Fashion designers are here to stay in Guyana

“I think that there is a bright future for designers in Guyana.” These are the words of Guyanese designer, Carol Fraser, who believes that Guyana possesses the foundation for a thriving fashion industry. “Guyana has the facilities, we just need the resources. We might have to get International help for that [but] we have the platform here that we can bring international fashion designers to Guyana. Also, the platform to bring out our own brand with all that is going on in our economy and the growth of our economy,” Fraser said.

In an interview with the Pepperpot Magazine, Fraser who has been designing for over 30 years, made mention of the fact that if Guyanese Designers are given the platform, materials and the resources to work with, they will pose a challenge to anybody in the world.

Fraser is also confident that Guyana will become a place of fashion but more particularly “Eco-friendly fashion”, using materials that are available to us and that are appropriate for our weather pattern here in Guyana.

DESIGNING FOR THE FUN OF IT
Fraser is of the view that designing in Guyana is seasonal, and as such, if we are going to maintain a quorum of people with a love for the industry, then there must be a market to create sustainability for the art or profession.

“If there is a market and if the market starts to become lucrative, you will find more persons spending more time in their studios because right now people aren’t thinking about fashion, people are thinking about health and wellness,” Fraser told the Pepperpot Magazine.

Carol made it clear that if people approach her with a vested interest in designing, she is more than happy to impart her knowledge and skills to them, because of the fact designing is very expensive profession.
She maintained that in order to remain competitive in the market as a designer, there is a need for diversification until a sustainable financial goal is achieved.

“The people who are crying aren’t people who are creative and see no end in sight. Let us look at the people who are moving forward in the designing industry…[they] are the people who are doing something different, but it isn’t distracting them from their work. They are just ensuring that they earn enough to feed and sustain their families,” Fraser said. The designer began her career in school over 37 years ago, pursuing courses in economics, textile and clothing.

Fraser shared that since she was so influenced and intrigued by fashion at school, she was placed in a responsible person to be in charge of the fashion design segment at the school’s annual First of May school event.
She recalled that she began sewing uniforms for the school having learned from her mother who was a professional seamstress.

“ And I will tell you what those who know me, what I am doing today, is what I was doing since in the 80s, and I have changed, I just keep adding and becoming more creative. I have been sewing, I have been into food and craft since the youthful age of 14, so designing and creating isn’t a job anymore, it isn’t about the money but about the love and satisfaction,” Fraser detailed to the Pepperpot Magazine.

GREATEST DESIRE
Fraser was very enthused to say that one of her desires as a designer is to please and tantalise her audience with something different and unique.
She noted that she puts pressure on herself to stand out because of the fact that she isn’t someone who could be easily impressed. Therefore, she pressures herself to be different.

According to her, most of her inspiration comes from looking at someone else’s hard work on the internet.

WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT
“I am not saying that everyone is perfect, but what I am saying is that this is a different entity altogether. We as designers are unique in our thinking. We take the present into the future and bring the future into the present. Our work solves cultural conflict, just work with us, and we can be shifters in the world,” Fraser told the Pepperpot Magazine.

Fraser spoke these words as a professional who strategises and plans policies for the art and culture associations and industries of this country, thus encouraging them to listen to designers if a revolutionary change and impact is going to be made in Guyana’s culture.