Lost Tribe designer mirrors Milan

LOST TRIBE designer Stefan Sealy believes, “Fashion is everywhere. You can wear whatever you want, from wherever you want, however you want it.”

This open mindset to fashion and Carnival brought one of New York’s top independent fashion platforms to Lost Tribe’s door.

Sealy showed eight pieces from the band’s 2025 collection at Flying Solo’s runway at Milan Fashion Week on September 22. Milan Fashion Week was held from September 17-23.

Each year Sealy creates a collection for the band that is used exclusively on Carnival Monday.

Two weeks after its launch in July, Sealy received an e-mail which he initially dismissed as spam.

But two weeks later, he received a follow-up e-mail from Flying Solo, a New York- and Paris-based independent fashion company.

“When I saw that other e-mail, I was like, ‘This is probably something for real, because it was addressed to my company, me and so on.’

“They invited me to submit a collection for them to review and invited me to show in their Milan Fashion Week.”

Sealy felt pieces from Lost Tribe’s 2025 Monday Wear, Mirror Monday, would be perfect for it, as they were “polished, complete and vetted.”

Lost Tribe designer Stefan Sealy showed eight pieces from the band’s 2025 collection Monday Wear Mirror Monday at Flying Solo’s runway at Milan Fashion Week on September 22. –

Asked how he believed they found out about his work, Sealy said the company possibly found out through social media, which prompted them to contact him.

“That video exploding (of Lost Tribe’s Monday wear) possibly exposed my page or work to Flying Solo in some or fashion that made them feel the need to reach out and say, ‘Hey, let us see if this guy is interested in coming and showcasing at our Milan show.’”

And so did a photoshoot at Jeffery Charles studio in Aranguez.

Those images were submitted and he received a response from the company some days later accepting the submission. It then sent an official invitation for Sealy to be a part of Flying Solo’s Milan Fashion Week Showcase.

Flying Solo’s website said each season, the company opens Milan Fashion Week applications to new and talented designers from across the globe to show the industry, the designers it feels are the ones to watch.

A panel reviews hundreds of applications from around the world and selects designers to present during Milan Fashion Week, it said.

The website defines the company as the biggest platform for independent designers in the US.

It runs retail stores and a press showroom, and produces fashion runways for New York Fashion Week, Paris Fashion Week, and the Miami Swim and Resort Show.

One of the four male pieces which Stefan Sealy showed at Milan. The men wore his Sealy-branded underwear. –

“Our curated selection showcases cutting-edge designs from established and emerging luxury designers. We prioritise collaboration, community, and innovation as we shape the future of fashion,” the page said.

Sealy arrived in Milan on September 18, three days before the show. It was special to him as it took place the day after his 30th birthday on September 21.

“After hitting Milan, I spent my birthday, the entire day, at the rehearsals, doing fittings with the models, practice runs of the show, interviews and so on.”

It was also “life-changing” as he was able to connect with fellow fashion-industry experts from countries including Greece, India, US and Belgium. He exchanged contact information with some of them as one of his aims in attending was to create beneficial partnerships for the band and the country.

“I am really looking forward to these future ventures, because the aim of going there was to make my brand global, represent TT and showcase Carnival on a different scale.”

Sealy believes he also achieved the other aim of showing that costumes were usable after the Carnival street parade.

“When everyone saw the line-up they were totally blown away.”

It was also a full-circle moment for him, as he began his career modelling for some of TT’s top designers, among them Peter Elias.

“I walked for all of these major local names, and now I am on this main stage and able to actually stand up as a designer, representing myself, the country, Lost Tribe. It was very fulfilling to me.”

He showed eight pieces, four males and four females.

Bikinis covered in mirror-like gems, joggers made of silver latex, shorts also made of the same material and mesh-like basketball tops were among them. The men also wore his Sealy-branded underwear.

The models wore large capes and kaftans covered in silver and different gems, and bikinis covered in mirror-like gems at Stefan Sealey’s Milan showing. The work of local jewellery designer Tameika Fletcher was also used in some of the pieces.  –

He described the pieces as a “very urban, street vibe.”

Sealy said the women wore large capes and kaftans covered in silver and different gems. The work of local jewellery designer Tameika Fletcher of Ayer Styler was also used in some of the pieces.

Since that showing, he has had discussions with a key player in the US, the desert event the Burning Man Festival, discussions with a jewellery designer from Greece and a representative from a US sneaker brand.

He believes it is important for local designers to participate in these kinds of events.

“We need to look further than thinking of our designs as a Caribbean aesthetic and rather, as a global aesthetic.

“Many of the festivals that take place around the world are similar to our Carnival – it is just named differently. But the vibe, the people, what they wear, it could really relate to the same things we design.”

Sealy added that it was time for Carnival designers to look beyond the costume.

The evergreen complaint of Carnival being seasonal was only so because people labelled the festival as such, he said.

“If we approach it from a perspective that these are garments and our designs can be worn outside of Carnival, then we can reach so much further and have a bigger impact globally as we now have a holistic perspective.

“So I tend not to look at what we do as a Caribbean aesthetic, because that puts us in a box. But because of the internet and social media, it is now global.”

He advised upcoming designers to “keep pushing.”

Sealy knew he always wanted to be a designer and that he’d get there someday; what he did not know was when it would happen.

“You never know when it is your time. Keep pushing and doing good work, and someone is going to give you the platform.”

He thanked Lost Tribe’s creative director and band leader Valmiki Maharaj for always believing in him and pushing him.

 

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