The first time I learned about Trinidad Carnival bands having costumes imported, buying ready made costumes from China, India and even online websites like Neckelmann's I have to admit that I was quite surprised. I grew up in the generation that knows of costumes being made in mas camps by friends, family and hired staff, so to learn that costumes were not only being made outside of Trinidad but being picked off a website was news to me.
Of course with progress comes change and as Carnival is a huge business now I was quite aware that there are now production companies in Trinidad that specifically catered to making costumes; Harry's Designs being one I can call off the top off my head as having been in the business for a number of years. Now we have others such as Elwin Johnson as well as Richard and Anthony productions who also design and produce costumes locally. The manufacturing of costumes has gone from a friend hot gluing on one appliqué after the next in a mas camp to it being done assembly line style by the professionals.
What I was not aware of, however, is the fact that costume designers have now gone one step further and they are having their costumes either designed overseas by these production companies or they are submitting designs (ideas) of their own, a sample is made and sent from China or India, sent to Trinidad and once approved is produced overseas. There is also a well known local contact, a liaison, who not only "designs" costumes but is the middleman for the Chinese producers. This contact has samples already on display from which "designers" can go in, take a look, make adjustments and place an order; there is nothing like designing for theme, the costumes are chosen and a name is slapped on to it!
The only parts of the costumes that are made locally, and this is for SOME bands, are the headpieces and backpacks. But you can also buy headpieces and backpacks from the right person overseas, such as Juan Pablo and Neckelmanns.
To get an understanding of how this whole process works I have been communicating with one of the costume producers Pekar India who has provided me with the following information in response to my email which is highlighted in BOLD:
Good Day, I am writing to you from Trinidad and Tobago. I am interested in having some costumes made for Trinidad Carnival and I was told you do this type of work. Do you have costumes already made that I can choose from or can I submit my designs and you produce them? Also what do you produce in terms of the cosutme (bra,belt,arm and wrist pieces, necklace) and what is the price for each costume? What is the minimum order can I place and what is the deadline to do so. Finally, can you tell me which bands you have worked with in Trinidad and I would be grateful for any photos of the costumes you have done so I can see the work you produce.
Of course with progress comes change and as Carnival is a huge business now I was quite aware that there are now production companies in Trinidad that specifically catered to making costumes; Harry's Designs being one I can call off the top off my head as having been in the business for a number of years. Now we have others such as Elwin Johnson as well as Richard and Anthony productions who also design and produce costumes locally. The manufacturing of costumes has gone from a friend hot gluing on one appliqué after the next in a mas camp to it being done assembly line style by the professionals.
What I was not aware of, however, is the fact that costume designers have now gone one step further and they are having their costumes either designed overseas by these production companies or they are submitting designs (ideas) of their own, a sample is made and sent from China or India, sent to Trinidad and once approved is produced overseas. There is also a well known local contact, a liaison, who not only "designs" costumes but is the middleman for the Chinese producers. This contact has samples already on display from which "designers" can go in, take a look, make adjustments and place an order; there is nothing like designing for theme, the costumes are chosen and a name is slapped on to it!
The only parts of the costumes that are made locally, and this is for SOME bands, are the headpieces and backpacks. But you can also buy headpieces and backpacks from the right person overseas, such as Juan Pablo and Neckelmanns.
To get an understanding of how this whole process works I have been communicating with one of the costume producers Pekar India who has provided me with the following information in response to my email which is highlighted in BOLD:
Good Day, I am writing to you from Trinidad and Tobago. I am interested in having some costumes made for Trinidad Carnival and I was told you do this type of work. Do you have costumes already made that I can choose from or can I submit my designs and you produce them? Also what do you produce in terms of the cosutme (bra,belt,arm and wrist pieces, necklace) and what is the price for each costume? What is the minimum order can I place and what is the deadline to do so. Finally, can you tell me which bands you have worked with in Trinidad and I would be grateful for any photos of the costumes you have done so I can see the work you produce.
