There is no doubt in my mind that Island People has gorgeous costumes for Carnival 2007 though I think that some of the frontline sections have an obvious Brazilian influence in the feathered backpacks. That being said here is my honest opinion on the costumes;
JEWEL OF THE NILE:Love the myriad of colours on this costume,I also love the feathered headpiece as I really only feel like I am playing real mas with a gorgeous headpiece, maybe it's a throw back to my Harts days when I was spoiled with the lavish headpieces.The backline costume is equally as pretty as the frontline,sometimes the backline looks like a watered down version of the frontline, but not with Jewel, they did not skimp on the decorations for the backline at all.
TAUREG:Purple is one of my favourite colours I just never liked it in a costume.While Tureg might appeal to some it looked rather stale to me, though the male costume is ok.
SIROCCO WINDS:This is a very interesting costume, I like the fabric cupping the leg from the waistband, it looks handpainted and the bronze, burnished gold and rust colours are very representative of the desert. The frontline with the fabric backback is pretty, I love the male costume for this section by the way with the same handpainted fabric attached to one pant leg.I love the beaded necklaces and handbands, I just don't like the small headpiece.
LE SOLEIL BRULE:The cloth/fabric frontline costume is spectacular...it created a strong impact on stage and it looks light and easy to carry around on the streets, I love it! The backline costumes were lacking in my opinion, they were ok, but compared to that frontline I was expecting something with much more impact.
MIRAGE:I am liking the frontline and the colour combination looks good even though it has been done many times over, still , I like it. The backline looses points from me because it has a strapless bra, but it is a nice costume, just rather skimpy.I am so not liking the male costume for this section though, eeew.
GODDESS AND DEFENDERS:I have to be honest with you, this costume reminds me of Nylon Pool from TRIBE 2006. The belt looks like the same material used in Nylon Pool however, this version works for Island People (whereas TRIBE's costume was left lacking apart from the frontline) because this costume looks finished and it does not loook cheap even though it is ridiculously skimpy. The frontline with the metal bra and angel wings channels Victoria's Secrets Fashion show, I am sorry but that's the first thing I thought when I saw it.. Heidi Klum and the million dollar bra. Also, do they really expect a real man to wear a costume with wings? Apart from that I liked this section and so do all the guys in my office.
SACRED SAND:This frontline has the most original backpack, sort of Peter Minshallish in the disc design, like it but not loving it. I prefer the backline costumes with both the smaller headpiece and the huge headpiece with pheasant feathers.I also like that the costume actually looks like sand in it's colouring andt this is the second best male costume of the lot.
RAIDERS OF THE DESERT:I can so see RADICAL designs in this costume, it looks like something you can buy at their store. With the boots that the models wore this is a wicked costume in that it is different from everything else yet still sexy and cute.The male costume is nice by the way.
OASIS:Ok, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this costume but I have to say the frontline's backpack reminds me ALOT of Nylon Pool frontline. That being said I only have one other concern, how do they expect you to carry around that fabulous feathered fan all day? The fan makes the costume look spectacular but is it really practical?
CACTAI:This is the costume that I got a glimpse of on Thursday, actually I got a glimpse of the footband. To be fair the costume, without the orange backpiece is quite decent.It's the frontline that is hideous! I hope they rework that frontline costume into something more wearable.
NUBIANS:I am totally and madly in love with this costume,especially the frontline.I might take away the fabric, but the use of the cowrie shells is a welcome depature from regular beads and I am bowled over by that magnificent headpiece.
SAHARA SUNSET:Orange is not one of my favourite colours, maybe that's why I am not wowed by this costume. The male costume is pretty lame I might add.
ARABIAN NIGHTS:There are so many different costumes in this section,I guess it represents the harem girls! For the most part I like them all,especially the pink one with the scarf belt and the gold beads attached to the bra, hanging all the way down the belly. I can see a Sonia Mack influence in that headpiece. For the male I think a sheik costume would have been hot, but the male costume is weak..hate it.
SAHARA JUMBIE:I never liked black for a costume after seeing how wearing that colour cooked a friend of mine a few years ago, and when I say "cooked" I mean she was bright red on Ash Wednesday and could not even touch her own skin to take a bath, it was that painful.This costume looks ok, but the colour is an immediate turn off to me and I did not give it a second look. I have to say it looks quite sexy in the photo from calender we got last night. Which brings me to another point.
The photographs of these costumes are very cool, Wyatt did an excellent job to make the photos look like they were taken in a "desert". But I have to see them upclose and in person before I can make a decision on how they compare to other costumes from other bands. I have learned that sometimes the professional photographs create an impression of the costume but when you see them in real it looks totally different.
Be sure I will be first at the mas camp to check them out when they are open for viewing.
