♫♫ >> I AM WITH GUEST FOR THIS PARTICULAR SERIES.

TODAY WE´LL BE TALKING TO COSTUME DESIGNER AND SIMON EDWARDS ABOUT COSTUME, ABOUT CARNIVAL AND THE INTERESTING THINGS INVOLVED IN THE CRAFT.

YOUR NAME IS SYNONYMOUS WITH CARNIVAL, WITH COSTUMES, WITH CULINARY.

AT WHAT AGE DID YOU REALIZE THIS WAS SOMETHING YOU WANTED TO PURSUE?

>> I WAS IN THE 6th GRADE AND HAD AN INTEREST.

THEN IN THE 10th GRADE BECAUSE OF MY INTEREST IN CARNIVAL, MY FATHER TOOK ME TO TRINIDAD AND FROM THERE, THAT WAS IT.

>> YOU DON´T TEND TO SEE AS MUCH SKIN AS SOME OF THE OTHER TROUPES.

IS THAT DELIBERATE?

>> I WOULD SAY YES.

WE TRY TO AVOID BIKINI AND WE USE ONE PIECE.

FOR THE OLDER PIECE WE HAVE LIKE A SHEER SKIRT.

WE TRY TO ACCOMMODATE THE DIFFERENCE IN BOTH AGES.

>> WHAT IS THE ANATOMY OF A COSTUME?

FIRST YOU IDENTIFY A PATTERN AND CHOOSE WHAT MATERIALS YOU´RE GOING TO PUT ON IT AND HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT THINKING ABOUT THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE COSTUME?

>> FIRST OF ALL, YOU HAVE TO COME UP WITH THE DESIGN.

AS A DESIGNER, GET THE SKETCHES.

AFTER WE HAVE DONE THE SKETCHES, WE AGREE ON IT, WE THEN MAKE TEMPLATES FOR THE PROTOTYPE, WHICH IS A SAMPLE COSTUME.

WE DO A PHOTO SHOOT AND YOU PRESENT IT TO THE PUBLIC.

AFTER THAT FOR MASS PRODUCTION.

>> TELL US VIEWERS WHAT A MASK CAMP IS.

>> IT´S WHERE YOUR MAKE YOUR COSTUMES IN GENERAL.

20, 30 YEARS AGO WE GOT INTO IT, WE USED TO HAVE SEAMTRESS BUT ONE LOCATION.

WE HAVE LIKE 500 PEOPLE.

THEN ACTUAL MASS PRODUCTION OF THE HEADPIECE AND THE COSTUMES AND STUFF.

SOME PEOPLE CUT PATTERN.

SOME PEOPLE BEND IN WIRE.

OTHERS DECORATE IT.

>> AS A COSTUME DESIGNER, WOULD YOU ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO GET INVOLVED MORE IN THIS ART FORM?

I THINK IT´S SO MUCH MORE YOU CAN DO OUTSIDE JUST THE FESTIVAL TIME WITH THE SKILLS YOU GAIN AS A COSTUME DESIGNER.

IS THAT SOMETHING YOU WERE ENCOURAGE MORE OF?

>> I WOULD ENCOURAGE IT, YES.

I SHOWED THEM HOW TO MAKE THE MASK.

IT WAS CRAFT.

CARNIVAL IS NOT JUST MASKS AND MUSIC.

IT´S YOUR WHOLE CULTURE, YOUR CRAFT, YOUR CULINARY ART.

>> THIS IS THE 69th ANNIVERSARY OF CARNIVAL.

NEXT YEAR WILL BE THE 70th ANNIVERSARY.

>> ALREADY HAS THE COSTUME AND MADE AND SUPPORT.

>> ARE YOU READY TO SHOW ME A BIT OF THE BASIC TRADITIONAL ELEMENTS OF COSTUME MAKING.

I SEE YOU YOU HAVE TRADITIONAL ELEMENTS OF THE COSTUMES.

LET´S START WITH THE EQUIPMENT THAT WE NEED LIKE GLUE GUN AND I THINK BEHIND YOU THERE´S SOME WIRE.

>> IS THE SELECTION PRETTY MUCH, IS THE SELECTION GOOD OR YOU FIND THAT YOU HAVE A CHALLENGE WITH THE SELECTION?

