Grammy Award winner Estelle and Brian McKnight set to perform at Caribbean Fashionweek 2012

Estelle

Caribbean Fashionweek, the Caribbean’s premier fashion and style event will celebrate its 12th year at the National Indoor Sports Centre, Kingston, Jamaica, June 7-11. Grammy award winning UK songstress Estelle, whose ‘American boy’ hit made her a global star, recently released her fourth studio album ‘All of me’ and is currently on a European tour, has been confirmed as one of the exciting acts set to perform at this year’s event which has attracted the likes of Kelly Rowland, Eve, Nia Long, Joe and many other stars in past years. Platinum recording artist Brian McKnight will also perform.

Brian McKnight

A plethora of exciting designers from across the Caribbean including Cedella Marley, daughter of reggae legend Bob Marley, who has been busy designing a collection of Jamaica Olympic team gear for Puma, will debut her new swimwear collection High Tide, whilst the talented designer Tigerlily, whose host of celebrity fans include Keira Knightly, will showcase their collections to an audience filled with Caribbean fashion industry who’s who and aspiring stylistas.   

Other highlights of Caribbean Fashionweek 2012 include supermodel and Karl Lagerfeld muse Jeneil Williams and face of Ralph Lauren Oraine Barrett who recently made a cameo appearance with Rihanna in her ‘ Man down’ video, returning to grace the catwalk.

Supermodel Jeneil Williams in Shelniel at CFW

European and African industry heavyweights such as Federico Poletti of Vogue Italia, David Pun Buying Director of Harvey Nichols, Toccara Jones winner of America’s Next Top Model and star of TV One / Donald Trump’s The Ultimate Merger, Stefan Seigal of Not Just a Label, Giorgia Catarini of Italian Glamour are expected to attend. Confirmed UK designers for CFW include emerging designer Jhaniel Smith and CFW fave and Vogue designer Gavin Douglas.

Caribbean Fashionweek takes another giant step forward in 2012, as Pulse, who produce Caribbean Fashionweek redoubles its efforts to take Caribbean fashion to a place of enhanced respect, recognition and profit, at the centre of world fashion. This initiative continues to be executed in partnership with Caribbean stakeholders, including the Caribbean Export Development Agency, the Caribbean Fashion Industry Association, the Jamaica Tourist Board, various related Governmental and non-Governmental agencies, as well as other regional stakeholders and industry professionals.

CFW is the largest, most far reaching and strategically important fashion event in the region. Pulse has developed an event of a high international standard to showcase the best of the Caribbean’s designers, as well as other world regarded stylists from various parts of the globe. Approximately 50 designers from 20 countries participate each year. The CFW Business Forum, Exhibition, superstar concert performances, supermodels, after parties, tours and fabulous experiences will all continue in 2012.

Since its inception in 2001, Caribbean Fashionweek has been the main catalyst for Caribbean fashion industry development. An ambitious project, CFW has brought the world of fashion to the region, as it seeks to focus international attention on what the Caribbean has to offer, while, at the same time, working with stakeholders to build capacity and generate business for Caribbean stylists.

In the process CFW designers have been featured in Vogue, The Associated Press, The Independent, The Sunday Times, Fashion TV Paris, Italian Vogue, The Guardian, The New York Times, i-D, The BBC and a host of other media around the world. The event has received a number of awards and has been recognized by no less an entity than British Vogue, as an important new development in world fashion.

The challenge remains to effectively assist our Caribbean designers in their efforts to build their businesses, so that they can take full advantage of the marketing that the event creates, utilize the experience gained, the international press generated, the buyers’ marketplace provided and the Business Forums presented: in short the full CFW experience. Fashionweek continues this process in 2012.