Perhaps unsatisfied with the mundane, the Above Group has designed Meilinginc.com with one of the most original and indigenous concepts seen on a local Web site. And it is perfect for showcasing the work of one of the Caribbean's most prolific and respected fashion mavens. Type in the web address and you'll immediately enter scenes of both myth and memory. The home page opens to the "drawing room" of a typical Woodbrook "wood house" – in the 1950s.
Its a dusky evening. The half-lit wall is adorned with a throwback drawing of a man in suspenders. Both the candles and the retro TV are flickering and the lighting has a deliciously haunted feel to it. And they're just getting started. Click on and you'll find that each tab comes with its own eerily lit scene and the subtle forest sounds to match. Choose "boutique" and a la diablesse-type figure appears in the house doorway (backlit with a red halo). Browse on to bridal, where you're greeted by a sinuous Mama D'lo, dressed in white and beckoning you into the river.
The contact page is preceded by douens under the stunning silhouette of a silk cotton tree. Rather than being distracting, the elaborate scenes and haunting animation whets the appetite for the photos of Meiling's past and present collections, and you can browse through the simple, clean layout easily. Photos and video loads fast; and since there's so much to see, that's definite plus. The site gets away with the black background because of the many images and Meiling's largely light and colourful designs look luminous against it. But the black background proves to be problematic when you try to read the Meiling story. Meilinginc.com's innovative, bold concept and fast upload would make up for any multitude of sins, were there enough to list. Suffice to say this is one site that will pull you back time and again to enjoy its novelty and uber-fresh fashion.
