New Iwer - Bubble

Band Launches ... Take 3

This has got to be the busiest band launch season I have experienced ever, with band launches every weekend in July I returned from Cropover in August and the pace started again. I am told we should expect Utopia's launch very soon, quite possibly this week on Friday. Showtime Mas launches "Kitch" on August 26  and Trini Revellers launch is carded for September 23 from 6pm to 12pm, location still to be announced.

Dates for the launch of Brian Mac Farlane, D Krewe and Legacy have not been announced nor has it been confirmed if Wee International, Oasis, Genesis or Explosion will be present for Carnival 2013. I am reliably informed that Explosion has costumes already designed and waiting , so the mystery is why haven't they launched as yet.

In the meantime here are some teasers from D Krewe:

Bliss "Savage Beauty" Trinidad and Tobago Carnival 2013

Fantasy We Are Ready!

Stay tuned to the Trinidad Carnival Diary Facebook Fanpage for live updates from Fantasy's launch tonight. Showtime is scheduled to start at 11:45PM and we shall be updating you LIVE from the venue from approximately 10:30PM. https://www.facebook.com/carnivaldiary.

It's time to get SAVAGE!

Random Carnival 2013 Thoughts

* Is Oasis launching a band for Carnival 2013? They have been mighty quiet on theme or a possible launch date? Hmmm

*Word is Anya Ayoung Chee will again have a section in TRIBE, wonder how true THIS is !

*Why hasn't Island People announced a launch date?

*Who are the MAS people actually involved in Utopia Mas?

*Wonder if anyone found the cellphone of the designer which was lost/stolen with photos of the entire 2013 collection of a popular Carnival band on it?

*Will YUMA launch a new Facebook page or are they forever going to  silence their fans on the world wide web?

* Has Bliss really changed their launch date to the night before Fantasy's ?

* Is my invitation to the Fantasy lime up in Salybia lost in cyberspace? Word is they are renting out the ENTIRE resort for the weekend and only committee plus their friends are invited! 

If anyone can remotely answer of any of these question you know what to do! 

Theme 2013 - Showtime Trinidad & Dream Team Carnival

Showtime Trinidad

Dream Team Carnival 

Band Launch : August 11, 2012

All Quiet On The Carnival Front

Well at least so it seems! Apart from bands releasing themes for Carnival 2013 and a few band launch dates the Carnival gossip has been relatively quiet. The thing is behind the scenes the drama is unfolding but everyone is giving me information OFF THE RECORD which is quite frustrating. So, I am going to give you a five point update of what I have heard so far .

* One band is on the hunt for new designers as their legendary design team is now exclusively doing costumes ONLY for another rival band. This means masqueraders should not only expect to see costumes by a few unknown designers but one veteran designer is stepping up to plate and I heard she has several wow designs in store. Maybe change can be good sometimes.

* The biggest behind the scenes bacchanal is brewing between bands that are "poaching" committee members from each other. People are flip flopping and section leaders are supposedly looking to go over to newer pastures. Expect to see familiar faces in new places for Carnival 2013.

*One sophomore band is expanding, I was informed that we can expect 15 sections next year. Hopefully this time they will actually have room for OPEN registration. 

* I am getting excited for things I have been hearing happening over at TRIBE, and I have to say the thought of going back "home" is a very real prospect. One of my FAVOURITE designers is doing more than one section (hopefully) so I am pretty excited 

*And finally, keep an eye out for bands that won't be making it on the road for Carnival 2013......

Spice Carnival 2013 Band Launch

Also, mark your calenders for these other launch dates:

Paparazzi - July 8th

Spice - July 14th

Harts - August 10th

So….how does a theme get stolen exactly?

With Fantasy’s very early release of their theme 2013 “Savage” behind the scenes of what seems like a quiet post Carnival period it was as if a bomb dropped in a pile of glitter! The ricochet effect in the mas world was palpable, and the buzz was not over excitement of the theme.

Word is that allegedly another band planned on using the theme “Savage Beauty” for Carnival 2013 which prompted Fantasy to rush release of their theme to the public first. As rumour has it the name of Fantasy's theme was not Savage initially so it came as a surprise to some when the artwork was released yesterday. Coincidence that a designer presumably leaves and the name changed?

