Guyanese Roger Gary, others sizzle at BVI Summer Fashion event

Roger Gary and ModelSummer Sizzle BVI, the “ultimate fashion getaway”, was back and better than ever in its second year on the island of Tortola.  Project Runway finalist Korto Momolu, LA based Kevan Hall and New York based fashion designers Roger Gary, Cesar Galindo and LaQuan Smith as well as other breakthrough designers from across the globe presented their Spring
2010 collections during this super sexy annual event.  Top models Sesilee Lopez, Georgie Badiel, Arlenis Pena Sosa, Tara Gill, Wendell Lessimore and more than 20 internationally acclaimed models ripped the runway in the Summer Sizzle fashion show, the nexus of Summer Sizzle BVI.

The festivities kicked off on Thursday, July 22nd with a Culture & Style Welcome Bash Pool Party sponsored by the Ministry of Education & Culture and ended July 25th with an all day sailing excursion to one of the world’s most pristine islands, Virgin Gorda. Style influencers and fashionistas alike also enjoyed an elegant and festive Sunset White Fashion party at the Long Bay Beach Resort, “1748” Beach Restaurant where guests were required to wear white and a delicious
buffet of traditional island fare while dancing the night away to music provided by one of the BVI’s top DJ Dre.  JTV Channel 55, the BVI’s top music television station and a platinum sponsor of the Summer Sizzle BVI was there to capture the festivities and interview well known guests for its viewers.  Other sponsors included CBN Channel 51, Bob’s Gas & Service Station, Voyage Escape, Speedy’s, Native Son, Villa Sade, Colombian Emeralds International and Norman
Allen Photography.

ModelGuyana’s own, Roger Gary opened the spectacular event with his Aqua Couture Collection. The 80’s inspired collection that featured exaggerated shoulders, neon colors, feathers, sequins and lots of bling. “I was having a Dynasty flashback” said Gary, referring to the 80’s TV series, Dynasty. It was a dazzling opening to one of the best runway events in the Caribbean. More than 200 visitors from around the US and Caribbean experienced a 3-day non-stop lifestyle escape including the trendiest fashion show in the Caribbean hosted by Joel Steingold, co-host of The Style
Network’s Clean House and E! Entertainment’s That Morning Show. Glamour, glitz, fashion, and fun were the focus of this spectacular event held at the Sir Rupert Briercliffe Hall in the center of Tortola. The show was sponsored in part by Mary Kay Cosmetics, Official Beauty Sponsor and featured collections from some of the world’s most sizzling designers such as Korto Momolu from Project Runway Season 5, New York designers Cesar Galindo, Aqua Couture by Roger Gary, and Johnny Vincent Swimwear.  Joining them were Mill House menswear and The Cloth by Robert Young of Trinidad and the BVI’s own designer Kristin Frazer of Trefle Designs and renowned fashion designer Kevan Hall. New York based fashion stylists Carlton Jones andMemsor Kamarake, who cast models for the show worked alongside legendary makeup artist Ashunta Sheriff, celebrity hairstylist Giselle Modeste, top make-up artist Theo A. Faulkner and show producer Margo T. Lewis to make the Summer Sizzle fashion show a tremendous success.

Originally created in 2007 by Terry Donovan (of “Signature by Terry Donovan”), Summer Sizzle began as a fashion show with the purpose of promoting the British Virgin Islands.  Since then, Terry’s vision has culminated into a five-day fashion and lifestyle event.  Summer Sizzle is the central highlight of the British Virgin Islands each July and has attracted thousands of visitors from the Virgin Islands, neighboring Caribbean islands and the USA.  Summer Sizzle brings together a number of leading international and regional designers, industry executives, models, celebrities, international media and press, and attracts a diverse audience of affluent professionals and influencers from around the globe.  Commonly called “Nature’s Little Secrets,” the British Virgin Islands is the destination of choice for Summer Sizzle BVI.

International Stars for Genesis Fashion Rhythm

Roger Gary Smith connects with the beginning – Heads for Genesis Fashion Rhythm with international stars

Press Release, Arrowhead Promotions, September 17, 2008, – Super-toned international celebrity models, including America’s sensational, Bobby Roache’ is in the Roger Gary Smith connection to Genesis Fashion Rhythm, September 28, Guyana’s premiere event for the coming together of celebrities from the fashion and music industries.

Others in the line-up are Katarina Nunez, a slim bodied celebrity model, Tangerine Clark and Froylan Flowers prominent fashion writer/photographer with wide-ranging entertainment experience.

Roache’, 6ft 2” is considered one of the hottest, sexiest and daring man in contemporary fashion with several appearances in a number of Beyonce’s music video’s, such as, Ring the alarm and Irreplaceable. He brings an unusual glitter to the catwalk with a provocative personality that brings fans closer to his panache for fashion, glamour and spectacular entertainment. Roache’ stimulates desirable interest and a yearning for increased dosage of his mannish and infinite touch on the catwalk.

He has appeared in several movies with lead roles, such as, 2006 Temporary Dreams- Indep…- Lead Role Raymond Edwards III (Drug Kingpin), Bobby Roache’, William Joppy, Derrick Colley; 2006 Winky’s Spot- Pilot-Principal Role Handsome Guy(Gets Hit On at The Bar All the Time) Winky Wright, Jadakiss, Jamie Hector, Lil Wayne; 2006 American Gangster- Extra Role Club Scene(Dancing) Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe, T.I.
Katarina Nuez is no angel on the catwalk as she demands attention by her saucy picks that highlights rarity. Her captivating personality blends with outlook for fashion and

Roger Gary, the team leader is steadily making his way up the totem pole of the international fashion scene with a style that is unmatched. He has honed his skills and produced some of the most elegant eveningwear, daywear and swimwear for his private clientele and fashion-forward customers. His creations has caught the attention of the print media with editorials and feature articles in Woman’s Wear Daily, NY Daily News, Caribbean Life, Essence Magazine, Unchin Magazine, Gem Magazine, British Pride, She Caribbean, Shabeau Magazine, The JC Report and others. He was the first designer to be featured at the original “Fashion Café” in Rockafeller Centre NYC. On television, his creations were features on BCD Instyle, Fox Ch.5, Brooklyn Ch.12, the Miss World and Miss Universe Pageants, BET’s ” Spring Bling”, BET’s “Rip The Runway” and VH1/Vogue First Fashion Awards. His collections have been showcased during New York Fashion Week, Brooklyn Fashion WeekEnd, Caribbean Fashion Week, StyleWeek Jamaica, Barbados Fashion Week, the preview of Guyana Fashion Xpo and the recently concluded International Designer’s Show for New York Fashion Week, Spring 2009.

In the line-up also is Froylan Flowers the fashion industry’s runway photographer, taking some of the most beautiful photographs during collections, Flowers remains a firm favorite among the designers, models, and his clients. Flowers considers himself fortunate to be in a position to shoot the collections of some of the most influential designers of our time including; Bill Blass, Donna Karan, Lacoste, Betsy Johnson, Rosa Cha, Marc Jacobs, Tracey Reese, Baby Phat, Carolina Herrera, Diesel, Kenneth Cole, BCBG, Michael Kors, Anna Sui, Vera Wang, Zac Posen plus many others.

Tangerine Clarke is a world renowned journalist who continued to work in this field, with a special focus on highlighting the positive aspects of the Caribbean community. She has served in the capacity of fashion editor, and contributing writer at many publications, namely, Caribbean Life, Prime News, Caribbean Daylight, the New York Daily News Caribeat Magazine, the Caribbean American, Caribbean Impact, and Caribbean Connection – Travel Span In Flight magazine.