Sorry for bit late response because I was outstation for last few days. Well, we factory specialized in the manufacturing /exporter of carnival costumes & accessories and have excellent track record around world. We capable to provide you any customize design with best quality & cost. OUR PRODUCTS: #Complete CARNIVAL COSTUME (bra+belts+neck+arm/leg band) (A.V Cost- 35 –45 vary with designs) # All kinds of Beaded fringe ,appliqués & flowers etc. # All kind of artificial necklace set. #Braid trimming & other decorative accessories QUALITY We have profuse designs with series of quality grade & expressly our price is best because of manufactory. You can ask for a free sample to check quality anytime. AVERAGE COST/DISCOUNT/EASY PAYMENT TERMS Our average costume cost around 35-45USD vary with designs. Also we provide 5 FREE COSTUMES ON MINIMUM 100 SET ORDER QUANTITY. Along with we have easy payment terms & I can detail latter on. DELIVERY TIME:
Our skilled manpower able to deliver average 2000 COMPLETE COSTUMES per month. NOTE- WE PROVIDES COSTUME DESIGNS & SAMPLES OF YOUR CHOICE ALL AT FREE OF COST. for timebeing i already sold all my 2009 designs. if possible give me a idea about your required costume & i can produce that for you or you can show me your style i can copy that.
i already worked for many bands there . from which band you belongs. i hope your bandleader must know me. if intersted to see i can show you few of my last designs those already sold to diffrent bands woldwide. Looking forward your kind advice, With best regards, Sanjiv, India Ph- +91 112 619 4332, +91 987 154 3933
Thank you very much for your response. We are a new band, but I know of the bands Island People,Spice, Tribe, Pulse 8 and Dream Team. I would love to see the last designs that you have already sold.
These are the photos that were sent as examples of work done by Pekar India for Caribana:Well, I think all 3 new bands already lunched also am working one of them.
Among old bands I worked with genisis.dream team, trini revelers, dkrew, c.nationza, pulse 8,tribe etc. From tornto – I works for almost all bands. Beside that I have client on uk & brazil.
I can understand your concern. Don’t worry I one most reliable & largest manufacturer of spl carnival costumes from my country. You can check my quality anytime you wish. Also you can check any size of raw bras before. (I think this most important issue for band/section leaders to produce costumes from overseas market)
Hearby I attaching few of pic designs that I sold in last carnivals. IF YOU WANT I CAN SHOW YOU MANY OTHERS THAT I HAVE SOLD. WRITE ME INCASE YOU NEED TO SEE THOSE PHOTO WITH MY MODELS.
I wrote about this subject in 2006 when I realized that one of Harts costumes came from Neckelmann's, that article is called The Costume Conundrum and you can refresh your memory of my thoughts then. The fact remains that these Asian factories do produce some well made costumes and at a VERY cheap price; I can see that this is what is giving a huge boost to more and more bands having their costumes made overseas. In addition bands will argue that there are now too few local producers to meet the demand of the growing number of bikini and bead bands.
But, is this a chicken and egg syndrome? Are there too few local producers because everyone is now having costumes made overseas or have people turned to the Asian factories since the number of people who can do the job locally are too few? Then there is the issue of standards, with the capabilities of these Asian factories to whip out 2000 costumes a month and with intricate beading and workmanship is there anyone locally who can match that caliber of costumes? I mean take a look at any of Island People's costumes (since it is no secret their costumes are made in China) Rays of Light for example and the detail on the bra; the beads and stones are embroidered (not hot glued) unto a flesh coloured bra. I have seen costumes from some other bands that are made here and you can actually see the hot glue remnants where the braid was stuck unto the bra!
The thing is for ME, I would love to be able to say I am supporting our local producers, I think they need to step up the game from mediocrity and start producing work that can rival the Asian counterparts. And since we STILL need local wire benders for headpieces and backpacks it is not as if we can eliminate out local costume producers anyway. I want to be proud of what is made here and these imports are not doing it for me. I can understand why bands import costumes but I am not a supporter of it, simply because I KNOW that we can produce spectacular costumes in Trinidad; I believe that!
Take for instance the work produced by Harts who by the way chucked Neckelmann's costumes after that piece of drama, they do work internationally, producing costumes for Las Vegas and other Carnivals. Legacy also makes costumes for an international market and there are other bands that still make costumes here for export to other islands. I am not even going to mention Mc Farlane who does his work locally as the topic is about bikini mas, but suffice to say if Peter Minshall can produce the opening of the Olympics we surely have talent in Trinidad and Tobago with enormous potential. So, why are we selling ourself short and buying from Asia? I want to believe that the COST is a huge factor in this importation of costumes, one supplier has quoted me an average figure of $35 - $45.00US for a costume set which includes bra, belt, neck, leg and arm band! Compare THAT to the average cost of a cosutme this year at $500.00US!
