Tradition meets fashion
—Indigenous Fashion Designers participate in workshop
DPI, Guyana, Wednesday, December 11, 2019
‘The Indigenous Fashion Industry could be big business in Guyana.” This view was expressed by Minister within the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples Affairs Hon. Valerie Garrido-Lowe as she opened a three-day workshop for local Indigenous fashion designers on Tuesday.
The training exercise which falls under the purview of the National Toshaos Council is being facilitated by internationally recognised Indigenous designer Angela DeMontigny with support from the Canadian High Commission.
It provides an opportunity for the local stylists to build their fashion skills and entrepreneurial capacities better equipping them to tap into the wider fashion market.
Minister Garrido-Lowe noted that there is scope for local Indigenous designers. “Fashion is part of who you are,” she told the participants. “Fashion is something natural to human beings, and as we progress, we change our fashion, we look at the environment, at the weather, the forest, the birds, the flowers, all these elements.”
Noting that Guyana is opening up especially with the advent of oil production, she opined that the local designers could see their pieces being worn by models on international catwalks. “My dream is to see Indigenous fashion design grow so much that people will be modelling your designs internationally. That’s where you should aim,” she noted
Meanwhile, Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana H.E. Lilian Chatterjee said the workshop offers a unique opportunity for the two countries to share and honour the unique heritage of their First Peoples through fashion.
“This is not only about culture, this about providing economic opportunities for Indigenous people by drawing on your heritage,” she said.
Ambassador Chatterjee noted that the exercise is a further opportunity to discuss of how Indigenous designs can contribute to a sustainable future and a thriving business and how communication, technology and manufacturing within the fashion industry might be harnessed to support economic endeavours. “Guyana has made good progress in promoting entrepreneurship of its Indigenous people,” she remarked.
Toshao Mario Hastings representing the NTC said the council is grateful for the support received and urged the participants to make full use of the opportunity to improve their products.