Creatives have had to make major changes in the way they work due to the pandemic, but for many, the process was not a simple one.

Deron Attzs, fashion designer, consultant and owner of Deron Attzs Design Label (d.a.d.l) said, “Most times people don’t realise the severity of how the creative people of the Caribbean and the world over have suffered. We are wired differently. We depend on that organic human interaction, that human connection more than almost any other sector and covid has removed that.

“And that has put us in a tailspin, trying to find another way to express ourselves because we feed off the audience. That’s what keeps us going and to see we have to operate in a digital space to communicate with an audience, it’s new territory.”

[caption id="attachment_939438" align="alignnone" width="684"] Reigning Calypso Monarch Terri Lyons wearing dadl. PHOTO BY MARC’D IMAGES -[/caption]

He said only some creatives can make the move to digitisation, and only to a certain extent. At the speed technology is changing, a lot of people have not caught up so there are those who do not have the know-how, time, or energy to invest in social media.

He lamented that the government only seems to recognise calypso and soca artists even though chefs, painters, authors, designers and others “fly the flag” of TT.

However, Attzs believes that is because many creatives keep quiet about their struggles so as not to damage the image of their brand. Also, he said organisations who represent different creative fields are not effectively articulating their members’ needs to the government, so social services does not recognise the issue.

In addition, he said people have been dealing with deaths, the reopening of the economy, schools and other aspects of living with covid19 and so have not had the time to deal with the psychological aspects of the pandemic.

“So it’s affecting us in a way that we don’t consciously realise but then we’re acting out in certain ways. And with the lack of having a traditional Carnival season, it’s another frustration.”

[caption id="attachment_939437" align="alignnone" width="799"] Fashion designer and consultant Deron Attzs with models for his dadl label. -[/caption]

He said many people in TT live in a “compressed state” throughout the year and have “an exhale moment” with Carnival but they have not had that hope for about 23 months.

When the pandemic hit, he said the recorded content of TT’s culture kept people in general sane but those who make a living around Carnival are suffering as they have less opportunities to find work elsewhere because of various circumstances, including age and skill set.

Attzs told Sunday Newsday he had his “ups and downs” over the past two years and has not yet been able to fully immerse himself in his craft.

Many people’s revenue has been depleted and, for a while, there was nowhere to go and therefore no need to dress up.

He also could not see the suffering going on around him and do nothing so he used the little money he made to help those arou