Ok, so I know the COST of my costume is not all that I pay for when I choose to pay that price; we have the all inclusive feature to consider as well as security, music, cost overheads and all that but really, how much of that $500.00 that we are paying is purely profit if the COSTUME costs on average $45.00US ? Not to mention that most bands get some form of sponsorship which can be considered a lagniappe!
Not to mention that this importation of costumes have messed up the sizing, so now instead of being able to order according to a specific bra size like 44DD masqueraders have to choose between XS to XXL. Bands are claiming that they have to meet deadlines, I guess for of having overseas production and cannot take special requests for costumes after a certain date NOR can you even ask to drop off a bra of your own to get it decorated! No wonder band launches are starting earlier and earlier' everyone has to meet some overseas production deadline!
So now the questions have to be asked,; do you as a masquerader care if your cosutme is made in Trinidad, seeing as even the costumes that are made locally still have to use imported materials as Trinidad does not manufacture fabric, beads, sequin or feathers? Do you prefer a WELL MADE costume that is heavily beaded and embellished with the best that an skilled Indian labourer can produce? When you fork over your money for a costume are you saying YES buy local or give me more than three strands of beads stuck to a bra please thank you very much! And knowing the COST of the costumes that are being imported do you think that the "savings" should be passed on to the masquerader as costume prices are way too high, bands can afford to sell for less or are you satisfied that with all things considered you are getting value for money with a WELL MADE imported costume?
But, is this a chicken and egg syndrome? Are there too few local producers because everyone is now having costumes made overseas or have people turned to the Asian factories since the number of people who can do the job locally are too few? Then there is the issue of standards, with the capabilities of these Asian factories to whip out 2000 costumes a month and with intricate beading and workmanship is there anyone locally who can match that caliber of costumes? I mean take a look at any of Island People's costumes (since it is no secret their costumes are made in China) Rays of Light for example and the detail on the bra; the beads and stones are embroidered (not hot glued) unto a flesh coloured bra. I have seen costumes from some other bands that are made here and you can actually see the hot glue remnants where the braid was stuck unto the bra!
The thing is for ME, I would love to be able to say I am supporting our local producers, I think they need to step up the game from mediocrity and start producing work that can rival the Asian counterparts. And since we STILL need local wire benders for headpieces and backpacks it is not as if we can eliminate out local costume producers anyway. I want to be proud of what is made here and these imports are not doing it for me. I can understand why bands import costumes but I am not a supporter of it, simply because I KNOW that we can produce spectacular costumes in Trinidad; I believe that!
Take for instance the work produced by Harts who by the way chucked Neckelmann's costumes after that piece of drama, they do work internationally, producing costumes for Las Vegas and other Carnivals. Legacy also makes costumes for an international market and there are other bands that still make costumes here for export to other islands. I am not even going to mention Mc Farlane who does his work locally as the topic is about bikini mas, but suffice to say if Peter Minshall can produce the opening of the Olympics we surely have talent in Trinidad and Tobago with enormous potential. So, why are we selling ourself short and buying from Asia? I want to believe that the COST is a huge factor in this importation of costumes, one supplier has quoted me an average figure of $35 - $45.00US for a costume set which includes bra, belt, neck, leg and arm band! Compare THAT to the average cost of a cosutme this year at $500.00US!
Ok, so I know the COST of my costume is not all that I pay for when I choose to pay that price; we have the all inclusive feature to consider as well as security, music, cost overheads and all that but really, how much of that $500.00 that we are paying is purely profit if the COSTUME costs on average $45.00US ? Not to mention that most bands get some form of sponsorship which can be considered a lagniappe!
Not to mention that this importation of costumes have messed up the sizing, so now instead of being able to order according to a specific bra size like 44DD masqueraders have to choose between XS to XXL. Bands are claiming that they have to meet deadlines, I guess for of having overseas production and cannot take special requests for costumes after a certain date NOR can you even ask to drop off a bra of your own to get it decorated! No wonder band launches are starting earlier and earlier' everyone has to meet some overseas production deadline!