>> THE -- WHEN YOU GET IN SOME TIME YOU GO TO THE SHOP AND SEE A PIECE AND CUT IT UP.

>> LET´S START WITH THIS HEADPIECE RIGHT HERE.

THIS IS A COMPLETED HEADPIECE.

I THINK YOU HAVE THE CONSTRUCTED ELEMENT OF THIS HEADPIECE.

WALK ME THROUGH WHAT THE MAKING OF THIS HEADPIECE WOULD BE.

>> FIRST OF ALL, YOU GET IT.

>> DOES IT COME LIKE THAT.

>> IT COMES IN A SHAPE AND CUT IT OUT.

>> IT COMES FROM THAT ALREADY.

>> OKAY.

>> AFTER WE HAVE CUT IT OUT THEN WE PRAY THE SPRAY ON THIS PORTION HERE.

APPLY THE FABRIC AND CUT THE FABRIC.

AFTER THAT, WE GET OUR HALF-MOON SHAPE AND THAT´S FOR THIS PART HERE.

GLUE IT ON FROM THE BACK.

THEN YOU GLUE THEM DOWN THAT WOULD LOOK SOMETHING LIKE THIS HEADPIECE.

YOU SEE THE WHITE IN THE HAT.

IT´S PATTERN THAT´S DECORATED AND EVERYTHING.

THIS IS WHAT YOU END UP WITH.

>> SHOULD THIS HEADPIECE BE ABLE TO LAST BEYOND ONE CARNIVAL?

>> YES, IF YOU TAKE CARE OF IT.

>> IF YOU TAKE CARE OF IT.

>> SOME PEOPLE HAVE 15, 20 YEARS.

>> TALKING ABOUT THE DURABILITY OF THESE THING, THERE´S BEEN DISCUSSIONS ABOUT CARNIVAL MUSEUM AND WE WISH THAT WE COULD SEE THAT COME TO FRUITION.

YOU THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE ON ISLAND WHO HAVE CARTOONS DATING BACK YEARS THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO BE PART OF THE MUSEUM.

I DONATED A COSTUME.

SGLA LET´S TALK ABOUT THE OTHER MATERIAL ON THE TABLE.

IS THIS SOME KIND OF CONTACT PAPER?

>> YOU PEEL IT OFF.

YOU STICK IT ON.

USUALLY WE STICK IT ON FOIL AND SO FORTH.

WHEN THE LIGHTS HIT IT, YOU GET REFLECTION.

THESE ARE THE DIFFERENT TYPES HERE.

THIS IS THE TAIL.

TURKEY FEATHERS.

YOU TRIM IT DOWN.

GET IT IN DIFFERENT SIZE COLOR.

>> FEATHERS, I MEAN, DO MOST OF YOUR COSTUMES INCLUDE FEATHERS?

>> WELL, DEPENDS ON WHAT YOU PICK.

THE YEAR AFTER THE HURRICANE, WE JUST DID SOMETHING MOST OF IT WAS FLOWERS AND TALK ABOUT WE BIRTH, NEW BEGINNING.

>> LET´S LOOK AT THE BOOTS NOW BECAUSE THE BOOTS ARE PRETTY STYLISH.

>> IT WAS CARNIVAL IS MASK AND MUSIC.

>> THAT´S A REGULAR PAIR OF BOOTS YOU COVERED WITH FEATHERS AND SEQUINS?

>> YES.

SOMETIMES DECORATING YOU MIGHT CHOOSE.

>> YOU HAVE SOME WIRE.

I THINK WIRE BENDING IS IMPORTANT PART OF THE COSTUME.

THEN WE ALSO HAVE EIGHT GAUGE WIRE.

THE HEAVIER WIRES ARE FOR MAKING A JACKET AND SO FORTH.

THEN WHAT WE CALL BACKPACK.

MAKE IT ALUMINUM.

YOU CAN SEE THEY ARE ALUMINUM AND ALSO THAT THEY, WE APPLY THE RODS TO THE BIGGER JACKET.

WE USE WHAT YOU CALL, STRAPPING TAPE.

EVERYTHING WAS SODDERED OR WELDED.

