Thirst Park last Saturday, was transformed into a garden for the Bishops’ High School Old Students Association inaugural Tea Party and Fashion Show, ‘Classic El Dorado - Art in Motion’.

The afternoon started with muted sounds of pan music, which set the mood of what was to come. An explosion of colour, beautiful models, unique designs, swaying and singing to a truly Caribbean sound.

The Fashion Show had the audience spellbound in their chairs for the next forty-two minutes as they witnessed 169 totally different designs, beautifully put together in a colour flow that reminded one of the many birds and flowers of the Caribbean.

Jessica Xavier enthralled patrons with the original song, “Guyana Child”, which was written by Bobby Fernandes, and first sung by her father Tony Xavier.

This song came in the middle of the green sequence, and seemed to be a perfect fit for the garden setting. The Fashion Show was the brainchild of the Donna Ramsammy-James, and as usual, set a very high yardstick for local designers to follow.

The school’s steel panners, full of energy, went through their renditions of Caribbean songs and the school’s dancers were an equal delight in their colourful costumes.  To top it all off, patrons were treated to an elegant, sumptuous tea.

The Scene understands that the fashion event will open in Jamaica next week, as part of an international fundraiser for a Bishops High School international reunion on the island in 2011. It will open at the University of the West Indies Campus on April 3 and will move to the Jamaica Pegasus on April 4.

Donna’s collection at ‘Classic El Dorado - Art in Motion’ was her first public showing in seven years as her designs are usually unveiled at private showings. The designer has in the past hosted public shows in addition to staging many charity-based events, but she later retreated into a more private setting. Her clientele spans the country and extends into the Caribbean and North America.