WHAT VINCENT DIDN’T SAY

Many feathers were ruffled when Vincent McDoom told the whole truth about life at the St Lucia Tourist Board, in the aftermath of his hugely successful debut as the Creative Director of Hot Couture – St Lucia’s newest festival sensation.

But while many thought that McD committed unpardonable breaches of protocol in his post-shows interviews, there were many questions he did not adequately address, which must eventually be accounted for.

 

Writer, artist, designer, economist, event planner, florist, baker, salesman Dr. Adrian Augier

He complained about producer and set builder Adrian Augier. Not unexpected. Everyone complains about Adrian eventually. But McDoom said Augier built him a stage even after being specifically and repeatedly told that a stage was not necessary. (Perhaps Vincent, not being an economist, did not understand that if Augier did not put that stage up, he could not charge for building a stage.)

How much will Augier eventually charge for putting up the same damned stage that he erects at every single one of the events he is associated with? How much less would his fees have been if he had done what the Creative Director wanted, instead of putting up the stage at the last minute and forcing everyone to live with it.

By the way, how much did SLTB pay for the venue and how much more would they have paid if McDoom did not ask for a new venue? Who would they have paid this money to? And why do all of these questions lead to the same person all the time?

Change of subject.

While Hot Couture is being touted as a great new opportunity for young models and designers, early reports of committee meetings from February confirm that they have no intention of paying the models until McDoom insisted on it. McDoom himself did not get paid for his part in making the show a success and launching the new franchise. However, The Flogg has confirmed that one of the members of the planning committee is scheduled to be paid between $100-120,000 as a consultant. According to McDoom’s post-show interviews, this hundred thousand dollar consultant was not even necessary to the production and success of the event.

The unruffled Mae Wayne, one of the event planners who drew McDoom's criticisms in post-show interviews

In the end, native Hot Couture models will get in excess of $500 for their part in the event. It is a pittance, but it is more than modelling ever gave them before – so accustomed they are to being exploited. But while they rejoice at their pittances, the event cost way more than that.

Who are the people who really cashed in on Hot Couture?

And do we really need them next time?

McDoom, bride of fashion: Nobody is going to stop him from giving birth to a St Lucian fashion industry!