So now the questions have to be asked,; do you as a masquerader care if your cosutme is made in Trinidad, seeing as even the costumes that are made locally still have to use imported materials as Trinidad does not manufacture fabric, beads, sequin or feathers? Do you prefer a WELL MADE costume that is heavily beaded and embellished with the best that an skilled Indian labourer can produce? When you fork over your money for a costume are you saying YES buy local or give me more than three strands of beads stuck to a bra please thank you very much! And knowing the COST of the costumes that are being imported do you think that the "savings" should be passed on to the masquerader as costume prices are way too high, bands can afford to sell for less or are you satisfied that with all things considered you are getting value for money with a WELL MADE imported costume?
34 comments:
***standing ontop of the chair clapping**** KUDOS SAUCE....BRILLIANT and PASSIONATE post!!!!! I cannot believe the price of this, i ecpected it to be cheap, but not that cheap I was expecting it to be like 100us ...so is what WE really paying for?!!!
But its like the same thing with some of these wedding dress website, when I was looking for my sisters there is a website that creates all those lovely dresses from alfred angelo and others for a quarter of the price in 10days!
If over seas manufacturers have the means to produce mass quantities of costumes by the thousands, i.e. having easily accessible materials and fabrics, people, manpower and assembly lines of hundreds of workers, I personally don't mind if they continue to be made overseas as long as high quality is guaranteed.
What does bother me is the fact that this mass prodcution of costumes is saving these bands tons of money and the masqueraders are not reaping any benefits. I would have to drink almost the whole truck of alcohol to equal $500.00 (lol). With Thousands of masqueraders playing mas trust me security is covered, music and djs are covered for a $500.00 all inclusive fee. I have to believe that all the extra money is going into the pockets of these bands!
Just my two sense.
Well done Saucy...wel researched and well written. Perosnally I'll prefer to support our local artists, but I know that there not many of them anymore. And defintely I'd prefer a WELL MADE costume that won't fall apart on the road.
Personally since it seems that msot bands are going the imported costume route I think that these savings should be passed on the masqueraders...in some form or fashion.
my $0.02
"What I was not aware of, however, is the fact that costume designers have now gone one step further and they are having their costumes either designed overseas by these production companies or they are submitting designs (ideas) of their own, a sample is made and sent from China or India, sent to Trinidad and once approved is produced overseas."
That is the part that troubles me, are you telling me that we are not even masquerading in a costume that may have been designed overseas. I dont have a problem if it is designed here and then produced professionally overseas. BUT PASS THE SAVINGS ONTO THE MASQUERADER NAH MAN.. GEEZE~!!!!!
I heard about this bs with the 35 to 45 u.s.d to purchase a costume but to actually see it does something to me, I love my carnival! god knows I look forward to it every year it's an experience I cannot compare to anything BUT WTF!!!!!! I feel like I'm supporting wyatt and he chiny woman and dean and lana and solange and all of these people buying big houses and shit and living lavida loca! give me a break my damn costume this year is over 800usd how they overdoing it with the price so oh god!! this is murder I feel like I'm being raped here and can't go to the police! the F**king me in the a$$ with no vaseline! is years I'm playing mass but I really have to set my priorities straight yes, each individual have to decide what's important to them, some may say they don't care and some may say hell no! and stand aome ground for these people to adjust these bloody prices, or some may think I like meh mass and I'm gonna pay whatever it is to enjoy myself! and I ain't judging but give me a F**king break, 800.00? I ain't drinking all that liquor and eating all that food, how the ass they getting these numbers, they don't want to work during the year and we supporting them stuueppsss, I'm pissed, I love you saucy for bringing this to light as a fact!
I'm setting limits on how much I'm gonna pay for a costume come 2010 I'm gonna do the math on whats decent and yuh see this shit it's a wrap for me! and that's real talk, I done with this playing in the in band shit and we searching for monies, taking out loan, boring from this one and that one, sacrificing just to play mass, when we could do all that sacrificing for something that's more worth it, and honestly I could afford it, but I ain't f**king doing it NO MORE!! saucy if yuh did post this earlier I wasn't paying that price there is mass bands around and I would find it, because once i have my alcohol and music I'm straight, peace and love everybody muuuaahh!
when did you enter the realm of investigative journalism?
BRILLIANT work saucy!
this piece has me feeling very unsettled as i realize that there is a possibility that costumes imported from India and other parts of Asia may very well be fueling CHILD LABOUR in those countries.
having seen a very provocative documentary on the BBC recently on this subject for garments produced in India for Primark stores, i wonder if there is any way for a local carnival band to verify that the suppliers in India/Asia are not exploiting children in the manufacture of these costumes.
i would hate to think that Trinidad & Tobago Carnival is contributing to the illegal economy in other parts of the world and/or promoting human trafficking...