WE HAVE COME A LONG WAY.

>> IS THE STRAPPING TAPE AS STURDY AS THE WELDSING.

>> MAYBE WE CAN TALK ABOUT YOU REMEMBER THESE.

>> THIS ONE IN PARTICULAR, IT´S CALLED FIRST LIGHT.

FROM THE HURRICANE WHEN I WENT OUTSIDE.

ADD BLOOMS ON MY FLOWERS.

>> REALLY.

THEN WE HAD BIRDS COMING.

THIS WAS CALLED FOR LIKE THE -- THIS ONE WAS THE BEGINNING STAGE OF OUR TRILOGY.

THIS ONE WAS CALLED MUSIC WHICH IS THIS SECTION HERE.

IT COMES ALONG AND THIS IS THE ONE THEY DREW.

THAT WENT OUT ALONG.

>> YOU HAVE A WAREHOUSE FULL OF ALL OF THIS MATERIALS AND, YOU KNOW, ALL THE COSTUMES.

>> TO BE HONEST, I HAVE A WAREHOUSE WHERE I HAVE EVERYTHING BUT TO STORE THE COSTUME, YOU NEED A BIG HUMONGOUS WAREHOUSE.

YOU HAVE TO STRIP THEM DOWN AND RECYCLE ALUMINUM.

>> THERE WAS A VERY EDUCATIONAL FOR ME.

I REALLY BEEN TO A MASK CAMP BUT NOT TO ACTUALLY HELP TO PUT TOGETHER A COSTUME.

THIS ONE FOR CLAW.

>> JUST WRAPPING UP, CAN YOU IDENTIFY LIKE YOUR MOST CREATIVE.

YOU THINK YOU CAN CHOOSE YOUR MOST CREATIVE SET OF COSTUMES?

>> THE ONE I MOST CREATIVE WILL BE THE ONE THAT I MADE FIRST TIME I BROUGHT UP WHICH IS FRESH OUT THE ORDER.

I REPRODUCED IT.

SGR WE NEED TO SEE FISH OUT OF WATER.

TOO BAD YOU DIDN´T BRING FISH OUT OF WATER.

>> I HAD TO TRY BUT IT WAS KIND OF FADED.

>> NOT A PROBLEM.

THIS HAS BEEN VERY INTERESTING.

I WANT TO THANK YOU.

I WANT TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY TO, CREATIVE OR JUST WANT TO DO SOMETHING LIKE CRAFTING AND TRY TO KEEP A TRADITION ALIVE TO REACH OUT TO THE TROOPS AND COSTUME MAKERS AND SEE IF THEY CAN HELP WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS SOMETHING THEY ARE INTERESTED IN CONTINUING.

I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR INFORMATION ABOUT COSTUMING, ABOUT CARNIVAL AND THE INTERESTING THINGS INVOLVED IN THE CRAFT.

WE ALSO HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK SIMONE EDWARDS AND ALFRED HAYS.

HERE IS WHAT THEY HAD TO SAY.

YOU STARTED OUT IN FASHION.

HOW DID YOU TRANSITION INTO COSTUME DESIGN?

>> WELL, I GUESS THAT TRANSITION CAME VERY LATE IN MY CAREER WHEN I MOVE BACK HOME.

THERE WAS NO INDUSTRY AND MERCHANDISE.

I TOOK MY FASHION DESIGN ABILITY AND APPLIED IT TO COSTUME DESIGN.

>> YOU REMEMBER YOUR FIRST COLLECTION?

>> YES.

I DO REMEMBER THE FIRST COLLECTION.

IT WAS SCARY AND SCANDALOUS BUT WE DID WHAT WE HAD TO DO AND EVERYBODY WAS LIKE, Y´ALL COME LIKE THAT.

I´M LIKE YES WE ARE.

IT´S BEAUTIFUL.

>> YOU ALSO CAME UP IN THE PARADE.

DESIGNERS COME UP IN THE PRIORITY.

>> I DID.

>> NEED TO APP.

IT´S ALL ABOUT YOU.

DO WHAT YOU GOT TO DO.

>> THEN YOU HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN ABOUT WIRE BENDING.

TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.

