This year?s annual showing of Bermuda?s premiere locally designed fashion lines was at the very least, a lavishly catered affair, complete with elaborate gift bags, hot and cold hors d?oeurves and more free champagne than one should ever expect in life.

While at the most, what was on display high atop the Bermuda Industrial Union building on Sunday evening was the coronation of a new fashion king for the spring/summer season.

The new king I speak of is one Deane Williams, whose ?Definitions? line exhibited astronomical development and brilliance for the 2004 season. Imagination and innovation were clearly defined in Deane?s adventurous new designs, and his vision was singularly sharp this year, making for the kind of show one only expects to see on Fashion TV. But I?m getting ahead of myself ? ?Definitions? was the third collection to show on Sunday evening, let?s talk about the first two shall we?

The first collection appeared at some time around 6.30 p.m., entirely unannounced and seemingly unconcerned. There were technical difficulties to contend with throughout the show, but the sound guys did a relatively commendable job considering this was not exactly a concert type event.

After the initial confusion over whether the show had started or not, the capacity crowd settled in to enjoy Deborah Rhoda?s ?DamR? line and offered quite a few ?oohs? and ?aahs? in appreciation of this interesting little collection. Loose fitting linens and textured fabrics dominated, making this by far the most conservative collection on show and proving beyond a shadow of a doubt that conservative can very definitely be beautiful.

The second collection to strut down the runway was ?Patchwerks? by Calvin Vincent. This collection was decidedly exciting from start to finish, exhibiting the kind of innovation you?ve known would work for years but never given it a shot. Vincent?s designs were practical, elegant and fun, offering the kind of easy flair that you?d expect to see walking down the street at any given moment.

These were street designs with a high fashion edge, a creative link between the runway and the street that is bound to go a long way in this bold new street culture dominated world.

?Definitions? was next to take the runway, and the impact was immediate! Tori Simons opened the ?Bohemian Chic? collection wearing a sheer leopard print skirt and an alligator inspired leather jacket; the approval was unanimous. That first ensemble set the tone for the remainder of the collection, which was laden with bold, eclectic combinations of immaculately designed pieces and long elegant dresses that can only be described as courageous. Tori, Rochelle and Miss Christie-Lee Weeks made the collection pop and sizzle like it was meant to, and the adoration of the crowd was instant and enduring. ?Definitions? was certainly the toast of this year?s show.

Deane?s work should not, however, overshadow any of the other designers on display, and if it appears that I am trying to do that then please, forgive me this once. Amethyst was the last designer to show and his ?Spiritwear? collection was dominated by light airy renderings of classic Amethyst themes.

This year?s all powerful tone was white, and Amethyst dressed model after model in loose fitting white linen and sent them out into the waning light to flow and sway like the wind across an open meadow. Many of the designs were very familiar, so it was up to the models to sell the designs this time around, and they certainly did work. Joy, Tori, Rochelle and newcomer Baby Cinta all worked the line like flowers trying to find the sun, while Quenelle Robinson represented for the males with much poise and panache.

At the end of the day, ?DamR? showed considerable development, ?Patchwerks? made an outstanding debut, ?Definitions? began to define a legacy of excellence and ?Spiritwear? sold out within twenty minutes. All four designers carried themselves with poise and elegance throughout the proceedings, and all four lines enjoyed some measure of popular acclaim. Is there any other sort of acclaim that really matters? Ah, a question for the ages.