I WAS fortunate to experience the launch of ‘This is We Style’ hosted by the Tourism Trinidad Limited and participate in Ewa Afrika 2 – Sankofa Style. I have been to Trinidad many times, but this time it was different because I connected with so many people after years, and met some amazing new people and new clients. Carlton DeFour, Robert Young, Dominique LaDonna Dove, Vanessa Forde, Janice Lawrence Clarke, Nigel Eastman, Dr Sefeeya Mohamed and others brought back fond memories.
Sohan Badal volunteered his time to be my assistant for the day and it was great sharing stories about Guyana Fashion week over the years. I was proud of Raul Benji, who is from Guyana on the make-up team and he also assisted me backstage. Looking back over the years, I recognise the Afrocentric influence at GFW, which is something our creative director Richard Young is passionate about. I sensed the same passion when I met Zakiyah Uzoma Wadada, Executive Director, Emancipation Support Committee of Trinidad and Tobago.

The Emancipation Support Committee of Trinidad and Tobago (ESCTT) has outdone itself this year with their African fashion showcase as part of the largest pan-African festival outside of the continent of Africa. Ewa Afrika 2-Sankofa Style was representative of African and Afro-Caribbean creative excellence in fashion design. With a lineup of 26 designers, a cast of over sixty models, and six performing arts luminaries. The presentation was stellar under the masterful creative direction of Richard Young, fashion impresario extraordinaire.

On the heels of the launch of the Trinidad Fashion Festival, ‘Dis is we style’, earmarked by Tourism Trinidad Limited (TTL) to climax next year in May, Ewa Afrika, the brand, would be integrated into the festival seamlessly, alongside the best brands, not only of Trinidad but of the region. With the tagline, “the place to be for the best in Caribbean fashion” TTL promises through its dynamic destination marketing strategy to make Trinidad the region’s fashion hub, welcoming all Caribbean design talent to benefit from the foray of proactive positioning for Caribbean fashion wares.

This year Ewa Afrika, the consummate fashion merchandising brand of ESCTT, welcomed along with 22 Trinbagonian labels, 2 Caribbean brands, yours truly from Guyana and Miranda Askie from Antigua, and two Ghanaian brands, Faustina Ansong of Charisma Fashion and Josephine Hayford of Haylooks Fashion, to celebrate the eclectic melting pot of African influence and Afrocentric inspiration in fashion design that has hit the world by storm.

The Afro-presence is gaining ground and is felt in all the creative arts through Afrobeats, ethnic styling and art direction and the popping Afro-chic that rules the red carpets with its edgy, modern, appealing popularity. Big names in Trinidad fashion, like the Cloth, Heather Jones, Shaun Griffith Perez and DAWW Creations, were on show on suave models, the likes of Athaliah Samuel, Soowan Bramble, Ache Abrahams and Tya Jane Ramey, even featuring Miss World 1986, Giselle La Ronde-West.

I represented the continental Afro-Caribbean style that she brought from Guyana, which from reports, was magnificent. My regal trendy Nubian style unabashedly reflects my recent splendid connections with the motherland. That trip has added so much value to my design concepts and I believe the best is yet to come. My style storyboard spoke to the traditions of our ancestors, the pride in our African Diaspora identity and the hope of our future generations to celebrate the silhouettes, the prints, the notions and the majesty of our cultural confidence.

Ewa Afrika was indeed a prestigious Caribbean event, bringing together regional and Diasporic creatives to acknowledge our similarities but moreover commemorate our differences. The fusion of performing talents, the likes of Vaughnette Bigford, Charmaine Forde, Kyle Hernandez, Wasafoli Performing Company and Caribbean Steelpan Connextions wowed the packed house, 500 plus, at the scenic Garden Theatre, Queen’s Hall, in a most innovative set design, as only Richard Young can craft.

Although I have witnessed the brilliant creative direction of Richard over the years, I am still in awe of this genius. I don’t think we celebrate him enough as the Caribbean Icon he is. I salute you Richard Young as we continue to celebrate this beautiful journey BEYOND THE RUNWAY