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Each year, students, staff and faculty mentors from engineering, architecture, fashion and other disciplines contribute to the process.
“The students help SugaCayne push into uncharted territory—from the initial hackathons we run at the DFZ, conceptual drawings, making 3D computer models and using digital fabrication equipment alongside traditional handcraft,” says Jepson. “And then they work to make those concepts a reality.”
This year, those concepts revolve around the theme of “Liquid Courage,” which has a number of connotations, says Dwayne. “Some people need to have a bit of ‘liquid courage’ to put on a carnival costume,” he says, laughing.
“We’re looking at liquid as power and energy, and coming from nature,” adds Candice. “When you think about the Caribbean and the islands and the history of Carnival itself, we’re surrounded by water, and we want to infuse that feeling into our project this year.”
The central Liquid Courage theme is brought to life by costumes depicting five subthemes—mountain dew, molten rock, iridescent bubbles, liquid mercury and bloodline.
“Blood as a liquid that ties everything back to the Motherland, and the reason why we celebrate Carnival in the first place,” explains Candice. “Our ancestors were brought over to the Caribbean islands from Africa and they would watch their masters having these grand balls around Lent and they wanted to be involved but they were never allowed to be, but once they were emancipated they were able to create their own celebration, which ended up becoming Carnival. We always want to pay homage to that.”
—Deborah Smyth
Summer 2019/ Ryerson University Magazine 11
