When a designer’s main mission is to help make his friends look and feel good, that energy is often infectious. It’s a reward that Edvin Thompson of Theophilio continues to thrive on.
“Look at the energy here,” he said backstage. “The camaraderie speaks to the brand being inclusive. Camaraderie is everything to me — it’s a big part of my ideals as a designer.”
For spring, Thompson melded visual elements of his Jamaican roots with remnants of late-’90s pop stars – riffing on the low-rise leather chaps, skin-tight snakeskin pants, minuscule skirts and lace-up stilettos that were elemental to the music videos of his childhood.
“I really look toward that era a lot – the designs celebrated the body and I felt like they were very American. There was a lot of denim, a lot of vibrant colors. It reminds me of when I first came to America so I am celebrating that,” he said.
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This season the designer pushed forward — focusing on more intricate construction, feel-good colors and sellable logo products like chain necklaces, rhinestone T-shirts and silk blouses printed with his neoclassic ‘T’ insignia. A cast including model Precious Lee kept the crowd’s spirits high, as did the joint party favors placed on each front-row seat.
Thompson’s scant sequin party dresses, iridescent denim suiting and carnival feathered showpieces were the mix that he hopes will continue to push “Caribbean style and creating that bridge to the world.”