IN JUST a few months, 28-year-old local designer Ryan Berkley will make his mark on the international scene while showing his soon-to-be-launched fashion line, Lune Curieux on the renowned stage of Paris’ Black Fashion Week. Black Fashion Week 2016 is scheduled to be held in September 2016, and is a platform that gives opportunities to African and black designers to showcase their designs and share their creativity

with the world on an international stage. It also exposes designers to a wide range of international media and buyers.
The event was founded by Adama Ndiaye, designer of the brand, Adama Paris and is not only a platform for African designers, but also for African and black models.
Ryan’s line, Lune curieux, which means ‘moongazer’, will be launched here in May, and he is currently recruiting models for the occasion.
Among the 10 models he requires, Ryan says that one lucky model will accompany him to Paris to walk in the show.
BEGINNINGS

Ryan’s interest wasn’t always in the arts. In fact, growing up, he admits that he was always interested in medicine, but later realised that it didn’t quite fit his personality.
He then turned to dance, and through dancing with the Let’s Dance Studio, he admits that he became attached to the arts and all it had to offer.
“Then I went up for a competition as a model. But when I saw the designers there, I wasn’t impressed; I felt like I could do better,” he admitted.
Through encouragement from his mother, who he credits with being his biggest motivator, he joined the Burrowes School of Art, and later graduated in 2013 at the top of his class.
Ryan also hopes to attend the renowned Pratt Institute of Art in New York to perfect his skills as a designer, as he is aware that there is much more to be learnt in the trade.
The young designer says that he believes that the local fashion show can be improved, but is also grateful to it, nonetheless, since it is through showing his pieces at Guyana Fashion Week that he made valuable connections.
“I don’t believe that there is a ‘competition’ in designing; it’s a Caribbean mindset that people feel they should beat one another in designing.
“I don’t think like that; and I know a lot of designers, we are all in the same group and we should help each other.
“I’d proudly give advice, because we all do things differently, and approach things differently,” he said.
Ryan has also been invited to show his designs at the French Guiana Fashion Week and Suriname Fashion Week later this year.