This year what was formerly the Guyana Fashion Weekend (GFW) has now been transformed into the first ever Guyana Fashion Week event that will showcase an entire week of festivities, according to GFW CEO, Sonia Noel.

Speaking at a press conference on Friday at  Hermanston Lodge, Peter Rose and Anira Streets, Queenstown, Noel noted that this year the newly-initiated event will be even more glitzy and glamorous than ever.
And aspiring designers who are very talented, but not yet quite ready for the runway will also have a chance to shine since Noel and her team have created a special programme that will highlight their work at this year’s Guyana Fashion Week.
To date, eight such designers have been shortlisted and were selected from areas like Georgetown, Linden, Bartica, and Berbice.
Thanking the media for attending the press conference, Noel explained that the GFW has grown since its initial launch in 2007 and is indeed garnering lots of international attention. She said that although this is the sixth leg of the event, her committee envisions the time when GFW will celebrate one hundred years of ‘fashion splendor’.
Noel noted that this year the GFW body will also be focusing on the culinary arts, even as she emphasised that come Sunday at the official launch  at Hermanston Lodge, the location will be transformed into a ‘glitzy haven’ showcasing apparel made from butter and chocolates, and accentuated by stunning models and mannequins.
At the press conference, Noel was quite excited about the vibes being generated by projects related to  the event. She said that discipline has been a key factor instilled in models this year.
Representing  Giftland OfficeMax (a corporate sponsor) was Marketing Manager Compton Babb who noted that his company was pleased to be associated with the event. He said that the GFW naturally grabs the attention of the general public, which dictates its positive drive in society.
Babb said that his company is highly fashion-oriented, and in many cases it shares the same goals as the GFW. He hailed the budding designers for their strengths and assured that his company will  pave the way for them to be recognised.  He also took the opportunity to promote Giftland’s LA Color Fragrance and Makeup line which is the official makeup  of the GFW this year.
GFW Artistic Director, Richard Younge indicated that he is very thrilled to have been working with the GFW team over the years, noting that the event provides space for new growth in the creative, visual, graphic, makeup and photography arts.
Calling the GFW a ‘Caribbean aesthetic with a Guyanese flavour’, Younge commented on the allure surrounding the event, noting that there can be no room for anything ‘limp and unsystematic’ in their presentation. The event was chaired by Russell Lancaster who is also a member of the GFW Committee.
While the official launch of GFW is slated for tomorrow at the Hermamston Lounge, the actual event will be staged from October 20 to 27 at  Rahaman’s Park special events location, Houston, East Bank Demerara.