I agree with exquisite completley!
Lets do some math....
Let's take a band size of 2,000 masqueraders. Overseas
manufacturers only charge $45 usd
2,000 masqueraders x $45 oversea price per costume = $90,000
However lets say most bands charge minimum avereage of $500 for just the backline. And using 2,000 masqueraders as an average again.
2,000 x $500 = $1,000,000.00
Where is the extra $910,000.00 going?
This doesn't even include the profit for frontline and individual costumes!
Please correct me if my math is off (i never was too good at maths) lol.
....you can't tell me that almost 1Million dollar profit is going to food, drinks, security, and dj!!
saucy I didn't know you worked for the KGB, lol. Brilliant article.
With that said, I felt sick to my stomach to see the markup, how on earth is this justified? Not to mention all the deception involved.
This is definitely not a good look.
quiksilver, that is EXACTLY what I was thinking. If they could produce a costume for $45US max, and offer 5 free costumers per hundred, then people aren't getting paid what they should and chances are they have children working.
Didn't anyone hear about Gap having 6 year old children putting the beading on some of their tops?
I'm really disappointed to hear about this. I was still naive enough to believe that they only ordered the plain bikini from abroad and decorated it themselves. That's why I thought there was all this drama with TRIBE costumes last year. Sigh!
The first year I played with Legends, way back in the day, I remember going down to the mas camp and seeing people gluing beading and sequins on to waistpieces, and headpieces. There was a lady sitting behind a machine stitching beads onto bras. Now, it would seem all that done.
I hope this isn't the norm. But exquisite, you have a point. And you are very right to say what you're saying!
Wow Saucy.....awesome read and really eye opening. I too am shocked at the $500 price tag I am paying for my costume this year when you disclose that the average price is $34-$45 US. OK so I understand feathers for the backpacks and headpieces can be pretty expensive, also people are looking to make a profit. But all together with food,drinks security. headpeice, backpack and goody bags (not contents...that stuff is usually free from sponsors) the whole package at cost could be no more than $200.
Also remember a lot of the big bands have large corporate sponsorship so that is another source of cash. How can they justify the $500 price tag for mas. The simple answer is that they get away with it because we still keep paying the price. Until we stop they will continue to charge these crazy prices. However when and how do you do this? When you want the quality and service that the big bands provide.
Ahhh, in a perfect world...
In a nation that imports almost every resource that it uses (even locally raised livestock and locally grown produce is sustained with foreign feed and fertilizer) it is not surprising to find that our own local culture is not independent of foreign support.
I sincerely wish I could see the day when I play mas' in a sturdy, comfortable, beautiful, well made, affordable costume, made in Trinidad, by skilled, well-paid Trinidadians, delivered to me in a timely manner (not Carnival Tuesday morning). I also wish I were 9 inches taller. I think I have a better chance of seeing the latter wish fulfilled in my lifetime.
This really all boils down to economics. Trinidad simply does not have, nor will it ever have (if the number of new bands and masqueraders keeps increasing at this rate) the sheer number of skilled, adequately compensated and motivated people required to turn out the high volume and quality that we demand at a reasonable price, in a reasonable amount of time. Foreign labourers are paid a few dollars a day, held under careful quality-control and supervision, and motivated by strict deadlines. They do not work on 'Trinidad time', nor do they have to support the very high standard of living that exists in more developed countries (please let it be known that I am not referring to child labour or other illegal activities)
Of course, foreign production has its drawbacks. Even with all the communication technology we have at our disposal, the advantage of viewing materials and prototypes in-person is undeniable, and there is always the possibility of shipping and customs delays. But none of these pitfalls can put a dent in the extreme advantages (for both the masquerader and the band) to be gained by importing the product from a reliable source.
As to the question of the bands' profit margins, I believe that the majority of masqueraders severely under-estimate the actual costs involved. If having a Carnival band was such an easy money-making venture you know everybody and dey mudder would be doing it (myself included). I'm sure there are a few greedy hands involved in mas' production as in every other business, but I cannot begrudge many of these people whatever profits they can get after paying for designers, costumes, shipping, insurance, mortgage, utility bills (phones, electricity, internet, etc), permits, security, administrative staff salaries, website design and maintenance, credit card transaction fees, taxes, DJ, live performers, truck rentals, drivers, medical staff, food, alcohol, advertising and promotion, yadda, yadda, yadda...
