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CARIBBEAN EXPORT DEVELOPMENT AGENCY - CREATE
02FASHION - LAYINGAFOUNDATIONFORCREATIVEEXPRESSION
SONIA NOEL
MARISKA DESIGNS
GUYANA
LAYING A
FOUNDATION
FOR CREATIVE
EXPRESSION
From a very early age it was clear to everyone that
Sonia Noel was destined to be an entrepreneur. One
of five children from a single-parent household in
a remote area of Guyana, Noel sold confectionary
and homemade delights to fellow students and staff
in her primary school, even ‘throwing a box-hand’
(meeting turn) to make a contribution to her family.
At the age of 11 years the pre-teen would already be
outfitting herself, making her first ‘award-winning’
dress for a community pageant and over the past 16
years, the fashion designer would attempt to outfit
the world.
While being an advocate for education and training, the designer and
owner of Mariska Designs is fully self-taught in the field of fashion.
Programmes for textile and fabric design are in preparatory stages in
Guyana but to date there are still no existing schools, programmes or
training modules for upcoming designers in that country. As a result
Noel observes that there are many ‘fly-by-night’ entries into the fashion
arena often deterred by the lack of provision and financial support to
develop their trade. “Fashion is not all glamorous as people think, to
succeed it is a lot of hard-work and raw determination.”
Yet Noel has made significant strides in the local and regional industry,
clearing a path for others to follow and extending a helping hand along
the way. She is the founder of the Sonia Noel Foundation for Creative Arts
(SNFCA), a newly launched initiative to develop the creative industries in
Guyana and the wider Caribbean. The foundation seeks to nurture raw
talent in dance, drama, visual arts, acting, fashion, photography and
other creative energies in hopes of developing the specific art forms.
“It is difficult for artists to have a platform to showcase their work,”
Noel points out, so in addition to cultivating the talent, the designer has
provided the platform through Guyana Fashion Week another initiative
she has founded.
Originally debuted six years ago as Guyana Fashion Weekend, the event
has grown into a full week of events showcasing a wealth of talent in
the creative industries. “Fashion is beyond the runway,” says Noel and
incorporated into venues for each evening of fashion, are exhibitions