London’s model scout ready to handpick Bda’s best

She told the Bermuda Sun directly after the show that she had her eye on about five models who would be called for casting and could earn themselves “massive opportunities” in the modelling industry.

The event at City Hall, organized by teh City of Hamilton, showcased five of the island’s top hair and make-up salons —
Bersalon, Nadz, Salon Pink, Soave and TK Hair. 

“I thought the show was fantastic it was just like watching a show back in London or perhaps some of the shows I have seen New York. I thought the talent of the hair stylists was incredible actually. 

“London is probably one of the biggest platforms that an aspiring model can have and I think Elite can give them the biggest platform that is available right now. We have the expertise.” 

There are Elite agencies in over 30 countries worldwide and the company runs the Elite Model Look contest in over 60 countries. They have produced super models from Lara Stone and Gisele, back to Stephanie Seymour, to major girls like Manuela Frey of
Calvin Klein fame. 

“We can produce some massive names so this is a massive opportunity to be able to give the girls,” continued Hibbert. “For me it is just so exciting to come over here and see the talent that such a small island is producing it is just incredible. I search up and down the UK going to every single country I can and some times I can’t find the level of talent that I have seen here so I am completely astonished at how high the level is.”

Asked to specify who had impressed her the most Hibbert told us:

“There were about four or five models who I will be holding casting for at the Hamilton Princess — I have been watching them over the last couple of days in rehearsals and tonight — there were a couple I hadn’t noticed in rehearsals but tonight they really ‘brought it’ and I’m like, you really worked hard and your walk has improved in the past couple of days. 

“There were a couple from Salon Pink and a couple from Soave and there was a girl in the last one TK Hair.

“We will do a casting at the hotel tomorrow night and my colleague’s joining me. We’ll take some measurements and take some Polaroids and take it all back to London and hopefully bring some girls over to London from Bermuda because I think there is some fantastic talent here.”

Asked whether the show could have been improved up on, Hibbert said: “The only thing I would say that this is dedicated to a local market — if I was to take this to London which is the fashion capital there are a few tweaks and changes — I’d make it run a little bit smoother and change the way they walk a little bit but for the local market this is absolutely ideal.”

Bermuda proves it’s the real deal
Review by Sarah Lagan

From spooky aliens and blood-smeared zombies to towering bouffants that would have made Amy Winehouse blush — Bermuda’s fashion world can never be accused of being humdrum.

The hair stylists and make-up artists should be commended for their innovation and pure bravado that left one of London’s top model scouts “astonished”.  

The show opened with the brash ‘Beauty Throughout The Ages’ by Christopher Vee and Traci Witherbee of Bersalon. 

Their set started with the, Great Gatsby eat your heart out 1920s, and journeyed into the 70s with model James Lee rocking a sky high mohawk and ripped to shreds jeans. 

The vibrant make-up choices gave some of the models an almost cabaret quality while the hair was exciting, colourful and wearable.

Next up was Nadz which featured slowly strutting, sultry models sporting eye-catching hair accessories. There was some exciting make-up features including mascara applied to the cheekbones to open up the eyes wide to heroine chic proportions.

Next up, Salon Pink instigated an earth invasion of female “aqua aliens” with models who wouldn’t look out of place in an episode of Star Trek — in a good way. 

The style was very uniform in this set — the make-up featured scale-like spots, metallic eye shadows and piercing white contact lenses. As for the hair, there was an array of wiry quiffs and other-worldly bouffants reminiscent of those worn by Icelandic singer Bjork. The crowd went wild during this set but the little girl sitting next to me in the audience was genuinely frightened. 

Soave’s models burst onto the stage in the invigorating Empowered Women set of tailored suits, ties and tidy, complex hairstyles. Hats off to Karlandra Smith of Style Bermuda for some fabulous choreography in this set. 

Finally, TK Hair wowed everyone with their wonderfully ‘OTT’ hair sculptures. Make up was minimal and costumes merely blood-stained bandages — none of which would dare take away the limelight away from the hair. 

While the wacky wigs pleased the crowd, it was a real insight to see the hair stylists cropping their models’ hair on stage as the show went on around them. 

All in all the show ran on time and smoothly with only one technical hitch when the music cut out briefly.