Caribbean Buzz
Archived: Caribbean Menswear Designer, Ecliff Elie Pushes Past Covid-19 with Big Lessons Learnt.
When the Covid-19 pandemic reared its head in the aftermath of Trinidad and Tobago’s carnival this past March, Caribbean menswear designer Ecliff Elie had only five months prior, opened his new design house at C3 Centre in San Fernando, South Trinidad. His atelier location in Woodbrook, Port-of-Spain maintained its market position, posturing the designer’s imminent rise to regionwide gratification, by all markers. He never expected what eventually came; a pandemic that would bring great uncertainty, but with it, even greater lessons.
The Caribbean menswear aesthetic continues to blossom into something of its own niche character, Elie believes, and because of this, he has had unwavering hope for the industry despite the pandemic. “There have been wonderful lessons learnt by the Ecliff Elie team in the past nine months,” he says, explaining that business equates to risk and one must be strong, enduring and fearless to combat the effects of such risk. “This period, while extremely daunting for many, opened my eyes as a business owner to many things, and I’ve weathered the storm very well. I have been able to keep all of my employees over the past nine months and that came with the implementation of more effective business strategies,” he explained.
Restrictions imposed as a direct result of Covid-19, in Trinidad and Tobago and across the Caribbean has certainly affected sales to some degree, however Elie says he remains steadfast and resolute in his belief that this storm of sorts, will soon pass. “Weathering the storm requires a lot of patience but it also demands resilience. What we’ve done during this period proved effective for the long-term business strategy. Virtual consultations, available at www.ecliffelie.co may have been overlooked prior to the pandemic, and it’s actually an effective method of reaching clients around the world,” said Elie. In fact, he explains, he’s seen increased regional sales during Covid-19.
The male client, Elie’s target demographic, continues to be acutely marketed to, particularly during the present Christmas season. “While we understand that for many, these are some tough financial times, we also feel that men require emotional support during this time,” said Elie. “Because men are often required to be strong in the face of hardship, the man’s emotional pain can be overlooked. In the same way a woman feels good when she purchases a new pair of shoes or a new dress, we believe men should feel comfortable releasing their stress with a little shopping from time to time,” said the designer.
Ecliff Elie’s Southern branch offers off-the-rack suits that can be altered for fit on spot. “While dinner parties and New Year’s Eve events may be very limited this year, we’d like to encourage our Caribbean men to boost their spirit and feel good despite the effects of this pandemic. It’s been a tough year, but we must have the right attitude heading into 2021, which will ultimately determine our altitude. For some reason, stepping into Ecliff Elie has a way of changing attitudes,” he said.
Caribbean Buzz
Belize’s Shyne, Talks Culture and Governance at Island Music Conference. Challenges Caribbean Leaders.
Belizean political leader and notable Hip Hop figure , The Honourable, Dr. Moses “Shyne” Barrow has identified Jamaica as a regional blueprint for how culture and governance can work together to build sustainable industry.
Delivering a keynote address entitled, ‘From Stage to State’ at the Island Music Conference (IMC) in Kingston, Jamaica last week, Barrow urged Caribbean governments to move beyond symbolic support of the arts and toward structured public–private partnerships.
“These conferences are so very important,” he told delegates, describing information exchange as critical in an evolving global music economy. Responding to a question from Overtime Media about cultural influence as an economic engine, Barrow pointed to Jamaica’s global footprint. “The work of great musicians such as Bob Marley and Shabba Ranks, as well as the development of Reggae and Dancehall music, has done more for the Jamaican tourism product than anything else,” he said.
PHOTO: Overtime Media.
According to Barrow, Jamaica exemplifies how successive political administrations, despite partisan rivalry, maintained consistent implementation policies that enabled private-sector investment in the music industry. “They were fighting each other, but giving the same implementation,” he noted, crediting that alignment for helping Jamaican music achieve unmatched global recognition.“There is no one in the world who does not know about Jamaica — its music, its food and its culture,” he noted.
