Wiliam Okpo Spring/Summer 2014 Collection. Photo by Bee Walker.
On a global sphere, too, there has been a resurgence of ’90s style in the last few years. And, though it may or not be related to that trend, the mesh marina is breaching the borders of Jamaica and being revisited in new textures and forms by global fashion designers. The S/S14 William Okpo collection champions a white mesh top with a cartoonish face printed on it while the S/S14 Gucci collection played with a more sporty black version tailored with architectural seams. Other S/S14 mesh emergences on the runway could be found at The Row, from those clever Olsen Twins, who utilized mesh knitting in dress form for their collection, and at Céline, where a knitted mesh skirt was paired with black and yellow sneakers.
At times the mesh trends are sportswear-influenced, such as those in the colourful collaboration between Jeremy Scott and Adidas. And the marinas in a recent collection by Rebels to Dons, a Brooklyn streetwear label with roots in Trinidad, are directly inspired by the item’s place in Caribbean fashion. James Black also sees the impact being made in the fast-fashion industry, where sadly most interesting trends go to die. “I realize that if I go to like H&M I can see a mesh marina, so clearly it’s a trend that is happening all over the world. But I would like to think that it’s a trend that originated here.”