Fashion week 2001. - File PRIVATE SECTOR support for Caribbean Fashionweek (CFW), Pulse's international fashion marketplace for Caribbean designer-wear, scheduled for November 7-10, increased notably this year over 2001.
Of the $30 million it took to put on the event in 2002, the Government of Jamaica through JAMPRO, the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) and international donor agencies, including the European Union's Trade Development Project,
Business Assistance Scheme (EBAS) and the Caribbean Export Development Agency, contributed more than two-thirds.
Private sector interests, through cash and services, along with Pulse, covered the other one-third of the costs. Private sector contribution to the cash component of the support package for the event amounted to 5 per cent.
In 2002 private sector support represents more than 45 per cent of a budget reduced by more than 20 per cent of last year's figure. Pulse is therefore forced to stage the event more efficiently this year. Ironically, CFW is now attracting much more international interest than it did prior to it's inauguration in 2001.
This year funding has been tight and changes in donor agency rules and programmes have made it difficult to access funding. However strong support has been forthcoming from Jampro and the JBDC, through the former Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Technology. Co- chairmen of the Steering Committee for this year's event is the Hon. Aloun N'dombet Assamba, the new Minister of Industry and Tourism and former Minister of State in the Industry Commerce and Technology Ministry and Kingsley Cooper of Pulse. However there has been a sharp increase in support from the private sector through such companies as Digicel, Clairol and Smirnoff, all eyeing the wider Caribbean market with a view to branding their products as "fashionable."
Another positive development for CFW has been Pulse's Caribbean Fashion Weekly TV show hosted by Kimberly Mais and Lois Samuels and now being broadcast on TVJ in Jamaica, TTT in Trinidad & Tobago and CBC in Barbados. Later, the programme will be carried to 22 Caribbean countries through the CMC and cable channels in America and Europe. This television show has opened up opportunities for marketing fashion, beauty and lifestyle products regionally. The programme it is hoped will bring exposure to top Caribbean designers.
Locally, companies such as Heineken and Nestle's Svelty have taken the opportunity to ally their brands to this fashion/lifestyle programme, other sponsors include Proctor & Gamble and Digicel.
Also of interest for Caribbean Fashionweek is the support being offered to Caribbean designers by the governments of Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados through TIDCO and BIDC respectively. These governments endorse Caribbean Fashionweek as a major booster for the region's fashion industry and are providing support for their designers who want to participate. Designers from both these countries will participate this year, in addition to other Caribbean countries. US based designers of Caribbean origin will also participate. Next year the event will be opened to non-Caribbean designers as well and in that regard such well known fashion houses Gucci, Phat Farm, Karl Kani and Calvin Klein are expected to send representatives to Jamaica for CFW.