So, while I would most certainly love to have an entirely locally made costume, my demand for quality products and service must take top priority, and I am willing to pay what I consider to be reasonable market value to get what I want.
Great article Saucy- very well done.
Needless to say, I am stunned. Are there any organizations in Trinidad that can request information from these bands and hold them accountable for price gouging? In most states this is a punishable criminal offense.
As for me, I will definitely reconsider where I spend my money next year. I will be more willing to spend my money with a band if the band can assure me of the following: (1) that they are not using child labor; (2) about their practices,specifically, about where they are getting their materials and/or about where the mass production is taking place, (3) a good product and (4) reasonable customer service. Some of the other details and pricing may be considered trade secret-- but those that step out (if any) will outshine the rest and can certainly put the others out of business.
You have struck a cord in the consciousness of many with this article. Hopefully those in the business will pay attention and respond.
Well said squeezle and I think the proliferation of new bands we have seen over the past few years is testament to the fact that everybody and their mother thinks a Carnival band is the way to make millions! There are bands who are in it to do things right and give masqueraders "value" for money; then there are bands who are in it for the BIG profits and give masqueraders the shitty end of the stick! Some of them do not even rent a mas camp for the whole year, do not use credit cards, barely have staff and run out of food and drinks on the road!
Oh by the way I would hazard to guess that apart from importing materials Harts has their costumes made and designed locally so what you talking about lol!
I know for a fact that Harts has their costumes designed locally, but I don't think that they are 100% locally assembled.
If I am wrong, please feel free to lash me with a peacock feather! LOL
Great point Quiksilver...even if we are not concerned about child labor, what about the sweatshop conditions in some of those factories as well?
This was a wonderful article Saucy! I am very dissapointed to hear about this. I enjoy carnival so much, it would hurt my heart to have to curtail my activities to prove a point...but I would definitely consider doing so! Seems to me that all the arguments regarding the continutation of the culture, etc etc become moot if the designs themselves are being produced overseas!
& yes, this is the worst form of price gouging...Lord, this entry makes me feel as if I just tried to fill up my tank at some of these crazy prices here in BK...robbed!
At those profit margins, no band has any excuse for providing shoddy service OR costumes!!!
saucy, kudos for your investigative journalism!!!! keep up the superb work!!!!
this is just ridiculous!!!
(=O
I think Tribe owes me a couple hundred..
Saucy, I must say this was a great piece. Kudos to you for investigating this. while i'm not surprised to know that bands are outsourcing the completion of costumes to China and other overseas countries... i am dissapointed and disgusted to know that they are getting design ideas from anywhere other than their own minds and creativity. i'm also fairly appalled to know that these same bands are paying below-cost for the manufacturing of costumes and yet they want to charge us a mark up on that price that is outrageous!!
i completely understand that putting together a band takes money. i'm sure we all know it costs money but when you think about how much these bands are making per person, per costume... their expenses cannot be justified. it simply doesn't make sense. the costs are being filtered to us, the consumer and the bands seem not to care how much more we're paying. even with all of the amenities we get (food, drinks, etc.), the prices we're paying STILL doesn't add up to what we're receiving. there's no way I'm drinking $650 worth of liquor and i'm certainly not eating that much in food and yet that is what i'm paying for my costume this year. someone needs to break this down for me because i'm seeing a HUGE disconnect here.
also, as others mentioned... what is going on in these factories in which our costumes are being made? we all know about the human rights issues China has as well as the poor working conditions many of their workers face. how are we to know whether or not we're contributing to these conditions by supporting the companies perpetuating it, if we're not told upfront that our costumes will be manudactured abroad?? there has to be some reform somewhere and i think it's high time these bandleaders have more respect for their patrons and let us in on exactly what is going on. i'm tired of being left in the dark and swear, if it weren't for you Saucy, this little piece of light would never have been shown. keep up the good work.
Many of the pics of the costumes you have up there are from Caribana. In Toronto these backline costumes sell for about $150. They don't serve liquor and the food isn't as plentiful and security isn't as extensive. Also, they are only parading for 1 day instead of 2. So lets tripple the price to make up for added costs .... You still are only at $450. What do you think?
