Designer, Marlon Brewster, with a couple of models.
The Spirit of Renee.
After some initial doubts, Jump Promotions decided the best way to honour the memory of their late designer, Renee Sheppard Ratcliffe, was to pay tribute to her with the designs for their 2017 edition, ‘Journey of a Dragonfly’. The designer, who passed away suddenly on Kadooment Day last year, has undoubtedly left a void.
However, her friend and protégé Marlon Brewster accepted the challenge of crafting a tribute fit for a queen. He grasped the opportunity to commemorate the designer, who was well known for her exuberance and her general love of life. Each of the six sections of the band represents some sphere of Ratcliffe’s life.
The first section represented her birth sign Pisces. This section was a magnificent turquoise and aquamarine, the male design has two variations which can come complete with a trident. The second section was an Ode to Old Mas. The pristine white depicts the dawn of a new day. Three variations are provided for the females and one for males. Next was Mimosa, which is a toast to their queen with a beautiful blend of orange and gold. ‘Joys of Renee – Beauty and the Beast’, featuring butterflies and the steel donkey, came next; followed by The Love of Renee – ‘Twin’, which pays homage to the diverse personalities of her twin sons Harrison and Nikolai. The final section was the Passion of Renee – Rise of the Phoenix; Brewster’s depiction is breathtaking.
Throughout the season, elaborate scripts have been read as to the story behind the costumes, but it was not always clear in the visual provided. However, with this presentation, it was easy to see the tale which was being woven. To their credit, the offerings did not look like every costume that has hit the stage this season and was devoid of the now traditional wire bras.
Jump Promotions costumes are not dependent on the reveller being waif thin to be able to do them justice. In fact, former Ms. Big and Beautiful winner Samantha Grannum featured prominently as one of the models on the night, much to the delight of the patrons.
After the high of the well-received costumes, Lil Rick and DJ Frog kept the crowd dancing until around 1:30 a.m. Their set did not mimic the 100 per cent soca mandate as is the norm for launches, an element which the crowd seemed to appreciate. A tuk band with an accompanying Mother Sally also traversed the crowd, encouraging the patrons to match their dance moves.
Attending the launch afforded patrons the opportunity to get a 10 per cent discount if they signed up the same time. While the high cost of costumes has been generating a lot of discourse, the Jump Promotions team promoted the affordability of their band with their designs starting at $495. Unbeatable value has been guaranteed with their package, which includes a Champagne Breakfast, food and drink runners, which are available straight to Spring Garden. (ST)