#SupportCreativity
GUYANA’S own Ryan Berkeley has joined the list of local personalities who have been nominated for awards at the upcoming 2017 Caribbean Style and Culture Showcase.
The event is scheduled to be held on Saturday June 17 at the Silver Spring Civic Center in the heart of downtown Silver Spring, Maryland.

Along with Natasha Harper, who is nominated for the Model of the Year Award, Berkeley will be considered from a list of several Caribbean designers for the coveted Award of Excellence-Fashion Innovation 2017.
Last year, Guyana’s Keisha Edwards was the recipient of this award, having been chosen among several other Caribbean designers.
This year’s prize will be awarded to one of 12 designers from St. Vincent & The Grenadines, British Virgin Islands, Trinidad & Tobago, Guyana, Suriname.
INCREASING ATTENTION
Berkeley’s work has been gaining increasing attention in the past years. Among his accolades is winning the Upcoming Designer of the Year Award at Guyana Fashion Week 2011, just one year after he made his debut on the local fashion scene.
Ryan grew up always hearing the sound of the sewing machine at work in his home, and took to the art of expression at just nine years old by resorting to drawing and colouring at school.
It was his ability to casually outshine his peers in these a

nd other artistic areas that hinted that his knack for the creative world was natural.
Professionally, he admits he was at first interested in studying medicine, but it was his artistic side that won the battle eventually. He then turned to dance, and after dancing with the Lets Dance Studio for a while, he decided to explore his other creative talents.
FASHION DEBUT
In 2010, he made his debut in local fashion industry as a contestant on a local television show, where he captured audiences far and wide with his unique sense of style and ability. With one year’s experience, he was given the task of creating his own line. He went on to complete runway shows, including the prestigious fashion event, Designer/Stylist Portfolio, where he shared the stage with other prominent local designers.

He later joined the Burrowes School of Art, graduating in 2013 at the top of his class. As a fashion creator and trendsetter, resourceful in finding contemporary ways of incorporating everyday life necessities and resourceful elements into his designs, Ryan intends to broaden the mindset of Guyanese, so that fashion may become a lifestyle in Guyana.
In 2012, he participated in Mission Catwalk, a fashion reality series created by Jamaican fashion designer Keneea Linton-George aimed at discovering and developing new talent.
The Kingston-based show tests the creativity and skill of each contestant through various challenges.