KALPANA – designed by Sonia Mack
My favorite section of the band, with not one scrap of a feather and a headpiece that is an asymmetrical abstract creation I am absolutely loving all versions of this costume. There are two Individuals, the one with the pearls and beads draping from the neck, arm and leg with pasties for a bra and then the frilled frou frou contraption; both have major impact in person, though the all pearl beaded version is quite stunning. I like the many, many options for both the male and female regular costume. At the launch the model wore one version with fabric tied at the waist, which she later unhooked to reveal a beaded belt, I like how the fabric flows from the arm. The other options show different headpieces as well as optional fabric, in the Calendar the male costumes are awesome! Two different “dohti” pants with turban and there is also another headpiece option shown there that was not shown last night. I am wondering if the pearl beaded Kalpana comes with a bra for those who do not want pasties, and if the many beads will be a hindrance on the road possibly hooking and entangling on each other; apart from that totally in love with Kaplana!
TAAL – designed by Ruana Booker
If at first glance the bra on this costume reminds you of TRIBE’s Ruby Topaz from 2009 it is because the same designer did both costumes, pity that the colours and style are reminiscent of that costume because it is what stuck in my head when I first saw it. The backline costume on this one is simple; the cloth panels falling from the bra are interesting, not too sure if I would keep that if I were in this section. The frontline belt is SUPER skimpy, but the detail on the back pack and headpiece is quite ornate and because of the feathers this will be a popular one with the ladies. The male costume is also simple, but very nice, not too much costume for the men who want the board shorts, and still sticking to theme. Verdict, liking the frontline with the embellishment, small feathered collar and headpiece but the backline is too simple for me though the colours are beautiful.
RAJA AUR RANI - designed by Dianne Hunt
Not a colour I would pick off the bat for a costume in Kutchela as so many others are very vibrant and I think it is more grey than silver in this one. I like the style of the body wear, especially the one with the large headpiece, in the calendar it is shown with a sheer decorated sleeveless bolero and looks very stylish, however at the launch it was just the bra and belt. I don’t like the fit of the bra on the version with the small headpiece on the model; again the regular costume is SIMPLE in this section. The individual with the painted fabric wings is interesting; I like the artwork on the wings for this (and the others with the same feature) just not feeling all the grey.
MUDRA – designed by Sandra Hordatt
Gorgeous shade of yellow and blue used for this costume, the regular costume is super skimpy with a barely there belt, a wisp of fabric giving the illusion of coverage. The fabric for me could have been replaced with something else as so many other bands did the fabric for the seasons already, and the bra looks unforgiving for larger cup sizes but I do like the chain detail from neck to waist as well as the headscarf on the regular costume. The frontline is again nice with the feathers for those who want it ; I am noticing a trend of smaller backpacks from Island People, hopefully that translates into reasonable prices! The male for this section actually has a proper costume! I am waiting to see how many men actually like this option as the shorts are worn under sheer pants.
BINDI – designed by Crystal Amming
A burgundy costume I actually like!! First off notice the shorts on the male and how they are gathered at the calf as well as the chest jewelry loving this male costume a lot. This is one of the few sections with feathers on both the regular and frontline costume, I love the belt, bra and headpiece on the backline however I am wondering what is going on with the frontline bra with the sides missing! It’s different, but really, how practical? Love the frontline headpiece as well as the Individual which uses silver, burgundy AND gold in one costume, hmmm. The jeweled pieces of this Individual does not translate well in photographs, it is quite ornate.
CHAND SITARIE– designed by Crystal Amming
I like the mirrored discs used to decorate the bra and belt of this one, the regular headpiece (and regular costume) I am neither here nor there on, it is ok for me. The frontline is nice, I like the twist on the popular doughnut headpiece, the collar and the placement of the straps on the bra is different. Liking the male, but that is A LOT of white to keep clean on Carnival Tuesday, toss a tide to go pen in your carnival pouch!
KUNDALINI- designed by Tisha Neilsen &Marlon Grant
For some reason I really like this costume, even with the headpiece that was giving the models some trouble and a bra that looks unsupportive. I think it is the fabric pattern used on this costume and how it is worked to look like a sari skirt. I also really like the style of the headpiece and the loads of accessories for this costume. I also have to say I am really liking the skirted type backs of the belts, no beads, just a peek-a-boo fabric panel; cute detail that stays true to theme on the costumes that have it. The Individual for this section comes with a gorgeous beaded skirt that ties to the belt at front, reminds me of Silk of Rajasthan however this skirt is blinged out with crystals, the back pack is also reminiscent of a costume which escapes me at the moment, all I know is it looks like something that has been done before, still nice however. The male costume for this section is one of the weaker ones; the model also needed longer shorts!
