From:TheBahamasWeekly.com

Islands of the World Fashion Week
(VIDEO) Islands of the World Fashion Week 2009 - Night 1
By IWFW
Nov 17, 2009 - 9:45:23 PM

     


     


Nassau, Bahamas -  Islands of the World Fashion Week in November, 2008, is underway running from 5th – 7th November, 2009 in Nassau and Paradise Island, The Bahamas, once again.

Above is a commentary VIDEO from Night One which included "The Muse" Model Search selection; the Next Generation designer showcase; the Eco-Fashion and Culture Fashion showcase; and the fashions of visiting American Designer, Leanne Marshall. You will also see photos of the after party which was held at The Balmoral Club, and hosted by the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism.

In this commentary you will hear from editor of The Bahamas Weekly, Robbin Whachell with Lyndah Wells, photographer for The Bahamas Weekly;  the president of IWFW, Owen Bethel; The Muse model-search winners, Curaçao native, Giovara Geertriuda, and Bahamas' own Kendrick Kemp; and vice president of IWFW and producer of the show, Thomas Frenez.


Enclosed are photos from Night One taken by photographer Lyndah Wells which included "The Muse" Model Search selection; the Next Generation designer showcase; the Eco-Fashion and Culture Fashion showcase; and the fashions of visiting American Designer, Leanne Marshall. You will also see photos of the after party which was held at The Balmoral Club, and hosted by the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism. View other PHOTO HIGHLIGHTS HERE.

       
Stay tuned for more  of The Bahamas Weekly's upcoming video productions!



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Giovara Geertriuda and Bahamian Kendrick Kemp won The Muse Models of the Year. The two winning models stand with Owen Bethel, Mode Isles Ltd. Photo: Lyndah Wells


 

Muse Model Search Competition sets a positive tone for IWFW 2009; Bahamas, Curaçao take titles
by Reva Sharma


The grand finale of the Muse Model Search Competition, sponsored by Mode  Ltd. in conjunction with Models 242 International, marked the launch of the second edition of Islands of the World Fashion Week (IWFW).

The competition began in September with its first casting call. Dozens of applicants submitted portfolios in hopes of being chosen. In the end it came down to seven females and eight males representing eight Caribbean islands including Antigua, The Bahamas, Barbados, Curaçao, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Nevis and Trinidad.

Judging the event were fashion veterans Susan Stein, Louis Sarmiento publisher of IMG Fashion DAILY Magazine, modeling industry VIP Wayne Sterling, Bobby Roche and Kirk Brown.
 
After one week of rigorous challenges and preparation, the models strutted down the runway to give their best final impressions before the winners were announced. The Female Model of the Year was awarded to Curaçao native, Giovara Geertruida, who was sincerely humbled by the event.


“I am so honored,” Geertriuda gushed after walking down the runway in a bold orange dress. “There were so many amazing girls here.”

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Curaçao native, Giovara Geertruida and Bahamian Kendrick Kemp won The Muse Models of the Year. Photo: Lyndah Wells

Bahamian Kendrick Kemp snagged the title of Male Model of the Year, standing out as the only male model that took his crisp white jacket off during his walk. Kemp later said that he had been modeling for four years and was now trying to break back into the Bahamian modeling scene.

Both Geertruida and Kemp will both receive a grand prize of $10,000 in addition to their titles and other prizes.

Just as IWFW was created for designers in developing island states, the Muse Model Search Competition is meant to provide the finalists with opportunities in the fashion industry that they might not have come across otherwise. The winners will not only get the chance to participate in the IWFW runway shows, but they will also able to travel in the promotional tour of designers under the IWFW label.
 
“When we think of a muse,” said Mark Humes, chief executive of Models 242 International, “we think of anything that can inspire us. This is what we want our models to be – an inspiration to the fashion industry. We would like for the designers to be able to see them and be inspired by their looks; we would like to have a magazine see them and be inspired. We’d like to see photographers see them and be inspired.”

These sentiments stroke the heart of this competition, which will no doubt inspire future models and give rise to a new generation of high fashion models from developing island nations. The hope is that they will gain international recognition and have opportunities to sign international contracts outside of the competition. The hope for next year is to expand the search to other island states globally, beyond the Caribbean.


Special recognition will be given to the work of designers in the areas of Sustainable Eco-Fashion and Culture & Fashion , with the selection of the recipients of the distinguished awards in the respective categories. The NextGen Designer Award , the Seals of Excellence , and the Humanitarian Designer Award will continue to be special features of the award-winning Islands of the World Fashion Week in 2009.


Endorsed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) based in Paris, France, the themes of the environment and climate change, cultural diversity, the education of youth in HIV/AIDS, and poverty alleviation will be highlighted throughout the Week, along with the initiatives of the charitable arm of the event, the Small Island States Foundation (SISF).

Visit our Designer Gallery to view images of the designs presented at the premiere launch of Islands of the World Fashion Week in November, 2008.

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www.IslandsFashionWeek.com

See the 'Who’s Who' of Fashion Design at Islands of the World Fashion Week

Islands of the World Fashion Week to Launch with MODEL SEARCH Competition‏

Islands of the World Fashion Week - Runway to November

VIEW all the articles from IWFW 2008 HERE



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