Senior Reporter
sascha.wilson@guardian.co.tt
For designer and model Arlene Hodge-Murray, The Return of the Diamonds was more than a showcase of creativity. It was a reunion—and a rebirth—of talent and beauty that had been stifled during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Held recently at the Creative Arts Centre in San Fernando, the show brought together Hodge-Murray’s past and present models, some of whom had taken new paths or even migrated since the pandemic.
Owner of Appointed Hands Designs, Hodge-Murray felt it was important to reconnect.
“I wanted us to come back together to do something,” she said. “Things have changed a lot for them, but there was also a desire to return. The name came about because I really wanted us to do something again.”
Putting the show together was no easy feat. Early on, there were many challenges—co-ordinating models, artisans, and performers across distances. Some participants even travelled from overseas, including recent university graduates eager to be part of the event.
“It took a lot of work,” Hodge-Murray admitted, “but it was worth it.”
The show featured hand-painted designs, bold fashion pieces created by Hodge-Murray, and live performances by a steelpan group. One of her models, now a pan player and music school owner, was part of the production.
“Most of the diamonds came back in different ways,” she explained. “Some were models, some were pannists, others contributed in different areas.”
For Hodge-Murray, the event was about far more than aesthetics.
“One of my main goals and desires is to make an impact,” she said. “I love working with young people and children—building self-esteem, instilling morals, helping them see a different way. In today’s world, so many young women have low self-esteem. The class helps build confidence, whether male or female, and I thank God for that.”
She stressed that modelling is just one avenue among many.
“I want them to know you don’t have to be just a model. You can be a model and a doctor, a lawyer, a teacher, a consultant, a psychologist. We can be more than one thing, have more than one job.”
For Hodge-Murray, The Return of the Diamonds was not only a fashion event but also a call for young people to embrace both their creativity and their full potential.
