One size does not fit all

This is the theme coined for the upcoming Caribbean Fashion Plus Week which takes place on October 31st to November 4th 2012. Managing Director of Carivog International and Founder/ CEO of  Caribbean Fashion Plus Week Sheanna Alleyne  is indeed passionate about the second installment of the event which was launched last year. With twenty-five years’ experience in the fashion, imaging and beauty culture industry, Alleyne is determined to ‘sound the alarm’ for fully figured women who have been marginalized by society as it relates to fashion. She is keen to point out that she is not berating our local fashion industry, but is simply stating the facts about an untapped facet of it.  “We have been lobbying for size equality for the past 15 years. We started with Miss Big and Beautiful pageant and we continued with seminars and workshops,” she stated.

 

According to the fashion connoisseur, she wanted to have a greater reach in order to build and retain the confidence of fully figured women and decided that hosting a fashion week as the best way to go.  “The global market has changed, however the Caribbean market has stayed the same. Research has shown that over 60 per cent of the population is plus sized so that means that there is a viable market for it,” she added. Alleyne notes in her experience that due to the dearth in fashionable clothing for fully figured women, they are often forced to shop online which starves the local market of potential business. “I understand that it is more demanding for designers to fit the curves of a plus sized woman which is why they usually shy away from it. This means that there is a need to upgrade skills and realise that there is a large market that foreigners are already tapping into” she said. When asked why she is adamant about the plight of the plus-sized community, Alleyne re-iterates the fact that as a Caribbean we are cheating ourselves of viable business from a community that is ever present within the local and regional landscape.  She said poignantly “ I am not down crying anyone but we must ask ourselves, are we are really catering to the true Caribbean body?” Alleyne also highlights the global trend of streamlining sizes where the average sizes have reduced within themselves making it harder to access clothing.

 

Caribbean Fashion Plus Week is hoped to be a watershed for change within the Caribbean fashion industry for the fully figured market. From the buzz that this event has already created, it is well on its way to be a mega success. The main location for the event will be Cascadia Hotel; however there are different locations for other events that would be taking place. Alleyne revealed that each day has its own theme namely “Pan in Style” which focuses on resort wear and carnival designs and “Fabrics” which is a photoshoot centred around the display of various fabrics and accessories. The other themes will be announced in due course. Caribbean Fashion Plus Week has also sought the participation of both local and international models. There was a casting call for local models who are currently engaged in a free six week training process carried out by the experts at Carivog International. The graduates will then have their debut at an exhibition event on August 19th at the Cascadia Hotel. Select graduate models will be chosen to strut their stuff on the runway during fashion week. Experienced international models who have participated in New York fashion week and other elite shows around the world are also clamouring to be part of this highly anticipated event. Models from as far as London and Italy are being screened to participate and there will be 16 local and international designers/retailers who would be taking part. According to the fashion guru, a major media house from Venezuela will be involved in the project and suggests that this event could create a new concept of “fashion tourism” within the Caribbean. For more information on Caribbean Fashion Plus Week, please call 764-5473 or check out their facebook page of the same name.