Nine designers with an eye for creativity and a knack for turning paper into beautiful pieces of art to be worn and admired will be competing in the third Creative Paper Apparel Competition under the Pavilion (tent) at Princess Port de Plaisance and Casino (PdP) this Saturday, February 16, from 8:00pm.
President of Our Creations, St. Maarten Arts and Crafts Foundation Esther Narcisco is excited about this year’s event, which is being held under the theme: “What is the colour of love.”
The first Creative Paper Apparel competition was held in 1991. Narcisco said another was not held for many years until 2015 and 2016, and now again in 2019.
“Only paper or anything that can be considered to be paper can be used. So that’s very wide,” Narcisco told Out ‘n About.
The competition will have three categories: Cultural Wear, Evening Wear and Bridal Wear. She said the evening will be “a spectacular show of creativity,” as the designers participate in one or more of the categories.
“The designers have been working tirelessly to create their paper apparel, using a wide array of anything that can be considered to be paper. Their models will be making a fashion statement as they grace the stage with no less than 18 different gorgeous paper apparels, while the judges keenly observe and contemplate which will be the winner in each of the categories and subsequently which designer will be the overall winner.”
The winner in each category will receive a “lovely prize” and the overall winner will be rewarded with a cheque.
Narcisco said the objectives of the competition is to “bring out the creativity in our people that sometimes they didn’t even know that they possess. And it is amazing to see what can be done with paper, because when you are in the audience you would never know that the apparel is really made from paper.”
The evening will include entertainment by Arias, Purpose Musical Ensemble, Magueda Jackson, Karen Cadogan, Cedric Rey and Sweet Pan Entertainment. Snacks and drinks will be on sale throughout the evening.
She said a lot of planning goes into coordinating an event of this magnitude. “First of all, you must line up participants and designers - the new ones usually need a lot of encouragement. Therefore, we held a workshop on January 6, and invited Xiomara Richardson to be the instructor.”
As a non-profit group, the Foundation relies on sponsorship from the business community to be able to pull this off.
Tickets cost US $20, 20 Euros or NAf. 36 for regular tickets or US $30, 30 Euros or NAf. 54 for VIP tickets, which are on sale at Van Dorp in Madame Estate and in Simpson Bay, Arts from the Heart on LB Scott Road, Adolphus Richardson Office Technology on Walter Nisbeth Road (Pondfill) and at SOS Radio 95.9FM in Marigot. VIP guests will be seated near the stage and will be served snacks and drinks all inclusive.
