collection. He is a man who unapologetically continues to design for a woman, appreciate body construction and encourage his female clients to reclaim & celebrate their feminine form. There is a distinct air of elegance and richness embodied in Rhion’s design taste, and one can always expect progressive pieces of work on his runway that wholly rejects tameness and sameness in approach.

With such highly-applauded collections as “Monroe” and “She Wolf” under his belt, the birth and growth of the Rhion Romany Brand has unleashed an energy of confidence for this promising designer to give the masses a taste of “the refined”.

To date, his designs have been worn by everyone from America’s Next Top Model’s Bianca Golden to the stage dancers for award-winning Soca Sensation Machel Montano. His creations have graced the runway for audiences such as CreativeTT’s “Masquerade” event in honor of Vogue Italia & HOT Couture in St. Lucia Jazz & Arts Festival. The ЯR brand has now announced a partnership with TRIBE Carnival for an exclusive line of Monday Wear for the 2015-2016 season.

With his next collection “Domina” on the way, his point of view comfortably positions his female clientele in a innovative space for Trinidad & Tobago: armed with the audacity to always be bold, sophisticated and timeless, ready to take on the world.

JORIS HENDRIK

Joris Hendrik, a young Belizean, is among the first local fashion designers in his country to be internationally recognized in Belize’s burgeoning world of couture.

He began his studies in architecture, because he knew he had a talent for design and drawing, but soon realized that he could not ignore his passion for all things fashion. In 2010 he left full-time studying at the University to pursue a career in fashion design. This brave move has seen him cultivate his own distinctive and innovative style. His unique creations are in fact inspired by architecture and are bold and ready-to-wear. His work with unconventional materials in his Eco Love line caught national attention early on and landed him a fantastic opportunity to showcase his work to H.R.H. Prince Harry during his visit to Belize in March 2012. Joris Hendrik’s Eco Love gowns are made from alternative materials with a portion of all proceeds being donated to environmental clubs which help preserve the Belize Barrier Reef, the second largest reef system in the World. The Joris Hendrik label comprises of two lines of women’s wear: Joris Hendrik Ready-to-Wear and Eco Love. Both collections represent two differing points-of-view that complement and balance one another. Both are very personal, original and deeply feminine in their expression.

The Design Process is comprised of artistic responsibility and excellence. The Joris Hendrik Collection stresses the importance of the Sustainability Principle.

DIANNE JOHN

The story of esteemed makeup artist and Beauty Consultant Dianne John has been long in coming, but as the old saying goes, ‘nothing happens before its time’. Many are familiar with her noteworthy how-to articles in Guardian Media Ltd’s WomanWise magazine which give advice and tips for creating glamorous wedding looks, achieving diva glam and producing flawless faces. Believe it or not, this stunning woman has been in the business for more than ten years, but her experiences cover more than a lifetime of dedication to her craft.

As John shared her decade-long journey, she recalled leaving the banking industry where she worked for several years as being the watershed moment that began her life change. “I used to work in the Projects and Development department and that called for very long hours,” she explained. “When I had my second child I was not able to give my family the attention they deserved. I remember Miles Monroe saying that God actually gives you a sense of what your purpose is when you are young and if you are misguided, you can actually look back in your teenage years and see what your purpose is.”

Additionally, John was flown to Mexico to attend MAC’s Autumn and Winter Trend Presentation to represent Trinidad and Tobago on invitation from their senior makeup artist for Latin America and the Caribbean, Gisel Cabilo, in August 2012. A serendipitous time indeed, for she was able to showcase herself to the fullest; new opportunities have been pouring in steadily since.

Inspired by Monroe, John decided to leave the banking industry for good and reconcile with her childhood passion of beauty culture. Initially wanting to be an aesthetician, the top notch artist decided to streamline her desire and focused solely on make up artistry. “I always loved make up as a child and I would watch TLC for their makeover shows,” John confessed.

She then embarked on her training, first at SASHA cosmetics and then under internationally esteemed artist, Ephraim Hunte. More recently, John has refined her craft under the tutelage of Danessa Myricks in the art of contouring and perfecting the skin and later studied airbrushing in Manhattan, Temptu. Things began evolving pretty quickly for John, who at one time called around to various advertising agencies seeking work but was initially unsuccessful. Her break came when CNB Advertising hired her over the phone.

“When I reached the event, they told me I had seven minutes to do the makeup. After I was finished, they were really impressed and kept hiring me from then on,” she said. A year later, John’s career stabilized and today, she is now the go-to professional where make-up artistry is concerned.

The esteemed artist has done several international commercials with Captain Morgan Parrot Bay Rum which was directed by The House of Usher Films from Los Angeles, along with local commercials, print and billboards for Bmobile, Carib, Digicel and R.B.C. among others. John has also worked for local television stations, magazines such as Caribbean Belle and Shabeau, Carnival launches and Look Books. She even recalled doing make up for one of President Obama’s officials during his visit to the Summit of the Americas a few years ago.

Dianne is the owner of La Cara The Make Up Studio located in Woodbrook, she offers one day glamour workshops for women that are keen on getting their makeup application right. She also offers a full range of makeup services, professional beauty supplies and brushes.

(First published in T&T Guardian)