MORGANDANI– designed by Diane Hunte
Ok, this costume is by Diane Hunte, sure you can tell, as it is all artsy wearable costume wear as opposed to the typical beads and bikinis, gives me a strong “The Cloth” vibe as well with the circular fabric panels decorating the headpiece and belt. The reaction to this one is either you like it or don’t, somehow I like it. The fact that the costume is all fabric really appeals to me; I also like the wrap shorts that are the belt /bottom piece, pleats on the bra and even the head band headpiece. The added wings for the Individual I think should be a frontline option as I like the total look of that costume; a little touch of “marse” in the bikini band. The male costume is a complete outfit, though I did hear someone refer to it as the Bmobile mascot!
JAIPUR – designed by Tisha Neilson & Marlon Grant
The colour of this costume is beautiful, looks like the same shade of pink used in Touch this year. LOTS of pink, even for the guys, pretty regular costume option; I like the belt, the fabric coming from the headpiece, the decoration on the headpiece but not the cut of the bra which looks a bit odd for me. Talking about odd bras, the men LOVE the frontline wire bra option but the women think it is just too naked, too skimpy and too vulgar (not my opinion, just those around me). I think the style of the wire bra looks odd, as in painfully odd as it is squished against the model’s breasts in both the Calendar and at the launch. The headpiece on this frontline does not appeal to me either, with such a naked looking costume it could have been bigger to compensate, not just a headband. Even the backpack looks a bit incomplete, like it is missing feathers.
PRIYA DAR SHINI - designed by Tisha Neilson & Marlon Grant
Lovely shade of yellow, very pretty skirt/belt love the embellished fabric used on both the belt and bra. The headpiece looks like a cloth draped on the head in a most unflattering way, unlike MUDRA which used a longer piece of fabric on the head this one just looks like a dish rag. Other than that I really do like the regular costume, I would just leave the rag at home or get some sheer fabric and do my own, longer, version of the head scarf. The frontline is so out of place in this section, it’s like all of a sudden Kutchela stopped on her way to Brazil before reaching Trinidad. Again, a very naked, naked body wear with minuscule backpack, it’s pretty but looks out of place for me, and does not give many people hope of playing frontline in this section as that costume is only for certain body types. The Individual model held on to her back pack throughout the entire presentation, and boas aside it is a pretty costume, much prefer this as a frontline that the other one.
NAKSHATRA– designed by Melonie Sebro
This costume looks better in photographs than in real life, I am still on the fence because at first I liked it but upon seeing it up-close I don’t like the gold and black. What I do like are the two versions of the headpiece, that ornamental beading on the headpieces is lovely as well as the working on the bra. The “orni” (head scarf) in that black and gold fabric is really throwing me off. The male costume is also interesting; I liked it in the calendar, not at all in real life.
CHUTNEY BHAAV– designed by Diane Hunte
My least favorite female costume in Kutchela, although I do like the male a lot, maybe because that model really worked his costume. The pattern on fabric used for this costume is what kills it for me, as well as the headpiece. There is way too much of that floral kitchen curtain print repeated in the costume, some variety would have been nice to break up that print. The headpiece while it can work, does not for me, reminds me of something you would see on stage at a village cultural show, not Carnival. The Individual has the lovely painted fabric wings, that is the one thing I love about it as well as the cloth covered bangles that are thankfully not in that awful print. Do I dislike this one as much as Serica? Hell no! It may be my least favorite in Kutchela but overall I do not think there is one “ugly” costume, just costumes that appeal to different tastes. Serica, butt ugly!
The one thing I must point out is that the bras on most of these costumes, as has been the trend with Island People over the years, are pretty skimpy and look as if they do not offer much support, case in point is the bra for Mudra. Hopefully they will allow masqueraders to supply their own bra again for 2010 so that the ladies who need a little more security in the bra department will be well covered
Personally, I really get the whole Kutchela concept and I love that it is so different from what we have seen so far. I swear it does get a bit repetitious with the same feathers and beads but this was an interesting and welcomed change of pace. Would I play in most of these costumes? Quite possibly only a few, I am a girl who LOVES my feathers, but if I were to choose one it would be Kalpana Individual with the loads of pearls… ok, if I were to choose another one it would also be Bindi or Kundalini. I can see people either feeling Kutchela or not, the latter being those who CLAIM they want something other than the recycled designs of past presentations, but when they get diversity really only want to see costumes that fit the feathers, beads and bling formula.
So, let’s hear it… are you feeling Kutchela or not?
31 comments:
spread kuchela all over the place yes...i am definitely feeling it!! lol
i just cautious about the other *ahem* issues
I would happily wear at least 4 of these costumes
(that's 1 more than spice and 2 more than Tribe!)
