As Caribbean fashion enthusiasts gather in Port of Spain for Styleweek and Top Model Caribbean this September, Giselle Laronde-West takes a look at the engine behind them: Christopher Nathan and Coco Velvet International
Coco Velvet International’s two signature events — Styleweek Caribbean Fashion Week and Top Model Caribbean — are set for 4–7 September in Port of Spain, Trinidad, where some 40 aspiring international fashion models will compete for management contracts with ELSA (Exclusive Look & Scouting Alliance).
The events are the brainchild of Coco Velvet’s founder and CEO, Christopher Nathan. Born and raised in Trinidad, his interest in fashion began while he was still in secondary school, at which point he enrolled at a finishing school operated by Anne McShine-Sharma — learning the fundamentals of fashion modelling from tutors Helen Morton, Shultzi, Joanna Parris, and the glamorous Maria Jordan.
He then joined Finale Fashions in 1978, and was offered a job as a sales and marketing representative for People and YOUR magazines at Inprint Caribbean Ltd. This further fuelled his curiosity, and he joined the House of Jacqui San Fernando in 1986 and Mannequins Image Management in 1991, which provided him the opportunity to work as a professional fashion model across the Caribbean.
In addition to modelling, Nathan joined BWIA (the predecessor to Caribbean Airlines) among the airline’s first batch of male flight attendants in 1984 — becoming a purser then later being seconded by the airline to Turkey’s Air Alfa in 1997 on a wet lease contract. From bases in Istanbul and Ankara, he managed Air Alfa flights to the Mediterranean, North Africa, and Europe as a flight service manager.
“I immersed myself in the fashion business and spent a considerable amount of time in the high-end designer stores in the European fashion capitals,” Nathan shared.
On returning to Trinidad, he was inspired to establish Coco Velvet International Fashion & Model Management (CVI) in 1997, with a mission to discover, train, and develop modelling talent from the Caribbean to export to the fashion capitals of the world.
He credits Trinidad’s second Miss Universe — Wendy Fitzwilliam — for bringing international attention to the company, as she was his principal model before she won the title in 1998. As a result, The Oprah Winfrey Show asked CVI to send a male model for their “Sexiest Island Man” contest in The Bahamas. They sent Trinidadian Paul Pryce, who won the competition and was subsequently signed to Karin Models (Paris) and Boss Models (New York).
This was the start of many international successes for CVI’s models. Marsha Alexander, Crystal Noreiga, Dominique Armorer, Sarah Jane Jones, Naomi Chin Wing, and Annaya Baird are among the Trinidad & Tobago models who were given the opportunity to sign with international agencies. They have all walked and presented in magazines for many top designers from Paris, Milan, London, New York, Sydney, and from China. Chin Wing and Baird are also featuring in significant shows in Paris this autumn.
In addition to his search for outstanding models from the islands, Nathan has wanted to establish Port of Spain as the region’s fashion capital, as it has been a hub for textiles, fashion, and garment manufacturing. He made a proposal for the development of the fashion industry to Trinidad & Tobago’s government in 2005, intending to help build a solid foundation for the industry — including a tertiary level fashion programme, an annual fashion trade show, a fashion association, and a national fashion company to commercialise the sector.
Nathan was instrumental in mobilising relevant stakeholders to start the Fashion Association of Trinidad & Tobago, and joined a fashion advisory council at the University of Trinidad & Tobago (UTT) to help steer UTT’s Caribbean Academy of Fashion & Design. In February 2007, he was hired as a consultant to get it going, while working full-time as a UTT programme administrator.
Four years later, by 2011, fashion had been designated an industrial sector for national development, and the Fashion Industry Development Committee was constituted to oversee the industry’s growth. Nathan served on that committee for two years, before being appointed to the board of directors for the newly formed T&T Creative Industries Company (CreativeTT), where he served until 2017. With that foundation laid, he was able to see even more of his plans come to fruition.
If you are in Trinidad in September, do not miss the Styleweek Caribbean and Top Model events! For more information, you can visit their respective pages, or CVI’s, on Facebook and Instagram.