Founder of Summer Sizzle BVI, Terry T. Donovan urged designers of a workshop he coordinated to step out of the box and follow their hearts. Photo: VINO

The designers workshop in session at Mariners Inn, Wickham's Cay II on July 15, 2016. Photo: VINO

Insider’s Guide to the World of Fashion and Photography at Mariner Inn’s Conference room in Wickham's Cay, Tortola on Friday July 15, 2016. Photo: VINO

That message was echoed from several speakers, including that of Founder of Summer Sizzle BVI, Terry T. Donovan, who said, “It takes a lot of courage to step outside the box.” He continued, “When I was growing up I was always told that you had to be a teacher, you had to be a doctor, you had to be a Secretary, and guess what? We live in a world where everything is global. You can be whatever you want to be and whoever you want to be.”

Donovan further urged the participants to build on their brands and promote it, adding that it is his hope that they better their craftsmanship. He noted, however, that while they all had their own unique style they all have to be realistic on its cohesiveness, "it being able to actually work."

“It is not an easy industry but fashion is a multibillion dollar business and we are all affected by it because we get up every day and we look in the mirror, we get dressed so we have to take pride in what we put on, how we present it because the world looks at you and they judge you from the first time they see you,” he said. “As you build your brand really keep those things in mind and I really want you to walk away from here feeling empowered, educated, inspired.”

The workshop was a partnership between COSME (Caribbean Overseas countries and territories Small and Medium Entrepreneurship) Barnes PR, Summer Sizzle BVI, and the European Commission.

Participants' feed back

One of the young emerging designers from the Virgin Islands, Rhenique D’nelle Cooper, said the workshop was an insightful one.

“It really gave me insight on how to operate the business,” she said. According to her, she loves fashion and it has always been “her thing” growing up.

Another participant from the Cayman Islands Georgette Olivia Bodden, known by her designer name “Olivia B” remarked that “it has just been a great experience so far, meeting everyone, working with everyone, and I am just looking forward to learning so much more, being able to share with my Caribbean people! Just getting out there, networking, just doing the best that I can and learning as much as I can,” she said.

Richard Gill from COSME noted that the workshop was a “very good” one. “I think we have a wealth of information and I think all the participants that are here really benefitted from the information shared.”

Representatives from Anguilla, Aruba, Bonaire, [British] Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Curacao, Montserrat, Saba, Saint Bathelemy, Saint Eustatius, Saint Maarteen and Turks and Caicos took part in the workshop.