SOL by Drenna Luna — Angelie Martin-Spencer

Hello 1980. Goodbye 2013! That’s the exact statement made by the 2013 Angelie Martin-Spencer-designed swimsuit collection. The designer showed off her pieces at the 13th staging of CFW last weekend at the National Indoor Sports Centre. Has this former Miss Jamaica and Observer columnist turned fashion designer? Indeed. Martin-Spencer demonstrated her prowess at the machine with an 80s-style fashion take on swimwear for the summer. The pieces comprised bandeau bras and high-waisted panties, but dared to be bold with vibrant dresses and beach shorts for men. No faulty stitch work was visible and no audience member appeared displeased.

Following in the proverbial footsteps of her sister Arlene Martin, who is a famed fashion designer, seemed to have paid off. While Martin is known for her simple, elegant dresses, her sister has one up on her in the beachwear department. But the similar design sense of both sisters impressed on the CFW runway — clean lines with impeccable finish. By evening’s end it was obvious that Martin-Spencer had designed a winning collection. When she entered the stage after her showcasing, the smiling faces, turning heads, nods of approval and roaring applause were ample evidence of that fact. More so, she was wearing one of her own designs — a yellow wide-winged flowy gown with gold accent earrings. The SOL by Drenna Luna collection gets our style nod. Here are a few of the standout pieces from the event.