Photos by Denise Reid
LEFT: Anna Dougall (left) and Lubica looked lovely in their varying shades of blue. Both pieces are designs named after the creator, Lubica herself!
Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer
RIGHT: Winner of the 2006 Pulse Caribbean Model Search, Shevolee Bell, soars in this brightly coloured Lubica creation. Sheolee is only 15 years old, yet she is strutting her stuff on the runway.
Tanya Ellis, Gleaner Writer
Not only does Lubica set the Caribbean fashion scene on fire, the Slovakian-born fashion designer also lent her colourful and sexy concept as stylist for the Red Stripe calendar 2008.
Now residing in Jamaica, Lubica graduated from Ryerson University in Canada with a Bachelor of Arts degree in fashion design in 2006, and with prior experience working behind the scenes at Caribbean Fashion Week 2005, felt she was prepared to show her own collection.
"The insider knowledge I gained during 2005 reaffirmed that fashion designing is what I really must be doing; the experience was great and I understand how everything worked, from getting to know the models and learning the many planning stages, the creative excitement truly fulfilled me," Lubica tells The Sunday Gleaner.
She has been visiting Jamaica regularly with friends she met during school.
"I fell in love with the island from my first visit, so when the opportunity came for me to show my collection here there was no hesitation."
Her collections are designed around her signature crochet techniques that will continue to set the trend for her figure-loving designs for this year.
"I have strayed from the usual technique before, but realized that that caused some confusion since most people did not instantly recognise the pieces as mine. My intention is to make clothes that everyone wants to wear even if that means sticking to what they are used to," says Lubica, who prefers to be called only by her first name, from sexy hourglass shapes to girlish empire line styles."
Her designs, she says are the smart girl's answer to one-stop dressing.
There is a distinct air of an Elizabethan love story looming over the European's collection for Caribbean Fashion Week 2008.
"It is somewhat of a sad love story, but it is not devoid of happiness, Lubica said. "What can be expected for this collection is the expression of tragic love, broken hearts and grieving passion, so a lot of dark blues, purple, brown and red will be used to translate the emotional pain Elizabeth felt when she lost her one true love."
To accent the mood, Lubica promises long-flowing dresses amidst glamorous sophisticated styles.
"Yes, my clothes are for the confident woman who loves to show her curves, but they are also for the woman who might need some help understanding her body and what works for her, this is something we often see in my stores, both in Montego Bay and in Kingston, but with some coaching most of my customers find confidence in my designs."
The designer insists that she wants the same thing that influences and guides her trend direction to be the same thing that drives her clients.
"I believe that woman should celebrate the shape of her body, too soft and too loose is on its way out; slim lines are destined to be the classical shape of the season, and even with the looming dark mood, I am hoping that my mixture of Caribbean and European designs mixed with bright prints can illuminate the essence of a woman's femininity."
Spanning crochet, beads, Lycra and embroidery from European yarns, Lubica continues to deliver 'sex in a fabric' especially with her stunningly exotic swimwear line. The 25-year-old has the luxury of international exposure and looks forward to seeing her latest collection on the catwalk.
"This is the best part of the process for me", she says, "the planning and the design inspiration can be some of the main challenges, but to see the end product on the runway is the greatest reward."
