Stella Jean brings Caribbean flair to Milan

It might not be the place you expect to find it but Milan is having a Caribbean moment right now.

Like, today.

Milan Fashion Week kicked off just today and all of the coolest islandistas are in town for the fashion festivities.

Shala Monroque, Michelle Elie and Tamu McPherson have all been linking up at or around the shows and posting pics to Instagram. We knew Shala and Michelle were friends but who knew they were friends with Tamu too?!

So first Shala snapped Tamu…

And then Michelle posted this pic of her and Shala en route to the shows.

And then we saw that Tamu popped up at the Stella Jean show.

Tamu was also on hand for the show of another islandista we love, Haitian-Italian designer Stella Jean whose Spring/Summer 2015 collection gave.me.life.

I know that expression is close to being overused but it fully deserves it in this case. Stella paid her boldest and most beautiful tribute yet to her mother’s Haitian heritage with a collection that showcased Haiti’s vibrant and distinctive artistic style, presented as patterns on skirts, dresses and tops.

I am hard-pressed to pick a favourite because the collection made my Caribbean heart sing.

There was the midnight-blue mini skirt with the minibus print.

Photo credit: Yannis Vlanos/Style.com

Or the tailored shirt-dress with the multi-coloured pattern that on closer inspection, is a densely-packed series of little market scene paintings echoing the style of famed Haitian painter Laurent Casimir.

It’s all in the details – the ‘pattern’ of this dress is a tribute to traditional Haitian paintings.

The flamboyant midi-skirt printed with chattel houses and banana trees was another one we loved, particularly the way it was paired with tomboyish oxford shoes.

This short and sassy mini shirt-dress was another winner and its vibrant blue and green hues stood out even amidst an already colourful collection.

Put simply, there was a whole lot to love in this collection – especially if you love the Caribbean, as we do. It was a tribute to the beauty and vibrancy of our region. We’re loving it!