Jamaican designer joins Spirit Mas team

Spirit Mas has added Jamaican designer Anna-Lisa Guthrie to its design team for Carnival 2026.

As the band prepares for its third anniversary production, this collaboration reinforces its commitment to celebrate and elevate Caribbean creativity in the Carnival industry, a media release said.

Known as Annaixe in professional circles, Guthrie is a multi-disciplinary artist versed in production design, creative direction, costume design, and photography. Her avant-garde approach to her craft and her eye for innovation transcends tradition. She gained acclaim for her striking silhouettes and bold use of unconventional materials, transforming rope, beads, and other everyday objects into one-of-a-kind couture, the release said.

Her work has developed a reputation for resonating with those who crave originality and Spirit Mas CEO Adrian Scoon believes her debut creation will resonate with Spirit masqueraders as well.

Scoon said in the release, “Anna-Lisa is a creative force with a vision that’s as unique as Spirit’s. Our goal has always been to cultivate a design unit that represents different perspectives and aesthetics so we’re very excited to have her on board. She’s the perfect addition to our team as we enter our third year and cement our position as the premier Trinidad Carnival band.”

Guthrie has been designing carnival costumes since her 2018 debut as the youngest designer to design and mass produce a costume in Jamaica. Her carnival portfolio has since grown to include the Cayman Islands, Grenada, Miami and now, Trinidad and Tobago.

“It’s a dream come true to be entering the Trinidad Carnival space and with a band as innovative and trailblazing as Spirit,” Guthrie said in the release.

“Carnival is one of the most powerful cultural expressions in the Caribbean and I’m honoured to work alongside some of the best designers in the industry and bring my vision to life for the band’s 2026 presentation,” Guthrie said.

With band launch season beginning in a few weeks, Guthrie joins a collective of designers behind Spirit Mas, including Rhion Romany, Sandra Hordatt, Nakita Hyatali, Douglas John, Levi Marcus, Kriston Milano and Trishelle Leacock.