April 18th 2019. New York City, N.Y.: Organizers of the Islands of the World Fashion Showcase (IWFS) have announced the designers selected to participate in the event’s Tenth Anniversary Celebration to be hosted in New York City on May 15th. The event, endorsed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific & Cultural Organization (UNESCO) since its inception in 2008, is an initiative to give island-based talent in the fashion industry exposure to the international trade, retailers, and media. This is the first time that the production will be staged in New York.

Owen Bethel, principal producer, states that “while in the past we have had specific tours and presentations of select designers in cities such as Chicago, Palm Springs, and Miami, we chose to celebrate the Tenth Anniversary in New York as the city embodies several aspects of the event’s primary mission and objective. This show represents the growth of the event as a catalyst for fashion designers from developing islands, and affords them the opportunity to present to the fashion trade and media, and the international diplomatic corps located in one of the most important fashion capitals of the world.

Designers based in or with origins in the island-nations or territories around the globe will be featured in the historic venue of 4 West 43rd Street in a mosaic of fashion, art and culture, presenting creations from resort and urban to red carpet and destination bridal fashions. Since its inception in 2008 the event has been hosted in Nassau, Bahamas, and featured 75 designers representing 18 island-nations and territories and 3 non-island countries. The designers selected to present at the New York event have shown themselves ready for a global commercial presence. In this regard, Mr. Bethel states that “we are pleased to have Nadya from Indonesia, Persida Louison and Murielle Leconte from Haiti, Anthea Bullard and Renaldo Geumm Johnson from The Bahamas, Greg Williams from Barbados, and designs by Brynda Knowles of The Bahamas and Gihan Ediriweera of Sri Lanka under the collaborative label of ExÎles. Each of the designers will also present a special couture garment inspired by the works of a local artist in a unique segment titled ‘Haute Art Couture’”.

For more information please visit the website, www.islandsfashionweek.com, or email info@islandsfashionweek.com. Telephone contact: 1-242-601-3633.