'Island Breeze' for CFW

Garfene Grandison, Gleaner Writer

The essence of the Caribbean will be unveiled in Kingston in a matter of days as Caribbean Fashionweek (CFW) kicks off on June 7.

South Caicos native head designer and pro-prietor of Saint George Fashion House, Kazz Forbes, will be debuting his 'Island Breeze' 2013 resort collection. Notwithstanding his fashion designer title, Forbes is also a noted fashion and commercial photographer from Providenciales Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI). He has completed numerous campaigns and projects for Digicel TCI, TCI Top Model competition and Fashion Extravaganza, Alicia Shulman Jewel NYC, VH1 Save The Music Foundation, Miss Earth Canada Organisation, Miss Bahamas Pageant, Miss Turks & Caicos Universe, and Montreal Mode and Fashion Festival, just to name a few.

Forbes will be celebrating his first year in the fashion industry since last year's fashion week debut in Manhattan. Last year's showcase, 'Le Caicos Chic; A Romance with Decadence', was his first collection to hit the runway at Caribbean International Fashion Week in New York.

rookie year

His upcoming showcase is also a celebration of Forbes' first year in the world of fashion since his debut last year. Speaking to Today, Forbes noted, "I am honoured to be showcasing at Caribbean Fashionweek for more than one reason. The more profound reasons are that I will be the first to represent my country, Turks and Caicos Islands, at Caribbean Fashionweek, and there is magic in the date I will showcase."

This is the exact date that he showcased his first collection in New York last year (June 8). Forbes revealed that his latest collection is inspired by the breathtaking beauty of the Turks and Caicos Islands. He boasts of the quality of light in the Turks and Caicos Islands, the sun, sand and sea, the blue of the moonlight and the light of the days. "I go to the beach often, and there I try not just to see, but to feel the beauty of the environment. In my collection I have tried to reproduce that feeling," he explains of his upcoming collection.

One of the region's largest and internationally recognised fashion event spearheaded by Pulse Investment Ltd, the event features the Caribbean's best designers based in the world's major markets, international designers from around the world, and top supermodels.