Alliance Francaise's Art and fashion fusion - A first for Seychelles

Former Miss Seychelles Sherlyn Furneau parading a dress from the Kankan collection (Stephane Trembelant)

(Seychelles News Agency) - Fashion and art were perfectly blended together on Saturday September 6, as several of the archipelago's top garment designers and artists staged an impressive fashion show at Alliance Francaise in the Seychelles capital of Victoria.

Thirteen young models from 'Coral Models' paraded in casual and evening wear as well as other outfits in front of guests seated in open air and to the beat of French music.

Coral Models' Director Joelle Fabre is a former Belgian model who told SNA that she has been staging fashion shows for twenty years. The models who paraded the selection of beautiful garments on Saturday were chosen from her group of around seventy models.

A new way to express fashion and art

The show is an initiative of Alliance Francaise, notably its President, Marquise David, who envisaged allying fashion and art bygetting artists to paint on the garments.

"The fusion of fashion, craft and painting, we are discovering tonight is a big premiere," said the new Director of Alliance Francaise, Laurent Jalicous.

Renowned local artists such as George Camille, Leon Radegonde, Egbert Marday, Christine Chetty, Karine Dupouy and Peter Lalande had helped to paint on the designer dresses worn that evening.

"Art is alive and evolving and what we are seeing tonight is a new expression of it," artist Christine Chetty told reporters.

Dresses showcasing the work of Seychellois artists (Stephane Trembelant) Photo License: All Rights Reserved

A local touch to designer garments

The Fashion fusion allowed models from different fashion houses to work together and it was the first time that three of Seychelles top designers from 'Mangouya Studio', 'Arc en Ciel' and 'Kankan' were sharing the same catwalk.

Each designer brought their own styles and creativity to the Fashion show adding the Seychelles touch to the evening.

Pacquerette Lablache-Pillay who owns 'Mangouya Studio' told SNA that most of her casual and evening wears were hand painted with symbols of the local scenery, such as leaves of the cinnamon tree and other local plants.

Raw silk, satin and tafta were used to make her ladies garments.

Mona Ah Shung who owns her own business 'Arc en Ciel' has inherited a passion for designing and making dresses from her mother.

"I do mostly classics, dressing people of all ages and physiques." she told SNA, adding that one of her specialities are outfits for weddings and that includes gents.

She believes that getting the fashion studios and artists to come together is an initiative that must stay.

“We must continue working together." she said.

Models parading some of Mona Ah-Shung's creations whose specialities are outfits for weddings (Stephane Trembelant) Photo License: All Rights Reserved

The 'Kankan' brand considered to be the haute couture of Seychelles,was launched in 2012 by young artist Karine Dupouy with the aim of contributing to the fashion world in Seychelles.

Dupouy who was born in the neighbouring indian Ocean island of Mauritius was raised in the Seychelles since the age of 3. The talented designer is a graduate of the celebrated London fashion school Central Saint Martins.

Her collection on Saturday evening featured mostly evening gowns. 

Kankan's collection at Saturday's fashion show featured evening wears (Stephane Trembelant) Photo License: All Rights Reserved

Dresses made by students of the School of Visual Arts were also well received.

The 'Coral Models' which included young girls from different walks of life from those working in the tourism industry to University graduates working in the banking sector but who love modelling on the sidelines of their daily job or simply as a hobby also paraded wearing jewellery produced by jewellers 'Kreolor' and 'JOUEL'.

Kreolor's Sales representative Sharon Low Meng, who was present at the event, has been with the jeweller for seven years and she told SNA that all the pieces have been hand-crafted locally.  

"Gold jewellery is 18 carats, but other materials used include tiger shell, green snail, swordfish bill as well as seeds from raffia and palm trees (...) Whatever jewellery used must match the colour worn and offset the dress well," said Sharon.