July 5/ Installment Three – RACKED

Racked – The Fashion Market is an inclusive shopping experience, exposing emerging and established local fashion and accessories designers and their unique products, all 100% designed and made right here in Trinidad & Tobago, or by a Trinbagonian living abroad.

Racked was born out of frustration on the part of the three founders; Emma Forster-Hiscock, Ain Earle of DISThink Management and Stephanie Rydle of Creative 25, who felt that although there is an enormous amount of talent in the growing Trinbagonian fashion industry, that designers and their products were not always easily accessible to the fashion conscious consumer.

Racked is a brand new shopping experience connecting established and emerging local fashion and accessories designers to customers and boutique owners, with opportunities for direct marketing and retail sales as well as networking with potential clients and retailers. There is so much talent in the growing Trinbagonian fashion industry but it is often difficult for designers, retailers and customers to connect in a profitable and exciting way. There are very successful craft & food markets but nothing that is pure fashion! We wanted to change that and thus RackedTT was born. It’s all about supporting, shopping and understanding local fashion and the talent that is right here in Trinidad and Tobago.

The first market was held on Sunday July 6th from 11am-6:30pm at the intimate and breezy Verandah Restaurant on Rust Street in St Clair. We’ve had an amazing response from designers and customers alike, with a total of 23 designers (clothing and accessories) participating and with almost four hundred (400) persons visiting throughout the day! Some of the designers on hand were Micha Gomes Jewelry, Lisa’s Fabrics, Kaj Collection, Adrian Foster, Koko Karibi, Tautology and Meiling’s Team M just to name a few. The public couldn’t wait to get their hands on beautiful, authentically Trinidadian pieces from the designers who all commented on great sales and orders for the day.

After the success of the first Racked event in July, Racked 2.0 took place once again at the Verandah Restaurant, 10 Rust Street, St Clair on Sunday November 9th from 11am-5:30pm. There was a mix of our original line up as well as some new designers such as Brown Cotton, J.Angelique, LOUD by Afiya, Mark Eastman and Sew Lisa inclusive women and menswear, jewellery and accessories and the special addition of children’s wear designers Sew Lisa, San Sarai and ESPJr for the Christmas season. A full list of designers for Racked 2.0 can be accessed here: http://rackedtt.com/9th-november-2014/

The second instalment received even a bigger buzz with patrons coming in very early and staying until late, our attendance numbers were increased (almost 500 persons) and feedback was all positive on the service and designer line up on hand/

The RACKED Mission – We are committed to developing a sustainable and successful business platform for Trinidad and Tobago’s fashion and accessories designers that strengthen their influence and success in the local and regional economy. This would be achieved through strategically planned events and workshops that create a greater awareness to the public, boutique owners, sponsors and the media.