The Scene
Sonia returns after two years with Style on the Green By Mark McGowan
Stabroek News
November 18, 2006

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Two years seems like a pretty long time for Sonia Noel to have kept her designs out of Guyana but they are here again - the entire 2006 collection, with some bonus pieces and a few surprise numbers.

Over 100 pieces of Sonia's recent work will be featured at the Cara Lodge, Quamina Street tomorrow from 6 pm sharp when the designer unveils Style on the Green. The proceeds are in aid of Joshua House so Sonia is throwing in an auction on several pieces of clothing.

Since she left these shores Sonia has evolved as a designer and now receives invites to the hottest shows in the Caribbean. For the local show she is going for tasteful and will feature clothes that are elegant, casual, bold and sexy.

A total of ten segments are slated for the evening: earth tones, tie-dyes, mesh and fabric, polka dots, and black and whites among others. There is an opening segment that will feature raw fabric.

Cocktail dresses, pant suits, casual and evening dresses, wraps, shirts and skirts will all be on display. Though Sonia's signature line is earth tones, she has grown attached to the black and whites and will close the show with that segment.

One of the professional models for the show

She said that though some of what will be featured has been shown across the Caribbean there are never before seen pieces.

"I am not going to come to Guyana and show clothes that have been places and call it a show. I have new pieces that are really lovely and some that are out there. It is going to be a great show," Sonia said.

In addition to her line Sonia will have leading Bermudian designer, Amethyst in the house. Two words that sum up Amethyst's designs are chic and hot. He was the designer who left people talking at Absolute Fashion in Barbados.

Five Barbadian and two Trinidadian professional models will join other recognizable local faces on the catwalk. Sonia has also raked in Desiree Edghill, Donna Short-Gill, Kerwin Bollers and Simone Corbin among others to model her pieces.

Over the years Sonia has built a reputation for staging some of the best fashion shows in the country. She executes smoothly and the choreography in her shows is often unmatched on the local scene. She said patrons can expect nothing less when they turn up tomorrow.

"I take pride in the fact that people can come to my show and leave saying how good it was. I have a team of people working on the execution and we are going to ensure it comes off as planned and rehearsed," Sonia added.

For the first time since she has been hosting shows in Guyana Sonia will have 12 male models. She usually has around four but this year the guys were available and she could not say no given the response males have received in past shows.

The producer of Absolute Fashion having fallen in love with Sonia's designs will be at Cara Lodge tomorrow to see how the local designer does things at home.

Sonia added that she has received overwhelming support from Cara Lodge, which offered free rental, Ansa McAl and Palace De Leon among others. ianaseales@yahoo.com