The Tribune

By ALESHA CADET

Tribune Features Reporter

acadet@tribunemedia.net

MANY fashion enthusiasts sit in the audience at pageants and wonder who made the gowns? The evening gown showcase is often the most popular segment of beauty pageants.

And at least for one Bahamian woman, who spoke to Tribune Woman, there is never a dull moment when it comes to the parade of gowns.
Another woman said she really enjoys seeing the fabulous designs and beautiful garments that the contestants wear. She said whether they are loud in colour or full of shiny crystals, she can appreciate the fashion.
“I think for most people, this is their favourite part of the show because the dresses are so elegant and the contestants wear them so effortlessly. Sitting in the audience tonight at Miss Bahamas, from what I noticed, everyone seemed to be cheering for this segment. I think it was the creativity,” she said.
In a one on one interview with local fashion designer David Rolle, who was also the personal stylist for contestant Nevandria Rolle, he said it was a wonderful experience to be apart of the Miss Bahamas Organisation.
Wearing his designs at the Miss Bahamas 2012 pageant last Sunday, Nevandria came out in a floor length elegant white gown. According to David, this was not a typical “David Rolle House of Raphelita” design. The V-shaped gown exposed a lot of skin and “bling,” as David calls it.
A few weeks before the pageant night, David also had the opportunity to showcase his “House of Raphelita” brand at a Miss Bahamas Top Model competition. All of the contestants strut the runway in David’s finest garments.
David said “House of Raphelita” was the name of his great-grandmother, the woman who first placed a sewing needle in his hand as a child. “She now resides in a presidential suite in heaven. However, as one of the only artists in my family, I like to think she helps me with my designs. She was also a straw artist and created bags for sale at market,” he said.
He said being in a position where all of the contestants wore his garments, was something that really meant a lot to him. He said he was grateful to the Miss Bahamas organisation for using local talent and giving him the opportunity to showcase his abilities and skills.
“This is actually the first time they showcased designs from a male because in previous times, they used more seasoned designers who were all females. The exposure was really beneficial because ever since the showcase, I actually got a few orders for two of the garments that were seen on stage,” said David.
Being a fan of the Miss Bahamas Organisation for years, David said he cannot express enough how gratifying the experience was and if he was asked to do it again, he would be more than pleased.
Speaking about the top model event, David said he selected garments that suited each contestant’s look.
“This show for me, was kind of a look at the best pieces from each of my collections that I presented in previous shows such as Islands of the World. I didn’t really match a style to each contestant as much as I did the fit. I fixed garments that I thought would flow well on each girl and that’s how I ended up with each piece,” said David.
Through the Miss Bahamas Top Model event, he said he was also able to team up with the organisation and send ten of his pieces with Daronique Young, who is currently in China competing at Miss World.
“She is doing a really good job, and she is featured on Miss World’s website currently wearing one of my pieces,” he said.