By Tamica Garnett

IT was only a “sneak peek” of what’s to come, but a number of the designs at Friday evening’s 2016 Guyana Fashion Week launch were just enough to leave patrons anticipating what’s to come when the actual fashion show goes down in November.Held at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre at Liliendaal, spectators were treated to the designs of over 20 of a total of 40 Guyanese designers who will be contributing to the Guyana Fashion Week.

The event, which was organised by fashion icon Sonia Noel, in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, featured the designs of a number of newcomers to the Guyana Fashion Week runway.
With over 20 designers and limited time, most were allotted no more than six pieces so as to give the audience an idea of what more was in store for them come this November.

RICH, ECLECTIC CULTURE
In keeping with the theme of the ‘Jubilee’ festivities, a number of the designers took the opportunity to showcase pieces which embraced Guyana’s rich, eclectic culture in their designs.
Neilson Nurse’s “Flag Fantasy”, “Born Free” by Audrey Calendar, and the Tandika Favourite’s ensemble were just some of the designs that were all about adding that Golden Arrowhead flair to modern style, while Sherice Daniels’s “Indigenous”, Stacy Angoy’s “Afro Curry”, and pieces by Trinidad-based Guyanese Subhan Badal also gave a modern-day twist to ethnic pieces.
Sonia Noel’s “Golden Jubilee” was self-explanatory. The collection included pieces such as T-shirts featuring the 50th Independence Anniversary logo, catering for those shopping around for clothing for the ongoing independence celebrations.
By far the two most original and enticing collections of the night were Mwanza Glen’s “Lady Madam”, and Melissa Payne’s “On the Edge.” Also a make-up artist and model, Payne herself donned one of her pieces and had a whale of a time showing it off.
Said to be one of the next “It designers,” Glen showcased pieces he described as “sophisticated, sensuous, sultry and stunning.”

Glen was also not to be left out of incorporating national pride into his collection. His final number, which made quite an impression on the crowd, was a stunning two-piece which included a feathered headpiece that also paid tribute to the National Standard.
LASTING IMPRESSION
Speaking of things that impressed the crowd, the cute and sassy children models who donned pieces from the “Horizon” collection by Sandbox designs, enthused the crowd as they vibrantly displayed their pieces.
Nonetheless, not all of the designs were impressive, and some of the designers would do well to use the next few months to work on their art and come out booming with more original pieces later this year, when they are expected to display some 18 pieces.
All in all, it was a good show, which also did well to integrate other artistic forms such as singing, dancing, and poetry reading. Speaking after the show, Noel shared that she was pleased with what was put on for the launch, and looks forward to seeing what more the designers have to offer come November.
She noted that Fashion Week, which is in its seventh year, is all about giving the designers a platform to display their art; their talent.
“When I sat there and looked at so many young designers who are super talented… “And to think that we have so much talent here in Guyana… and it’s just the platform, and the resources to get them to the next level,” she said, adding:
“There is so much brain power that goes into those outfits that you see… some with more details than others. This is why we provide this platform, to give them that boost.

“They have so many months more to prepare; this was just a taste of what they have. So they have months now to build on that on their story, every collection tells a story.”
According to Noel, patrons can expect another preview of the designs in the weeks leading up to Fashion Week.