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Sonia Noel for Caribbean Fashion Ambassador Award from USVI

Sonia Noel
Sonia Noel

Guyana Fashion Weekend is less that a month away and designer Sonia Noel excitement is evident. This Caribbean fashion designer has even more reason to be excited because she will be receiving a Caribbean Fashion Ambassador Award from USVI Fashion Weekend. This two(2) days glamorous event will be on the 8th and 9th of October at the prestigious Frenchmen’s Reef Resort on the beautiful St Thomas USVI. Noel was describe by the CEO of USVI Fashion Week Henry Marshram as a phenomenal woman and an inspiration to many including himself. The launch was held in New York on July 29th, and the CEO of GFW Fashion was given the opportunity to tell the audience about Guyana Fashion Weekend(GFW) and Guyana.

“To be acknowledged out of my country for my contribution not only to the fashion industry in Guyana is an amazing feeling and it propels me to do even more in the future because I know we in the Caribbean have something special to offer the world in fashion”

A small contingent of models and designers from GFW will be joining her on the catwalk to promote the tremendous talent we possessed her with in Guyana. Most promising designers of GFW 2008 “Marcia De Santos”, most promising designer of 2010 “Nelsion Nurse”, Winners of 2010 Model Search “Steven Bagot”, Alana Pheonix and designer “Paul Burnett” will be the GFW team in USVI.

‘I am so excited to have the contingent from Guyana to the Virgin Islands for this years fashion week “Caribbean Catwalk” and we welcome them. This is what I want to see more of as it is my goal to help and promote the free movement of fashion professional in the region to promote their line and to network and build a bridge so we all can cross and unite as one in the fashion industry. I believe that designers, models, stylist and other fashion industry professionals are talented and have a lot to show to the world. This year Virgin Islands Fashion Week(VIFW) will be presenting two awards, and as the Founder/CEO of VIFW I have been involved in fashion for more than ten years and also following what’s happening in the industry in the Caribbean. I am please to announce that the “Caribbean Fashion Ambassador” award will be presented to Ms. Sonia E Noel of Guyana for her outstanding work and contribution in the Caribbean and particularly the US Virgin Islands in the area of fashion.

This is a well deserving award and on behalf of the the people of the US Virgin Islands I congratulate Sonia Noel and we look forward to having you this year to bestow this honour upon you. The award will be presented by the Governor of the US Virgin Islands Mr. J.P De Joung at the opening of the 2nd showing of the Caribbean Catwalk on Sunday October 9th at the host hotel Marriott Frenchmans Reef Resort.

Sonia Noel is the 1st Caribbean designer to be invited to Brown University in Rhode Island to give a presentation on Caribbean fashion duringCaribbean Heritage month. She also received the Shabeau Magazine Award in 2007 and the GMSA presented her with an award last November for significantly raising the bar in the local fashion design industry. She was also awarded for initiating a process for accelerating cross border services trade in the fashion business. In addition, Noel recently celebrated one year anniversary of her popular TV Show “Diatribe”.

Noel is also looking forward to attend the Caribbean China Economic Forum next week in Trinidad. October and November will be busy months for this Guyanese leading lady apart from her participation in USVI she will be in Trinidad for a four day fashion event at the Hyatt, Caribbean Top Model Fashion Show in Tobago, Caribbean Fashion against AIDS” on the island of St. Eustatius and Antigua Fashion Week. In November she and her team will be hosting an appetite for fashion fusing the food and fashion in Guyana.

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Guyana Fashion Weekend plans begin with designer auditions

Sonia Noel and a ModelTaking Guyana’s fashion to the world

Fresh back from showcasing her new world Sonia Noel Resort line in Tobago and her Mariska’s line with shades of pink in support of breast cancer awareness Sonia Noel is now focused on Guyana Fashion Weekend 2010.

The ever busy designer told this publication that all focus is now set on making the 2010 even grander than in years past. “Guyana Fashion Weekend is set for Oct 30 and 31 at The Pegasus Hotel and will feature designers from Guyana as well as international designers and some from the Caribbean.

As a prelude, registration for hopeful local designers to the event commences on Tuesday June 15 and ends on Saturday. This is the word from GFW CEO Sonia Noel as she encourages new designers to present sketches and one or two complete pieces during the period at her Silhouette showroom Barr Street Kitty at the former Rayon House of Fashion building.  She also let up that among the lot of designers will be Guyana Born Diaspora based designers.

After showcasing her creations on many Caribbean catwalks, Sonia Noel’s first fashion weekend show was staged in August of 2007 and has since been staged at the Buddies Hotel, the Georgetown Cricket Club Ground. The event normally features regional and international designers as well as models. This year’s event will feature as special focus on Breast Cancer awareness. Meanwhile the Search for Guyana’s next top model male, female and full figured and chef is soon to climax. Noel can be contacted on 226-3099.

By Mondale Smith

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GFW spokesperson showcases new jewelry line in New York

Hollywood actress ANNA MARIA HORSFORD who is the Spokesperson for Guyana Fashion Weekend is a part of a special art exhibition in honour of Women’s History Month, currently housed at the Renaissance Fine Art Gallery in New York City.

Anna’s exotic jewelry collection is among the fashion accessories as art displayed along with seven other noted female artists.

The opening took place on March 12, and drew a wide cross section of luminaries who came out to see the exhibit which is entitled `Girl Talk: Narratives by eight women Artists.’

Anna is currently featured in a popular movie titled `Our Family Wedding’ with Forest Whittaker, America Ferreira, Regina King and Lance Gross. She is popularly known for her roles as Thelma in the legendary television sitcom `Amen’ and as Dee in `The Wynan’s Brothers Television Show.’

Anna was in Guyana where she showcased her jewellery in 2008 and is expected to be here again for this year’s Guyana Fashion Weekend in October. She is happy with the new jewellery installation and said creating jewellery is an extension of her talents.

For the `Girl Talk’ exhibition, Anna showcased pieces that were cleverly displayed as wearable art. She named each piece after a movie or television show that she has appeared in. One of her signature pieces entitled: `The Shield’ is an elaborate necklace fashioned from Pewter, Electroplated Gold leaves and crystal stones was lavishly displayed on a large square mirror.

`The Guiding Light’ a necklace created from Swarovski crystals on silver plated circles adorned a mannequin.

“I am an art collector and a jewellery lover,” said the actress during the opening reception. “It’s all a part of adorning oneself. Adorning yourself tells the world who you are. I create each piece so the wearer demands attention. My jewellery is not for someone who does not want to be seen or simple at heart.”

Anna, who was born in New York to Caribbean parents from Antigua and the Dominican Republic, explained: “My fascination with glamour started at a very early stage in my life. Dressing up was my permanent state of mind, I loved glamour and wanted to feel that way all the time.

“At 18 years old, I bought a muskrat coat and dyed it to look like mink. I put $25 down and gave the furrier $10 a week until the entire $250 was paid. I became what I know I was supposed to be: a Harlem glamour girl.

“I never stopped playing dress up and I didn’t need a special occasion to do it. I never had the fear of over-dressing. If I was the only one with layers of jewelry and furs at a house party, I pretended I had another stop to make before I went home and that party demanded I came `dressed-up’…..

“We all have stories to tell. My jewelry will get the conversation started.”