AFTER having fans craving for some time now, the powers that be at Traits Model Management have finally decided to bring back the ‘Strut II: Live the Runway’ fashion show, which is set for November 1 at the Mariott Hotel.

Nine designers, including three from overseas, are set the debut their newest collection.
The show will see the return of Randy Madray Designs and Mwanza Designs. There will also be pieces from François Designs, Olympia’s Fashion, House of Pearson and N. Murray Designs.
The overseas participants are Roell Gomes Designs out of Canada, Andrew Harris out of New York, and Peta Odini from St Vincent and the Grenadines.
Harris and Gomes are set the do entirely male collections. Another designer from the British Virgin Islands was also expected to take part, but the recent hurricane destroyed their work.

Madray, of course, has practically become a household name when it comes to Guyanese designers, and has been busy dressing pageant delegates all across the Caribbean with some stunning gowns as of recent. Most recently the turtle neck encrusted piece he designed for Guyana’s Cynthia Dookie went on to cop “Best Gown” at the Miss Global International Pageant in Jamaica, where Dookie took the crown.
But, dressing queens aside, Madray hasn’t showcased an entire collection since the Jubilee Fashion Show last year with his “Renaissance Red” collection, and he is all too eager to show what he’ll be bringing to ‘Strut’.
“I’m excited for the show. I’ll be introducing Randy Madray ready-to –wear, which is a different side to the brand,” Randy said.
“We are known for outstanding couture evening wear and swimwear across the Region, and so I decided to venture down a different road.
“The collection features looks for both day wear and evening wear, of course with the perfect balance for style, detail, sophistication and the Randy Madray Element,” he told The Buzz.
But Randy sure won’t be the only show stopper in the lineup. François, who has been somewhat under wraps since his Guyana Fashion Week debut last November, is also known to bring a breath of fresh air with his designs.
Mwanza Designs recently dressed the reigning Miss World Guyana, Vena Mookram in a breathtaking all-black two piece number, and has always been a designer with an interesting flavour in his designs. And then there is N. Murray and her striking prom dresses among other outfits, that is sure to add a kick to things.
According to Traits Executive, Keith Allicock, after noticing that Guyana has been starved for a high standard fashion show as of recent, they decided it was time to bring back out ‘Strut’.
“Strut: Live the Runway” had first debuted in 2015 to rave reviews and a sold-out house when it was held at the Aura Night Club, atop Pegasus Hotel.

However, while the goal was always to see the event become an annual staple, the guys at Traits decided to hold out for another year. This year just seemed to be the perfect time.
“We took time to regroup and come back with a bang. People were always asking when would we have another fashion. So we thought let’s keep them thirsty for a bit; not have a fashion show the next year, and so that sort of enthusiasm would be there,” Allicock said, adding:
“But the aim is for it to be an annual event. Based on the feedback from this one, we will continue it. We haven’t seen any fashion show locally that would have impressed us, so we thought we’d have our show, and show people what a fashion really is. So we thought that let’s do one this year.”
Originally, the show came into being as a way for Traits to showcase their models on an appropriate platform. So, as with any fashion show, it’s not just about the designers; fans will be looking for the models to impress.
At the front of them all will be Caribbean’s Next Top Model Cycle 3 alum, Nkechi Vaughn. But while the show will be largely Traits models, there will also be a few new faces.
Traits recently did a model call, to which some 80 up-and-coming models responded. Of that lot, a lucky few were given the nod, and will be a part of the November show.