Trini-in-toronto I agree with you and anyhow you slice it or dice it, its highway robbery! My brother and his friends are always with tribe security they go to see the hot women and thief ah whine here and there they say it's fun for them, and they get 100ttd and some get 125ttd or 150ttd which is around 17usd, and lets talk about the djs most of them djs play for gladness if not all and the ones who charge its not more than 2000ttd the top djs might get alil more but that's the number some even get less! And as for food they are mostly paid for by the sponsers, as for the trucks im going and make ah call and come back, I don't want to be quoting garbage, they robbing we! It wrong, it wrong, it wrong, we like we tribe and we ip and all the so called "IN" bands but come on people! Stuuueeepppsss, they driving all kindof nice car and shit, they rolling in WE money ash wednesday, whilst we gone back working hard to give them another house the following year, and truth be told I aint blaming them one bit! They damn right they getting away with it legally so more power to them, is we is the damn ass!
I can't resist the temptation to play devil's advocate here (and let me state that I mean absolutely no disrespect or insult to the presenters and masqueraders in the Caribana band(s) pictured).
Leading off of trini-in-toronto's figures: $450 for the costumes pictured sounds like a pretty good deal to me - a healthy profit for the bandleader and a reasonable price for the masquerader. So let me ask, how many of you all-inclusive, mega-band masqueraders would be ooh-ing and ahh-ing and all in a frenzy to register in your respective bands if they were offering these particular costumes?
Or, conversely, since there are already bands in Trinidad that have offered similar costumes, and an all-inclusve service for $450 and less, why aren't they the most popular and most sought after bands?
Excellent "expose" Saucy!
I agree with everybody from indignation to devil's advocates. The only shame (and I hope there is no abuse exploitation of children labor) is a concept of an "off the shelf" design, but if somebody will wear it, why not?
Why we play mas? If is just a party to jock up, then by all means pick yuh off the shelf "Sean John", and yuh "ROCA Wear" (eh costumes) and wine down dey place. It's your money and you could spend it anyway yuh please.
But if yuh play mas because you understand that out of nothing we created something extraodinary, and I dare say living art. There is cosmic joy in our dance, in our "craziness," and our Carnival rituals. The elements that are indiginous to Trinidad (and Tobago) will survive only if those who are fedup with commercialism, can make us love our own creations again. Caution: for those who would dare, the standards are higher than in the past, and mediocrity will fail. I have said before, here, that that next significant evolution of "popular" mas, will be from those who cannot afford the current decadence and would satirized it by using their extreme creative brains and not just their lip service indignations. And this IS the point where it all began. A full circle that leads to a new level of a people's unified freedom. Real artists are the true pioneers of a society.
I hope, I pray.
When I saw this today I was hurt. Knowing how hard people have to work and these mas band robbing we I can't do this again. Not that I can't afford the price but the simple fact that these people are becoming rich off of our hard earn money , the poor working condition these people face, and child laborers.This is insane!!! Just imagine if a band have 3000 people and 2500 is backline at aprice of $35 that equal to 87,500 and 500 at $45 equal 22,500 which adds up to $110,000.00 when they charge us 600 for a backline, for 2500 people it equls to 2,250,000.00. Now minus 87,500 =2,162,500.00 . And 500 people at 750 = 375,000.00 now minus 22,500 =352,500.00 Add it together and you will get a total of 2,515,000.00. What a sweet profit. To be honest I wish I can get into the game so I can quit my job and become a multi million in a year as well. They will not get another penny from me again. It's a good thing I will not be able to stay for carnival next year. Leaving the Sunday night.
I want to hear allyuh indginant outraged people next year when TRIBE launch and once again reduce the size of their band.
Allyuh go forget quick quick bout child labour and US$45 costumes.
People complaining about being robbed is ridiculous. Every one goes into business to make a profit. Personally I see nothing wrong with importing the costumes. Last season my costume was obviously hand made and I hated it. Every time tanty,cousin, granny,glued a stone you saw where the glue was pulled to another part of the costume. It was ugly and made the band look unprofessional to me. While on the road I saw another costume that was imported and the beading was neat with no glue tracks showing. If the imported costume results in a better looking product then import away. When the price gets too rich for my blood I will just have to refuse to pay and play with a band that resells the costume and "experience"cheaper.
If you wanna have a academic breakdown of the issues you all raise it might go something like this...
The all-inclusive masquerade band is so labelled because it means all drinks, security costs, costumes, music fees and other Carnival necessities are covered in one price.