>> I LEARNED ABOUT WIRE BENDING FIRST YEAR I WAS PUT IN FROM MR. GODFREY.

I DON´T KNOW HIS LAST ANYTIME.

OUR MASK CAMP WAS UP BY BETWEEN THE USO AND DEREK MASSING CAMP WAS DOWN AT THE WINDWARD HOTEL.

HE WOULD ALWAYS SEND ME TREASURES, OKAY BECAUSE HE KNEW I WAS GOING TO -- HE WAS -- ALL NEED TO HAVE THIS AND THAT´S HOW I LEARNED IT.

>> WHERE DO YOU SEE COSTUME MAKING GOING IN NEXT 5 OR 10 YEARS?

>> WE´VE CHANGED FROM THE OLD STANDARDS TO WHY BENDING AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US GO BACK TO, IT COULD BE A LITTLE SHORT SKIRT.

A DRESS.

SOME EYELIDS.

PULL UP ON THE SIDE.

LOOK CUTE.

>> YOU HAD A HIGHLIGHT IN YOUR LIFE WHEN YOU WENT TO THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTE FOR FOLKLORE.

TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT AND THE COSTUMING YOU DID FOR THAT?

>> WELL, WHEN I WENT TO -- THIS WAS I THINK 2013 AND I DIDN´T KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT.

IT WAS 3,000 DIFFERENT DESIGNERS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD.

WE EACH HAD A LITTLE BIT.

I MET PRESIDENT OBAMA FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE.

WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT LITTLE PLAQUE BOY FROM THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDSS WOULD BE HAVING A PLACE IN THE SMITHSONIAN.

>> I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR COSTUME DESIGN IN 2022.

>> GOD WILLING, IF I´M HERE.

Y´ALL WILL SEE ME ON STAGE.

>> NOW WE HAVE THE YOUNGEST MEMBER OF OUR PANEL.

MISS SIMONE EDWARDS.

NICE TO SEE YOU.

>> LIKE WISE.

>> HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN SINCE YOU STARTED REAL MASK?

>> REAL MASK WE´RE IN 2021.

THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN YEAR 14, I BELIEVE.

YOU WERE THE ONE THAT STARTED?

>> BELIEVE IT OR NOT, I DIDN´T REALIZE.

>> WHAT PROMPTED YOU TO MOVE OUT OF ONE TROUPE AND START YOUR OWN.

>> I ALWAYS HAD AN AFFINITY TO COSTUMING DESIGN.

I´VE TRAVELED TO VARIOUS CARNIVALS AND WHATNOT.

I THINK THE JUMP FOR ME WAS I DIDN´T NECESSARILY SEE A CONSUME ON THE ROAD THAT I WANTED TO WEAR.

>> WHAT WAS IT YOU THOUGHT WAS MISSING FROM THOSE COSTUMES VERSUS WHAT YOU DO?

>> I FELT LIKE IT WAS REPETITIVE.

NOT THAT IT WASN´T NICE.

IT WAS STUFF WE WERE SEEING OVER AND OVER.

THERE´S MARKET FOR EVERY ONE.

I DIDN´T FEEL LIKE IT WAS A MARKET FOR ME AND MY FRIENDS.

I´VE DONE CARNIVAL THROUGHOUT THE CARIBBEAN.

THE TROUPE LOCALLY THAT I WAS IN, I DON´T BELIEVE THEY WERE MAKING THEIR OWN COSTUMES.

I THINK THOSE COSTUMES WERE BOUGHT AND THEY WERE PROBABLY EL -- EMBELLISHED.

JUST BECAUSE I WAS DECONSTRUCTED COSTUMES OVER THE YEARS, TRAVELING TO DO CARNIVAL.

YOU ALWAYS DON´T GET A COSTUME IN THE RIGHT SIZE SO I´VE ALWAYS HAD TO MAKE ALTERATIONS.

I WAS LIKE I COULD DO THIS.

THE NAME REAL MASK CAME FROM THE COMMITMENT TO DO THE COSTUME TO PRODUCE THE COSTUME.

THAT´S WHY IT´S CALLED REAL MASK.

>> INTERESTING.

