Mike’s ‘Armada’ sails in

IT’S the season of “Chris-Arnival,” the name being widely used because of the close proximity of the two seasons Christmas and Carnival, so loved by most Trinis, and no one is more aware of it than mas’-maker Anthony “Mike” Johnson. A designer of large, individual costumes for the past 20 years, Mike will in 2005 also produce the all-inclusive section “Armada” in Trini Revellers 2005 production “Conquest of the Indies.” Revellers won this year’s Band Of The Year title. In addition to his section, Mike will produce almost all of the band’s individuals and also one of the queens.

In the beautiful bronze costumes of “Armada,” the very laid-back designer has attempted to incorporate costuming along the lines of Bailey and Saldenha, and yet still give people what they want, such as, the bikini. “Market forces will dictate the pace in terms of designs and the skimpiest will sell first and for the most money. But there is a certain part of the population who will not play with beads, feathers and skimpy costumes so you have to strike a balance and come up with a product that is satisfactory to both parties.  Hopefully at the end of the day it will change what mas’ looks like now” says Mike. He is positive that “it will happen over a period of time as a lot of girls do not want to have their bodies exposed so in ‘Armada’ I have included pieces to cover the torso and legs and capes at the back to eliminate sunburn. The bikini is becoming too monotonous and will eventually affect our Carnival, no longer will the foreigners come to see two feathers and beads instead they will head straight to Las Vegas.”
Mike’s love of mas’ making started when he was a teenager at Arima Secondary School where he won a number of art competitions, coming first in the country in one sponsored by the United Nations.
 
“I was offered a scholarship to go on to do more designing but preferred to stay and continue with my exams, and then got involved in doing sketches for some bands in the east, people saw, they came, and it began to grow.  My love of it grew just as much and I started to acquire skills in constructing the costumes. I was eventually introduced to Port-of-Spain mas’ by (the late) Neville Hinds and Trevor Carrington of Masmen, until some of the other band leaders approached me to work for them and I have been doing so for a while.” Although Mike works for many bandleaders’ individuals, there is no conflict as he will not do two of a kind, but will do the structure for one design and decorate the other. He very quickly says: “This is not my full-time job.” So he employs trustworthy crews as he also produces junior individuals and individuals for many other overseas carnivals  such as, Barbados, St Lucia, St Croix, New York: “You name it but those are some of the more frequent countries. Most of my successes have come out of Barbados, although last July I got the Band Of The Year with ‘Dragons’ in St Vincent Carnival.” In the past Mike was very involved with Barbarossa and looks back at Jeanine Bonterre’s second-placed “Queen of Sheba” as his best year in Trinidad. But Mike is happiest with the children:
 
“I like producing costumes for kids, it gives me great joy seeing children play mas and enjoy themselves at Carnival time so I will always make time to see the children happy.” He has already delivered the structures for two 2005 children’s costumes. In some instances he will complete the entire costume as he is skilled in almost all aspects in terms of Carnival design, wire-bending, carving, producing and decorating and will contract outside the camp in terms of things like sewing and headpieces. He is always mindful where the children are concerned that no strain or pressure is placed on their backs with too heavy backpacks etc. There is already much activity at the 151 Tragarete Road mas’ camp from where the male and female sections of “Armada” will also be produced and distributed. Meeting deadlines for junior and adult individuals can be very stressful as competitions draw near but Mike and his crew all work together towards the objective of having well done costumes, and on time.

In terms of rising costs generally, Mike speaks for Revellers: “They make every effort to keep costumes affordable to masqueraders, and tend to make them understand that the prices reflect a package and not just a costume. Having a good time, security, music, including eats and drinks.” Since Mike is not around every masquerader for whom he has produced, he looks at the individual competition on the Wednesday night before Carnival and makes every effort to ensure that his costumes are completed and will stand up for the season. “Although things will happen depending on storage, transport and how the masquerader treats the costume, the joy of this whole thing is starting something from scratch in black and white and seeing it materialise to perfection on the streets. The performing and dancing on the streets gives me more joy than the financial aspect of it as you know that this whole thing started from nothing and you see this evolvement.”