However the all-inclusive band is really an all-exclusive band because the price of participation today TT$3500 and up, the equivalent of the average monthly wage, effectively excludes the working class from Carnival and their own tradition of empowerment.
The all-inclusive band provokes class hierarchies by making the ability to participate in Carnival a public affirmation of one’s social status and income.
Meanwhile, a prior populist and nationalistic narrative concerning the festival’s ‘inclusivity’ and non-capitalist roots as a theatre of the streets still dominates modern discussions of Trinidad Carnival and masks the exclusion of the low-income local population.
Carnival is always cited as a festival of nationhood as the popular cultural refrain ‘all of we is one’ continues to express.
The ‘pretty mas’ body, beautiful, gyrating, full of sexual energy, screaming in its openness to be seen as a symbol of national pride is a visible distraction from the middle-class takeover of the festival – for which we can substite the nation more generally because class politics in Trinidad defines access to political power, employment and more broadly capital too.
Each pretty mas body appears disconnected from such processes – but if we look closer we see the scars of a class-based society written on their skin and subsequently the fortification of a nation in the minds of rich and poor alike, based on the social inclusion of some and the social exclusion others.
The unfortunate part once you realise all this is that we still all gonna play and enjoy we selves because persons like us can afford it. And its also the best 2 and half days of the year.
Its the basically the state of a stratified world transferred to the carnival industry...
yeah but what 'bout mac farlane?
Dylan, you took excerpts out of your thesis or what? ... steups... :P
While I agree with some of what you said, I feel that stretching the topic to other issues dilutes the argument and does not allow for a proper cohesive thought.
Undoubtedly, costume prices and the issues you mentioned are connected, but can we please focus on what Saucy's article was trying to highlight. Classism can be tackled at another juncture.
Just my 2 'sense' ... lol
P.S. i real cracking here up at the 'models' in their PJs and home-clothes
Prince Namor, MacFarlane's mas is quite expensive.
There is always a cost or price point where producing a mas will be unaffordable to most. But what is the true value when we produce something wonderful from nothing (the cost of materials is real, for sure.) I'd say, priceless. I am still looking for the Carnival messiah(s) (valuing high quality aesthetics, artistry, and craftsmanship,...certainly not necessarily just feathers and beads) for the "lower echelon" masses. Quite frankly, I'd like to see more people playing mas in Trinidad, instead of avoiding it because of financial costs.
Well i got a headache after reading this post. Very well written saucy u better go work for de police service..cause yuh doing a better job in investigating than dem.
I have no problem if the bandleader gets his costume at 45US per costume...But oh Lord it aint justifying the amount they charge we de masqueraders at the end of the day with all the overhead cost and sponsor we damn well knw dey robbing us blind!!! and to top it off these so-called designers aint really designing?!?.. lawd have mercy!!!
Well these bands better come good with customer service and qaulity of costumes else is some Mudder so and so..cause dey want to rip we off and also offer shoddy service?? nah man.
Saucy i think this post should be on de Sunday express to expose all of them..maybe then we the masqueraders will finally see some sort of reduction in the cost of playing mas...steuuppsss
Ah going and lie down with some alcohlado or limacol on mih head..cause is pressure in mih brain
@ s
not quite my thesis, but a paper i gave at a conference last about trinidad as a 'gated community' society - ie some people can pay for security while others can't and how carnival also reflects this classist model.
i would disagree with you "that stretching the topic to other issues dilutes the argument and does not allow for a proper cohesive thought."
to not recognise Saucy's thoughtful post isnt about cost factors and people making huge profits at the expensive of others who can no longer play mas or are hugely out of pocket if they do, is in my humble opinion, incorrect.
Thats exactly what her evidence points to. i just thought it might be interesting to some if i put it into an intellectual framework of class politics.
Its fine if you didnt dig it. Its not for everyone.
Carnival costumes suffer from inelastic demand. Raise the price, and demand stays the same. There will always be those willing to pay it.
Create a decent band for a couple years, make some serious money and ride off into the sunset....sounds like the perfect get-rich-quick scheme to me. They know they can do it, so they do.
Generally, Trinis are used to paying ridiculous prices for goods and services that arent worth a fraction of the cost. I'm encountering that in looking for accommodation for Carnival. I've travelled a lot, stayed in many hotels and I know its a peak season, but everything in Trini costs much more than its true worth. That is what this discussion shows and I dont think anything will change unless the economy suffers a massive collapse! (not that I want that)
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