So I am definitely feeling it.
Shame about the alleged disorganisation of IP though. Hopefully they could pull it together next yr.
i am in love with four costumes and i am feeling two others and i hate one
why did IP showcase the ugly costume in the first pic they released.............honestly when i saw it i was worried but in my opinion Chutney Bhaav and Sercia tie for ulgy costumes of 2k10
but the costume i love the most is Taal frontline, i love the colour the working on the bra and yes the belt is a little on the skimpy side......i could see a corset with it for me and a light colour gold boots with purple gems decorating it oooooohhhhhhhhhhhhh
by the way i love Taal as much as i loved the osage individual
Island People here I come
I am definitely feeling Kuchela...I think there is variety in design from the reg beads and feathers to patterned cloth to differently styled head pieces and waist bands....I also love the depiction of the theme. Good presentation IP!!!
i am very greatful that they kept to the theme and brought something different.A blogger kept saying that Trinidad deserves to be different and set themselves apart from the rest. I agree totally but different needs to be well pot together and beautiful as the amount of money we are paying for these costumes I expect to see good materials. Like the Morgandani individual, I loved the design on the wings, like the idea, but the cardboard looking belt and headpiece reminiscent of my years playing kiddies carnival is not goin to cut it, it makes the costume look cheap. Something else could've been used.
I like the other individual except raja aur rani, like i said earlier the woman drawn on that particular wing looks very out of place and the cage bras.The cage bra look painful and I think that all the cage bra costumes look scarce.
I think the bra on mudra (aka xi ling charmeuse) will be murda on d road because it looks as though the bra is decorated upside down, I can already see the bra liftin up and booby slippage all over p.o.s on monday and tuesday!
But other than that I appreciate the choreography instead of vexed looking moggles who running off stage like a bat out of hell!
I think it was a nice presentation.
AH love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This was a wonderful presentation IP! Kudos for doing something different and sticking to theme. Not sure if I will play in most of thee costumes, since I only have about a top 3....but that Mudra from Sandra Hordatt..FIRE!! LOVES IT!!!!
I IN KUTCHELA!!! I didn't get to see all the costumes up close an personal the way I wanted to but from what I did see. I like just about EVERYTHING!!!!!
First, look at men's costumes!! Bindi (burgundy) and Kalpana(Sonia Mack) are my favs for the men.
For women, I am loving the beaded Kalpana individual, the full-skirted Kalpana, Nakshatra (black), and Mudra (yellow and blue).
Chutney Bhaav (orange), Morgandani (blue and green), and Raja Aur Rani (grey) are too cheapie looking. Like Mimi said, it looks like kiddie carnival materials. Terrible! Also, I was not impressed with the color selection - to me, it is your typical checklist of bikini mas colors: hot pink section? check! purple section? check! orange section? Red and gold Indian section? check! lol I really love color so I love how Tribe puts out some awesome color combinations and uses different shades in one costume. An Indian theme is great chance to use a ton of vibrant colors, so I was expecting more on the color front.
I am curious about the naming convention - are there explanations on the calendar?
I was very interested to see what IP was coming with for next year and I'm happy to say that I'm pleased...I absolutely love Bindi....Mundra....Chandsitarie and Kalpana. I am willing to give them a second chance because the costumes are so nice and different...I hope...really hope that IP listened to all the complaints about security this year and seriously address it.
Great presentation, but I can only see myself playing in one of those costumes. The rest looks like monday wear for me. The details and designs are beautiful, but just not for me.
If i was playing in IP , I would've request an individual costume because the frontlines are small. But this year when none of the individuals displayed at the launch was on the road, I would have seconds thoughts.
Congrats to IP for always stepping out of he box.
Carnival Divas,where did you get the idea that the IP individuals were not on the road ?
Love it! Mudra is my fav. Never actually played with IP but am always impressed with their costumes. Absolutely love the indian theme. Hopefully they have or plan to improve on the customer service. Good luck!!
I am definitely feeling kutchela! I have to admit, the costumes are different, creative and they certainly stuck to the theme. Some very beautiful costumes!
Well well well....Ip have done it again. Everytime IP have a mess up year the next year the are always fabulous. I love the presentation and yes IP is the only band that fully interpreted the theme properly and executed it well. I like how they probably had to resist the urge os slapping feathers on everything to make it look more extravagant. Which brings me to my next point...the simplicity of going barefooted etc. with indian 'wear' is what really sells it for me. hence to me it would be very difficult to play what your costume without it looking like overkill. Also most of the designs are so simple that they do not qualify as frontline to me. Thats why I'm waiting to see how the prices correlate to the actual costumes...remember the argument is that feathers are expensive.
