BRIDGETOWN, Barbados--Caribbean fashion and contemporary designers are getting a boost to help them penetrate the international market, through an accelerator programme jointly funded by the Caribbean Export Development Agency (Caribbean Export) in cooperation with the European Union and the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB). The Bank’s funding is through its Cultural and Creative Industries Innovation Fund (CIIF).
Starting on May 6, 20 designers from across the region began participating in an intensive boot camp-style workshop led by Sandra Carr, one of the pioneers of the Caribbean Academy of Fashion and Design at the University of Trinidad and Tobago.
Participants have been working with an expert team to refine their products for the export market, and going through a process of identifying where best to place their products and how to develop their brand. They are also learning how to leverage social media platforms to reach their target audience and develop a go-to-market strategy. The programme runs until today, Friday.
“We received 70 applications to participate in this programme, which has been devised specifically to get the designers to a certain point where they can capitalise further on future aspects of the programme such as the grants from CDB and participation at the Caribbean Fashion Showroom,” said Allyson Francis, Services Specialist at Caribbean Export.
Caribbean Export and CDB through its CIIF, are collaborating to enable a larger cadre of professionals within the creative industries to access critical resources. Caribbean Export has gained resources from the European Union as part of the 11th European Development Fund (EDF) Regional Private Sector Development Programme (RPSDP). The Agency’s collaboration with CDB has enabled the pooling of resources to provide added support to the region’s fashion industry.
After completing the workshop, participating designers from CDB member countries will become eligible to apply for a CIIF Improving the Competitiveness of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) grant and also gain access to Caribbean Export’s market integration platform the Caribbean Fashion Showroom.
“We are extremely pleased with the response by our Borrowing Member Countries (BMCs) to the opportunity being provided through this fashion accelerator, and we are delighted that the beneficiaries of the programme come from 13 of CDB’s 19 BMCs. It is an excellent opportunity for designers to network, share experiences and learn from each other,” said Lisa Harding, MSME Coordinator at CDB.
“Over the 10 days, designers have benefited from the tutelage of more than five influencers and experts in the fashion industry. This capacity-building intervention is a key component of CIIF, which seeks to improve the competitiveness of creative industry practitioners in the region.” ~ Caribbean360 ~
