Six designers recently unveiled the splendour of regional fashion and design at Caribbean Export Development Agency’s (Caribbean Export) Caribbean Essence Fashion Showcase on Saturday August 4, 2012.
24Hrs – Meiling
24Hrs – Meiling
The Fashion Showcase served as the opening of Caribbean Export’s Grosvenor House presence and the Agency’s involvement in the African and Caribbean Business Expo in London. A mix of industry professionals, including manufacturers, buyers, stylists, fashion consultants and the press attended the invitation-only event.
Trinidadian designer, Meiling, opened the show with a stunning array from her collection 24Hrs. This was followed by Arlene Martin of Jamaica with her drennaLuna designs, these were accessorised by luxury jewellery pieces from Suriname-based Atelier Doré.
Kirie Bain
Kirie Bain
Celebrated Haitian designer Phelicia Dell showcased selections from her VeVe handbag line alongside the Ibis Ceramic jewellery collection from Kirie Bain, an upcoming designer from Trinidad and Tobago.
The Showcase was closed out by the award-winning Guyanese designer Sonia Noel, who captivated the audience with pieces from her Mariska Designs label.
Atelier Doré
Atelier Doré
“When speaking about the essence of the Caribbean, the first thing that comes to mind is the allure of our scenery and people. This is best translated within our Fashion sense and style”, commented Executive Director of Caribbean Export, Pamela Coke Hamilton. “Our Fashion Showcase demonstrated this vibrancy and the creative expression for which we are known. This demonstrates Caribbean Export’s long-term commitment to the development and export potential of the regional fashion sector and by extension the Creative Industries”, Coke Hamilton concluded.
Mariska Designs – Sonia Noel
Mariska Designs – Sonia Noel
The Caribbean’s finest designs were showcased by a number of top UK models including finalists from Britain and Ireland’s Next Top Model and Miss Black Britain.
The Essence Caribbean Fashion Showcase was supported under the European Union’s (EU) 10th European Development Fund (EDF) Regional Private Sector Development Programme (RPSDP), in collaboration with the African Caribbean and Pacific States Business Climate Facility (ACP BizClim), the UK Department for International Development (DFID), and Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).
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