Africa lauds Caribbean Fashionweek

Caribbean Fashionweek will celebrate nine years in June and the Pulse produced, regional fashion spectacle has garnered high accolades from media across the globe.

The Paris based Fashion TV, British Vogue, the New York Times and the Caribbean's best media outlets have all paid homage to CFW. Now, the Gold Coasts' official authority on popular afro-centric trends in Africa and the UK has joined the chorus in celebrating the Caribbean's most important fashion event.

In its most recent edition, Oh Yes Magazine, with distribution in Ghana, Gambia, Nigeria and the UK hails CFW "as a "stunning presentation of Caribbean design, fashion and street style".

The eight page spread featuring some of Pulse's top international models Jaunel Mckenzie, Oraine Barrett, Jeneil Williams, Carla Campbell, Nell Robinson, Kimanee Wilson and Gaye McDonald highlights the stunning collections on show at the event. CFW staple and Jamaican designer Mutamba, as well as the New York based Rebel Clothing were the 'toasts of the [2008] fashion collections' quips Oh Yes' publisher Patrick McCarthy, "Brooklyn's Rebel stacked different Africa prints into lovely tiered dresses while Mutamba's hand painted tribal garments struck impressive fashion chords. The dominant use of African themes in their collections was simply inspiring".

Africa's daughter of high style, Deola Sagoe along with CFW newbie Nkwo boasting signature silhouettes are boldly represented on the oversized pages of the magazine. No doubt inspired by their mother land, the editors speaks highly of two: "Nkwo's designs were extremely unique - free spirited garbs fused with African influence," says the editor, "Her counterpart Sagoe also produces a new and exciting style of African garb, merging afro-centric sensibilities with a broadly commercial appeal." Africa's press is no doubt keyed into the Caribbean, the new hub of fashion whose presence and power in world market cannot be ignored.

With over 50 collections on show annually, CFW welcomes some of the best representatives from every major fashion port in the world alongside the finest design talent in the region. The event's main thrust is to promote and facilitate fashion industry development however; it also provides high entertainment value for its global audience and welcomes celebrities from the music and film industries. Vanessa Williams, Eve and Nia Long have graced the Caribbean Fashionweek runways.

CFW, the Caribbean's largest fashion fair has grown and expanded significantly and the event has been a solid focal point for the convergence of a myriad of cultural fashion influences. The world has come to recognise this and a large cadre of other media outlets have stood up and taken note. Among them are The New York Daily News, The Associated Press (AP), Black Entertainment Television (BET), Fashion Wire Daily (North America); Luire (Asia); British Vogue, British Broadcasting Commission (BBC), The Independent and i-D Magazine (London). Caribbean Fashionweek takes place June 10-15 in Kingston Jamaica.

Source: Jamaica Observer