Tmel By Annie Melissa Etienne at Black Fashion Week Montreal 2014

By Asha Saint, June 4, 2014

Annie Melissa Etienne’s Tmel collection at Black Fashion Week Montreal echoed the playful, ageless beauty of the Caribbean. I imagined each piece being paraded down St.Catherine street announcing the arrival of summer.

The night was filled with African fabrics, but the Tmel collection was a medley of patterns reminiscent of a trip to the West Indies. There were skirts with hundreds of miniature suns, pants that resembled lizards and tropical bird feathers, dresses with ocean waves and flowers, and two-piece ensembles with circles that resembled sliced limes that made you think of margaritas.

Etienne’s collection at Black Fashion Week Montreal 2014 screamed millennial woman quite ebulliently. I loved the walk-of-shame-chic elements. It was feminine and powerful, with crisp white shirts, bow ties, and an assortment of hemlines.

The fascinators were a precious touch; my personal favorite was her take on the straw hat. Etienne has a knack for accessorizing. She pulls all the elements of her collection together with accessories. By doing so, she creates an effortless fusion of work and play—characteristic of a good Montreal summer—and of course—the Caribbean.

Photos by Petra Stewart