Barrow framed his own political evolution as rooted in Hip Hop’s entrepreneurial DNA. Calling his transition from performer to legislator “quintessential Hip-Hop,” he cited moguls who expanded beyond music into business and influence, arguing that creative thinkers belong in positions of power. “We belong in parliament. We belong in the cabinet. We belong in the Prime Minister’s office and in the President’s office,” he said. He also addressed emerging challenges facing the creative sector, particularly artificial intelligence and intellectual property protection.“We need to protect our rights. We need to protect our work and that can only be legislated,” Barrow warned. “If we don’t get involved in the legislative process, we’re going to wake up one day and find that our rights are gone.”
Calling the human mind “the greatest thing on planet Earth,” he cautioned against over-reliance on technology, stressing that creatives must remain central to innovation. Reflecting candidly on his past, including a decade of incarceration following a 1999 nightclub shooting, Barrow described his return to Belize as a shift toward service. “By then, my dreams had already come true,” he said. “But when I looked around my country, I saw people still struggling. So I chose a life of service.”
Barrow also revealed plans to return to the stage with a world tour marking the 25th anniversary of his debut album, while reaffirming his commitment to public service. Closing his address, he challenged Caribbean leaders to diversify the profiles of those shaping legislation.“The Caribbean’s creative class has already shaped global culture,” he said. “Now we must shape policy.”
– NIGEL TELESFORD / Overtime Media.
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Caribbean Buzz
10 Years Later, Kartel and Shenseea Collaborate Again, Unleashing ‘Panic.’
Jamaican dancehall artiste, Vybz Kartel has reunited with his female counterpart in music, Shenseea delivering a brand-new single called, “Panic.” The track was produced by TJ Records and Vybz Kartel Muzik and serves as the first official single from Kartel’s highly anticipated upcoming studio album, God & Time, carded for release later this year.
“Panic” arrives exactly 10 years after their first and only collaboration, Shenseea’s breakout 2016 anthem “Loodi.” That record introduced Shenseea to the world under Kartel’s co-sign and helped launch her into international stardom. Now, a decade later, the student and the teacher reunite as two fully realized Jamaican icons at the top of their global influence. The result is a provocative, easy-breezy summer anthem – a poppy, bounce-heavy, dancehall rhythm built for clubs, TikTok timelines, and late-night speakers, worldwide. The chemistry is effortless, the energy magnetic, and the moment symbolic for the culture.
“We made a statement with ‘Loodi’ a decade ago, one that helped put Shenseea on the map. ‘Panic’ is another one for the history books. This is for the fans who’ve been there from day one and for the new generation running with the sound now. It’s God & Time — everything aligning when it’s supposed to,” said Kartel.
The accompanying video, shot in Miami and directed by Shane Creative delivers pure dancehall vibes – towering speaker boxes, bold Caribbean color, batty riders, nonstop waistlines, and steamy island heat. It’s vibrant, unapologetic, and rooted in authentic dancehall tradition, all while capturing the globally polished vibe both artistes now command.
The upcoming album release signals another powerful chapter in Vybz Kartel’s historic return to the spotlight, following his release in 2024. Since being freed on July 31, 2024 after serving 13 years incarcerated for a conviction that was overturned, Vybz Kartel has reasserted his dominance as one of the most important figures in modern Caribbean music. In 2025 he delivered the highest-grossing dancehall tour of the year, selling out more than 25 arena and stadium shows across three continents and averaging over 20,000 fans per night, including a landmark 30,000-capacity show at Jamaica’s National Stadium and multi-night runs at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, London’s O2 Arena, and Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena, marking his return to U.S. and European stages for the first time in over two decades. He earned his second consecutive GRAMMY® nomination for Best Reggae Album, secured a Top 5 Billboard Rhythmic Airplay hit alongside Travis Scott and Tyla, and expanded his cultural footprint with over 2 billion YouTube views, millions of monthly Spotify listeners, major features in The New York Times, GQ, Rolling Stone, and Billboard, and fashion collaborations with Nike x NOCTA and Guapi. While battling Graves’ disease during his incarceration, Kartel emerges renewed, sharper in perspective, humbled by experience, and creatively revitalized, says a media release. God &Time reflects that evolution, with “Panic” serving as the opening statement of a new era from an artiste whose pen, presence and global impact remain in tact.
Grenada's Tallpree was on the road in T&T for Carnival 2026.
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