Blue devil fires lit up the entrance at the Pablo El Pao Estate in Santa Cruz on September 7, as Kalypso fashions illuminated the stage and the sounds of Trinidad and Tobago’s past, present and future echoed through the valley during music producer Kit Israel’s Kalypso: The Luxe Launch all inclusive event.

A media release from Overtime Media and ET&T said, Re-imagined and modernised with an alternative K spelling, the calypso genre was rejuvenated with new energy on this night, with a host of Carnival characters assembled alongside some of the top soca artistes, fashion designers, culinary experts and fans and supporters of Israel’s Advokit Productions for this launch event.

“The spelling with a K is really because my name is Kit and starts with a K,” he joked, while explaining the concept. “No, Im just kidding. It’s really about bringing some new energy into the genre that we had established since the 50s and about showcasing my personal discovery and creation of a standardised sound that we can replicate, innovate and share with the world.”

In tandem with Israel’s sound, Kalypso: The Luxe Launch presented a fashionable slate of wearable options from five of the nation’s top fashion designers, namely: Aaron Moneer, Christian Boucaud, Ryan Chan, Naballah Chi and Ecliff Elie, the release said.

“Our image is just as important as the sound,” added event producer and marketing manager, Anthony Gomez of ET&T and Pixel Perfect Productions. “When Kit came to us with the idea for this project, we immediately knew that a fashion component would be necessary and he understood that the look and feel and image of Kalypso would be just as important as the sound that he had already carefully created in his studio.”

Screening models and designers over the JAVA period, the Kalypso team also included cocktails from Joniques Events and invited the accomplished culinary teams from Appleville, The Chef.TT and Xianne Bistro to create a number of delectable dishes and desserts to help infuse the Kalypso brand via the digestive tract.

“We definitely wanted to create a wholesome and immersive experience,” said Israel, “where patrons could embrace the culture of Kalypso holistically and from the moment they arrived at the venue, all of their senses would be stimulated by the same Kalypso frequency in terms of the elements seen, heard, smelt, tasted and felt…”

This modern presentation of the genre, which was the first to sell over a million copies in the world was embraced and supported by an elite assembly of fashionistas, music industry stalwarts and supporters, friends, family and those who were either curious about Israel’s vision or dedicated to supporting him regardless, the release said.

“I really want to thank everyone who came through and all those who supported this project in any way,” Israel enthused. “It was an amazing outpouring of love and support and I know it wasn’t perfect and there is still much work to do, but it was a great launch and a great start to manifesting an idea that has only been in my head for sometime, but now I feel its been shared and expanded and will continue to grow and flourish and I hope that it will achieve its full potential in time to come. Thank you to ET&T, Overtime Media, all the designers, models, Carnival characters, my artiste and producer friends, Lady Montano, former Culture Minister Lincoln Douglas, all who attended and participated in any way, thank you, thank you, thank you!”

From 6 pm-11 pm, the gathering enjoyed the sights, sounds, tastes and vibes of this new brand, which is simultaneously also an old favourite.

Follow @worldofkalypso and @kitisrael for more on this ongoing project.

 

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