After more than 30 years in the fashion business, designer Meiling continues to inspire and thrill.
On Thursday evening, at the Big Black Box on Murray Street, Woodbrook, Meiling presented The Night Women, a collection inspired by The Book of Night Women, a novel by Jamaican author Marlon James. The book is about the lives of a group of slave women on a Jamaica plantation in the 18th Century.
For this collection, Meiling collaborated with artist Brianna McCarthy who presented her stunning masks which were worn by some of the models.
The drama started on the street, as the models, dressed in full couture, walked from Meiling’s studio on Carlos Street to Murray Street. They met a full Big Black Box (it was standing-room only) waiting in anticipation for this collection. Elisha Bartels started the show with a dramatic reading from the book, after which the fashions took centre stage.
One patron who has read the book, said the clothes were “beautiful” and perfect representations of the time portrayed. The Victorian influence was clear, with corset lacing and fitted jackets. As usual, Meiling’s attention to detail was a high point, with some of the elaborate handwork on some of the smocks.
Photographer David Wears was at the show and took the photos.