Preparations for GFW moving full steam ahead

This is the fifth year that the Guyana Fashion Weekend is being held, and to commemorate this year’s anniversary, an exciting schedule of activities is planned. The Fashion Weekend will be held at the Guyana Cricket Club Ground in Georgetown on September 24 and 25.

GFW has come a long way since its inaugural showing in the Conference Hall at the Princess International Hotel back in August 2007. What an energy-filled night that was. It was a clear indication that Guyanese fashion had found an outlet.

The versatile world of local fashion gained considerable momentum after the event. So, by year two, the venue was changed to the GCC Ground for a three-day run, which marked another first for the dynamic and pioneering GFW team.

By year three, Guyana Fashion Weekend returned to the Princess Hotel, but this time it consumed the poolside, with the floating runway over the swimming pool being the centre piece – an incredible feat for Sonia Noel’s dedicated GFW team.

By year four, GFW chose the Pegasus to present more intimate showings, doubling up to accommodate the fans. The sophisticated setting was the closing of phase one of GFW’s ambitious thrust to establish a local fashion industry.

Over the years, GFW aligned with other causes to engage corporate social responsibility and to utilize fashion as a platform to access new markets. This networking is critical for industry development.

This year, the GFW will pay tribute to the International Year of the Forests while celebrating people of the forest. In addition, the team acknowledges this Year of People of African Descent.

This year, the designers would be treated to work shops in branding; self-esteem building; developing/ presenting collections; finishing; merchandising, and public relations.

These workshops kicked off with an exciting, passionate and inspirational talk with Caribbean fashion guru and connoisseur Richard Young, whose gusto motivated and energised the attendant designers, giving new perspective to the responsibility of Guyanese designers to influence the Caribbean aesthetic.

The workshops are reportedly being anticipated with bated breath. The GFW team is delighted by this initiative, as it offers a creative means for the girls from Tiger Bay to show their talents and abilities.

GFW Five (5) will be launched in grand style at the Conference Centre of Princess Hotel on Sunday 24th July.