K2K Alliance and Partners will take a Salt Crossing for its 2024 presentation.
According to a release, Salt Crossing – Desert Season is taken from the “private spaces and experiences” of the Norman twins, Kathy and Karen.
“Thus, the theme, The Salt Crossing – Desert Season, holistically speaks to life’s journey.
The band will launch next year’s presentation at Queen’s Hall, St Ann’s Road, Port of Spain, on August 30.
“Fortunately, or unfortunately, as it were, the only way to survive the desert is to cross it. And although one’s initial inclination may be to stay put, standing in one spot and praying for help, will not help you survive the desert. Unfortunately, you will not find a miracle while standing still in the salty sand. The only thing you will become is beaten down by the too-hot sun and swallowed by the sinking sand dunes. Hence, whether you like it or not, you need to cross the desert to develop the strength to face the heat,” they said.
In giving a more detailed description of the theme. the Normans said salt was more than a way to season food, and was a valuable commodity throughout cultures, history and the world.
Since ancient times, many cultures have used it as a seasoning, a preservative, a disinfectant, a component of ceremonial offerings, and a unit of exchange. Salt has even been used to express promises and friendship between people. According to the Greeks, salt was considered divine.
“In biblical times and even today in many Arab cultures, if two men eat salt together, they are sworn to protect one another – even if they had previously been enemies. In some cultures, people throw salt over their shoulders when they make a promise.”
Desert Season spoke to a time when people feel spiritually dry, exhausted, and burnt out, the release said.
The collection will be split in two clusters, The Desert and the Oasis, with the names of its subsections coming from artifacts, flora and fauna from deserts across the world. There are six sections in the band, and each cluster has three subsections.
The ships of the Sahara Desert; The last lair of the Empty Quarter and the
Saqr of the deep desert of Sarjah are the sections in The Desert.
The Oasis cluster’s subsections are The Zellij of Lanterns and the Dome of Prayers; the Al-Ahsa of the Rub’al Khali and The Desert Bloom Migration – the Black Swallowtail and the Queen Butterfly.
The pieces in the collection move from “earth tones to very colourful,” the release said.
“Due to the nature of the theme, there are many more gown options this season, which we hope that our clients will enjoy. On a very personal level, we are excited to focus on this side of design detail. In truth, we have a very strong focus on woman as a ‘timeless, sophisticated, elegant, sensual, and powerful being.’ Thus, we try to find a balance between the provocative and the chic. We also seek to find harmony between conservative and alluring, especially given the theme this year. As such, many of our gowns try to capture this element of woman.
“The range of designs from all the brands whether that is K2K (Carnival); NORMI (resort) and KEV-ABSOLU (evening and bridal) brands, from the cascading silhouettes to the avant-garde cuts, to the elegant, handcrafted touches, each is meant to celebrate the essence of the sophisticated woman,” K2K Alliance and Partners said.
After the launch – which also features its Color of Courage series with former co-president of Savage X Fenty: By Rihanna Christiane Pendarvis – an all-inclusive, cocktail reception and after party will be held at Brian Lara’s residence, Knaggs Hill, Port of Spain.
The lingerie brand Savage X Fenty is co-owned by Barbadian-born singer Rihanna and multinational brand, LVMH. The brand was launched in 2018 and is reportedly worth over US $1 billion.
K2K’s Color of Courage Platform is the company’s vehicle to drive “private messaging, promote entrepreneurship and inspire behavioural change to advance sustainable and economic development.”
The platform seeks to address the way professionals think about stumbling blocks and provide coping mechanisms to industry challenges.
The creative organisation said it was excited about Pendarvis’ impending visit to Trinidad and Tobago and was “extremely honoured” to have her at its event.
“Pendarvis is a growth-oriented brand president, with over 25 years of experience. She has led direct-to-consumer and omni-channel retail businesses, where she has been recognised in Women’s Wear Daily’s (WWD) 2023 Most Inspirational Women Leaders, WWD’s 2022 50 Women in Power and as a Top Woman in Retail by Women in Retail Leadership Circle in 2021.
“Energised by high-growth environments, Pendarvis has also had experience in start-ups and mid-tier companies. She excels in helping brands, teams and individuals grow and succeed in the face of rapidly changing industry dynamics. Her career focus has been in retail general management and merchandising, running US $250 million to US $1 billion operating businesses with Fortune 500 brands such as Old Navy and Victoria’s Secret,” the release said.
It said under her leadership Savage X Fenty had 200 per cent revenue growth in 2020, 80 per cent growth in 2021 and closed two financial rounds totalling US $240 million in 2021.
It added that Pendarvis led an expansion into new product categories including men’s, loungewear and women’s activewear as well as the brand’s channel expansion into physical retail last year.