Anyway congrats to IP I have to say that, even doh u'll pissed me off last year. And like Trinispeaks said I don't know if I can go back with them even though the costumes are so lovely.
Salsa, my friends aunt jumped on a plane back to ny the friday before carnival because she was told by ip that her costume was unavailable. I played mas with ip and did not see any in the individuals that was displayed at the launch.
FIRE!!! FIRE!!! FIRE!!! FIYAAAAAAA!
That is MARSE for the sexy!!!!!!
I love that IP merged bikini sexiness, art and fabric. I'm digging the individuals with the 'bat' wings (reminds me of McFarlane's 2008 white wings) -- the abstract art and all. This is for those into artistry. This mas is not for the die-hard feather lovers and that's ok -- to each his own.
Finally some variety - Sonia Mack's individual for the DARING diva, some feathers on Taal frontline aka Ruby Topaz 1st cousin for the feather lovers, and on it goes. I'm also feeling Kalpana (Sonia Mack has yet to disappoint me), Bindi, Chandsitarie (and I'm so not into white costumes but this one works for me), Mudra, and Kundalini (headpiece is bling heaven). The costumes I'm not into are the cream frilly,frily frou-frou individual -- this number is way "out there", and the grey Raja BL is way too muted.
All in all, I like very much. After playing mas for 7 years, I'm so bored with the feathers and all manner of beads. This is DIFFERENT in a good way -- yessssss. All IP have to give me is a decent costume worth my time, drinks, and keep the hot wings and cutters coming (because IP is good for the cutters) and I'm good ;)
any word on how to purchase costumes? I am coming from DC and have gone to carnival 2008, I want to play mas this carnival
i love the costumes.. once again.. IP here i come.. i already have MY costume in mind.. cant wait for nex yr!!
Every year I really like IP's costumes and see a couple I wouldn't mind playing in. You can't fault them on design at all, and this year is no exception. IP did good. Can't deny that.
But the reason why I will NEVER play with them is all the horror stories you get every year. What's the point of looking great when yuh belly empty because the food and drinks run out, and yuh throat sore because you have to sing your own song in order to have music to cross the stage to?
Dolcecaramela, they will have open registration online, so you'll be able to register then. Check this blog or www.islandpeoplemas.com for the dates. Good luck!
Yes I love TRIBE and will defend them to the death, I sincerely hope that IP do not disappoint their loyal masqueraders this year because that will just be pure wickedness.
Great presentation IP! Always love the way they go all out with their designs, and they haven't disappointed this year. Lots of beautiful options, very sexy mas, admirable restraint in the feather department. A few misses, but mostly hits. Well done!
i hear that tribe has already sold out, I loved tribe when I went in 2008, the costumes were great and the security was SERIOUS. I also liked the fact that they had restrooms, food, drink? everyone looked like they were having a good time. Am I correct in the fact that tribe is sold out? I have three ladies from who wish to play Mas with the best group.
I am liking their costumes...their interpretation of the theme was spot on. Let's hope that for 2010 they're able to fix the mess that was 2009
Hi Saucy...quick correction...Jaipur was also done by Tisha Neilson and not Sandra Hordatt.
Dolcecaramela, yes, TRIBE is sold out, so at the moment you cannot get a costume from the mas camp. However, if you choose not to play with IP and want to prefer to play with TRIBE, your best bet would be to keep an eye on the re-sale websites- www.carnivaljunction.com and www.fineahban.com
But please beware, that some scalpers will be charging a lot more than they paid for the costume, so try not to encourage them by agreeing to any ridiculous prices. To see what the proper prices are so you're aware, check out TRIBE's website- www.carnivaltribe.com
HOWEVER, many people with who play with IP have a brilliant time, so it may be worth checking them out to see what they have to offer.
I find most of these costumes looking cheap...
Ok, Saucy, I must be honest here...I would play in Serica anyday over MORGANDANI. Oh, horrid!!Even Chutney Bhaav better than that...in my opinion. I cannot stand to look at it. Otherwise, pretty good presentation.
ISLAND PEOPLE IN THE AIR...I'm so confused on which costumes out of my 6 favs that I will play with...HELP!!!! I love how IP brought CLOTH back to bikini mas!
Very impressive and the only band so far to stick to it's theme. Kudos IP!!
I happen to like Kutchela from Island people this year. They really brought all their cards to the table.
Whats left to be seen is if they will get the execution done properly as with any other mas band the real success is in the execution.
ok so i have been reading reviews all morning. Ppl does have so much crap to talk about Ip,but u really cant please everyone. One thing i could definately say is that Island People always have nice costumes. Big up Tisha,Marlon and the other designers of the band for always sticking to the theme and thinking 'out the box' although at the launch it was really HOTT AS HELL but the presentation was great and so were the costumes.
Post a Comment