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THE Islands of the World Fashion week ended with a bang. The gala event brought participants full circle to the Imperial Ballroom at Atlantis, Paradise Island where the closing ceremonies were held. For celebrity judges, Nole Marin, Susan Stein, and Alphaldi, next year’s IWFW is just too far away.
“I think we have underestimated this kind of thing for the Bahamas,” said Alphaldi, “and I think it is very important for a country such as this to promote its models and to promote fashion.”
For Nolé Marin, the experience with the IWFW was a very exciting experience and one that he will want to enjoy at next years showcase.
“Honestly it has just been an honor and a pleasure to be down here and I think this is the beginning of greater things to come in fashion for the Bahamas,” he said.” The judging was very hard, but I think we did our best in judging each designer’s creation which in my opinion worked out fine.”
Director and Representative of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Caribbean arm, S. t. Kwame Boafo, was also present at the closing reception. Calling the first Fashion Week a success, Boafo said that he’s optimistic about the future of Fashion Week in The Bahamas.
“To me what is most important is bringing the fashion designers from different countries together to share ideas and experiences,” said Boafo. “I think this is something that will grow as time progresses and I am glad that this is the first of something that will not be the last.”
But the evening was perhaps most rewarding for Tami B Designs creator Tamiko Brown of St. Vincent & The Grenadines. Brown took home top prizes in two of the five categories judged throughout the week, the Next Gen designer award and Culture & Fashion award.
“I am still shocked and quite surprised because I have only been doing this for about four months,” admitted Brown. “I am new to the Caribbean so I used all the different colors of the islands to represent the different people of the Caribbean,” she said with a wide smile.
The 32-year-old hails from Maryland, U.S. A. and is married to a native of St. Vincent. The couple recently moved back to the island in August.
With the first IWFW deemed a success in the minds of designers, judges, models and fashion buffs alike, it’s hoped by many that next year’s showcases highlight much more of what Island nations have to offer the world through the eyes of fashion.