Savage Beauty logo from Moonstone Books

As I heard this other band had their theme since June 2011 and once Fantasy started aggressively pursuing their designers and committee to make a switch somehow the theme was leaked. Now who supposedly had the theme first is based on who you talk to, personally I know that Fantasy’s designers were talking that theme since October 2011 (I have the exact date to be precise) but I cannot say for sure that the theme did not exist since June with the other band.

The aftermath is now that one band released their theme and we now have to wait and see if the other band will change their theme or stick to their guns and release "Savage Beauty" anyway. I am feeling the former  option will be the one chosen.

Barbarossa "Savage"

In all fairness this theme is not original, Barbarossa did “Savage” in 1988, and I doubt that masqueraders care who had the theme first. At the end of the day it is who released the theme first that will be important, not who had the idea first. It is kind of like having an idea for a headpiece design only to see the actual headpiece materialize at a section launch before your idea is brought to life, surely the irony is not lost on me. But  what has the mas world riled up is that this type of “savage” behavior is being seen as another round of dirty play, in addition to head hunting and designer poaching!

Carnival 2013, I think you have officially begun complete with all the bacchanal.

Saucy’s Carnival 2013 Costume Wish List

Every year I give a wish list of what I would like to see in costuming for the following Carnival; last year it was wings and we were SATURATED with wings in every band.  I did like that we got some new colour combinations for Carnival 2012, Fantasy's Principalities was just GORGEOUS:

For Carnival 2013 I don’t have a particular wish per se. I am feeling that I have done/worn it all when it comes to bikini and beads so I simply want to be WOWED by something different. When I am yawning at even the costume photos from Rio Carnaval 2012 you should know that by now I am simply fed up of seeing the same regurgitated designs in majority.

I am challenging designers to find away to circumvent the textbook formula of a beaded bra top and beaded belt. I honestly thought that Call of Duty Frontline was a genius costume in the bikini and beads genre. Not only did Call of Duty Frontline represent the theme (you could tell exactly what the costume was meant to represent by looking at it) I loved that the monokini was very sexy even though it appeared to give more coverage; think outside the bikini box!

When I tell people I do not want the “extras” for 2013 they laugh at me but I am dead serious. I am tired of lugging around all those huge pieces all day; backpack, headpiece, tail. I am envisioning simple, sexy, amazingly decorated body wear with a manageable headpiece/backpack/collar. Angry Birds back pack was super cute and light; many women wore it all day. I also loved Fiji’s headpiece construction, it looked very light and easy to carry … side note: someone needs to give Solange Shaw Gopaul the job of designing MORE costumes in both TRIBE and Bliss. A Solange Shaw Gopaul costume in Bliss could make Bliss my perfect band! 

Solange Shaw Gopaul "Fiji"- 2012

Solange's costumes for the past four years have all been varied and detailed, which that it sets her apart for me and which is the reason some people I know still play with TRIBE. Solange and Sandra Hordatt both need to be doing MORE designs, because they need to recognized for the consistency in their fabulous costuming year after year and I think that TRIBE and Bliss needs to move away from the dominance of myopic designers and embrace the younger talent; put ego aside.

Solange Shaw Gopaul "Caged Canary" - 2009

Solange Shaw Gopaul  "Mystery of Loulan"  - 2010

Solange Shaw Gopaul  "Persian Gold" - 2011

Masqueraders have also been complaining about the disappearing belt, and each year we beg designers for more ass coverage but they just give us LESS. It is almost like a non verbal way to say if your ass is bigger than the belt you have no business being in this costume! And on THAT note how about giving multiple options for all sizes of masqueraders? I know it is a long way coming to see plus sized models for each a section at band launch but would it not be nice to see a monokini or corset modeled along with a bra and belt? I know Fantasy did that for Carnival 2012 because they offered several monokini options for frontline in their presentation,  however I think those other options should be extended to backline as well. 

Finally, can we see some new materials? I am sick to death of rhinestones that serve no other purposes that to shred stockings. On that note if you DO want to use rhinestones Azteca is a demonstration of how it can be incorporated while still using materials to theme.

I am envisioning  new textures, new beading, new stones, new fabrics and of course I still want FEATHERS but ….imagine something new with feathers as well. I know bands LOVE using coque but here is the thing, after a while each costume begins to look the same when it is festooned with coque. Don’t they sell different feathers? Step out the feather box!

So here is hoping that for Carnival 2013 I am not only WOWED I am FLOORED and not bored; the challenge is set.