The hippest and coolest fashion from the most cutting-edge designers that the Caribbean has to offer were on display during the Caribbean New York Fashion Week 2014 that hit midtown on Sept. 7.
Twelve designers from nine Caribbean Islands including Antigua and Barbuda’s Daniel Shem Henri; Barbados’ Andrew Harris Jr.; Dominica’s Glenda Jones; Guyana’s Carol Fraser, Myrna Patterson, Patricia Jonas, and Sonia Noel; Haiti’s Prajje Jean-Baptiste; Jamaica’s Gillian Francis aka Minka; Saint Lucia’s Lisa Barton-Volney; Trinidad and Tobago’s Athaliah Samuel; the Bahamas’ Apryl Burrows. Participating Caribbean Featured Models included: Dominica’s Barbie “Alias” Labassiere and Ruth Augustine; Grenada’s Aria M. Francis; Guyana’s Nkechi Vaughn; Jamaica’s Face Of Fashion “Jamaica” 2013 first runner up Venissa Bruce and second runner up Shamecia Ritchie; Trinidad and Tobago’s Miss World 2012 Athaliah Samuel and Soowan Bramble; the Bahamas’ Chantiyah Miller, Ray-Ann Smith and Rokara Hepburn.
Caribbean New York Fashion Week 2014 is produced by Face Of Fashion, a fashion modeling and fashion design management company located in New York City, under the direction of Carla Hazel. Face Of Fashion’s primary goal is to emphasize the beauty of diversity in all nationalities. Face founder and CEO Carla Hazel stated that this goal can be achieved by opening doors to the global fashion market. This premier fashion event puts the spotlight on Caribbean fashion designers and models. The events provide the platform for all talents to showcase their inspirations in creative fashion designs for brand launching, as well as, the forum for fashion buyers and investors.
The aim of Caribbean New York Fashion Week 2014 was to fuel the business of fashion for Caribbean designers and models to take their skills and talent to the next level onto New York City International Fashion Stage. This is significant because participating talents become empowered and contribute to the fashion industry through Caribbean Fashion Tourism, thus bringing fashion at the forefront of participating Caribbean Islands to generate revenue for sustainable economic growth. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to Caribbean Tourism Organization foundation, which is a not-for-profit organization that provides scholarships and financial assistance to Caribbean nationals pursuing studies in tourism and hospitality.