I HEARD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT YOUR GENERATION AND BEYOND REALLY NOT EMBRACING OR CULTURE AND OUR TRADITIONS AND OUR HERITAGE.

DO YOU AGREE WITH THAT?

>> I DON´T THINK YOU CAN PUT EVERYTHING IN THE SAME BASKET.

CARNIVAL HAS A LOT OF ASPECTS TO IT AND SOME PEOPLE MIGHT NOT ENJOY OR MIGHT NOT BE INTERESTED IN ONE PART BUT THEY ARE INTERESTED IN ANOTHER PART DEPENDING ON YOUR INTERESTS OR THE INTERESTS OF YOUR FAMILY AND SOME PEOPLE LOVE THIS TIME OF YEAR BECAUSE IT´S PARTY.

I DON´T THINK YOU CAN PUT EVERYTHING IN THE SAME BUCKET TO SAY THAT THE GENERATION DOESN´T HAVE AN APPRECIATION.

I THINK SOME PEOPLE HAVEN´T BEEN EXPOSED TO THE CULTURAL ASPECT OF IT.

THE REAL REBELLIOUS SIDE OF CARNIVAL, THE ORIGIN AND SO I THINK IT MAY BE LACK OF AWARENESS, A LACK OF EDUCATION BUT NOT NECESSARILY THAT THEY´RE JUST NOT, YOU KNOW, IN TUNE.

>> IN YOUR TROUPE, DO YOU HAVE ANY YOUNG PEOPLE ACTUALLY LEARNING HOW TO CONSTRUCT A COSTUME?

>> MOST DEFINITEDEFINITELY.

OUTSIDE OF MY PARENTS BECAUSE THEY ARE ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN REAL MASKS OUTSIDE OF MY PARENTS, I´M PROBABLY THE OLDEST.

EVERYBODY IS YOUNGER THAN I AM.

I WON´T GIVE ME AGE.

SOME PEOPLE CAME RIGHT NOW REAL MASK IS LIFE A FAMILY.

A LOT OF PRODUCTION TEAM DIDN´T NECESSARILY COME WITH THE SKILL SET, SO TO SPEAK.

IT WAS WORKSHOPS AND THIS IS HOW YOU DO THIS.

A LOT OF THE PRODUCTION WAS LEARNED AS YOU GO ALONG.

I WOULD SAY WE HAVE CULTIVATED A GROUP OF YOUNG PEOPLE THAT NOW KNOW HOW TO CONSTRUCT COSTUMES.

>> THAT´S EXCELLENT.

WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO FOR 2022?

>> WELL,.

I´M A DREAMER.

I RELEASE -- WHAT YEAR WAS IT?

I DON´T KNOW THE YEAR.

2019.

IT WAS 2020 I RELEASED EARLY MARCH, MARCH 2nd, I THINK IT WAS AND THEN THE ISLAND SHUT DOWN MARCH 13th.

FRIDAY, MARCH 13th.

ALL THOSE AND EVERYTHING IN THE ROOM WATCHING ME.

I´M EXCITED ABOUT THE 2022 THEME.

REAL MASK 2022 THEME.

SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

IT´S ALREADY CONCEPTUALIZED.

I´M EXCITED TO HAVE THE KIND OF FELLOWSHIP WE HAVE DURING CARNIVAL.

IT´S THE MOST EXCITING TIME OF THE YEAR FOR ME.

I ENJOY DOING THAT KIND OF ENTERTAINMENT.

>> WELL, IT SHOULD BE A GREAT TIME IN 2022 BECAUSE I THINK EVERYBODY IS SO ANXIOUS TO GET BACK TO CARNIVAL AND THE SPIRIT THAT COMES WITH CARNIVAL.

>> IT´S A BIG YEAR.

>> AND IT´S A BIG YEAR.

IT IS THE 70th ANNIVERSARY OF CARNIVAL.

I WANT TO THANK YOU MISS SIMONE EDWARDS FROM REAL MASK FOR JOINING THIS CONVERSATION AND THE DIVISION OF FESTIVALS WANTS TO GET EVERYBODY EXCITED ABOUT THE PLATINUM ANNIVERSARY OF CARNIVAL.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>> THANK YOU.

♫♫ ♫♫