Moda Market: A Kaleidoscope of Food, Art, Talent and Culture

A few weekends ago I ventured out to the annually held Moda Market for what promised to be a fashionable display of some of the best products the Caribbean has to offer. Held at the Spanish Court Hotel’s Conference Centre from Saturday November 11, 2017 to Sunday November 12, 2017, Moda Market promised to be a place where Caribbean entrepreneurs could showcase their talents through an array of goods and services in hopes of attracting a new group of loyal customers.

In true Caribbean fashion there was no shortage of creativity and vibrant colours. Upon entering the venue, I was immediately greeted with the intimate nature and innovative atmosphere which seemed to percolate throughout the venue. The booths were beautifully decorated and designed to display the best of what our Caribbean entrepreneurs had to offer. All this combined to create an absolutely perfect blend to encourage a wonderful shopping experience.

As I walked through the market, I had lovely conversations with many of the truly charismatic exhibitionists who discussed not only their products but their reasons for starting their brands and their goals for the future transformation of their designs. Here I was truly able to get intimate and really understand the meaning and love that the creators have for their brands.

A few stand outs and creatives I really loved were:

Bartley’s All In Wood: This amazing company partners with local furniture stores to create unique and timeless woodwork pieces perfect for every home and occasion. Whether you’re looking for beautiful accent pieces for around the home, timeless tokens for your wedding day or a special graduation present, Bartley’s has it all. To see more check out the instagram page: Bartley’s Instagram

Bella’s Beautique : This company boasts to have produced Jamaica’s first locally owned and manufactured nail polish brand. The brainchild of Annabel Glaze, nail salon owner and nail polish enthusiast, Bella’s nail polishes are brilliant and alluring colours that set my little heart into a nail love frenzy. To see more check out the instagram page: Bella’s Beautique Instagram

Catcha Dream Creations : This unique company creates handcrafted dream catchers to accentuate and elevate any home decor. These pieces are created by international import Cristina Pereira who marries Native American cultural items with beautiful designs to create breathtaking ensembles. To see more check out the instagram page: Catcha Dream Instagram

DTS Designs JA : DTS designs boast beautiful Afro-Caribbean pieces for a pretty affordable cost. The creative concept of Daniela Stone, these handcrafted designs use vibrant Ankara print pieces with a modern flare to transform the blandest outfit into a stunning beauty.

What I loved:

It was amazing to see the sheer level of talent, entrepreneurial spirit, drive, creativity and development going in within Jamaica and the Caribbean at large. It was a blessing to see so many talents steer away from seemingly traditional careers and put their hat in the creative race. I appreciated the food court, kiddies area, and an entire back area for designers, which shows the significant amount of talent seeping through the Caribbean.

I truly loved the Moda Market tote provided by Yello. I appreciated that it was hand designed and although followed a similar design scheme, the hand crafted nature created a level of uniqueness for each patron at the event.

What I didn’t like:

The products were definitely on the pricier side of life. I feel like the average Jamaican consumer could not fully participate in the experience. The food options were also limited with a major focus on vegetarian and veganism. But bruh where was the meat? A sandwich cannot fulleth a tummy.

Although there was an extended back area, I felt this area was a bit clustered and didn’t fully allow all the designers and entrepreneurs to show the uniqueness of their brands. Multiple clothing and jewelry displays being so close together that as a consumer I wasn’t always sure where a designer ended and another one began.

The food options were a bit limited. There was a heavy focus on healthy and vegetarian/vegan meal options at the event with only sandwiches providing something scrumptious for the meat lovers in attendance. While all this is lovely, the Caribbean is one of the most flavourful food places in the world. Our spices and meals are infamous. So it would have been great to have some Caribbean treats available as we shopped.

Overall Experience:

This was a great showcase. I truly loved the experience. There were many great brands that I found were exceptional and I am fully willing to support all their endeavors. Despite my minor criticisms, I really appreciated the Moda Market for acting as an outlet to showcase such amazing talent and bringing them all together in a grand expose.