ANYA AYOUNG-CHEE GETS DONNA KARAN TO TAKE SPECIAL INTEREST IN TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO FASHION?

ANYA AYOUNG-CHEE AT NYFW 2011

Unless you live under a rock, you should have noticed that almost everyone from the Caribbean is well attuned to and buzzing about Trinidadian designer Anya Ayoung-Chee's inclusion to the cast of the 2011 installment of Lifetime Network's Project Runway. The beauty queen/graphic artist/stylist/designer power combo that is Anya Ayoung-Chee  attended the Women Inspiration Enterprise (WIE) Symposium in New York City on Monday, from where she tweeted her excitement about the fashion icons she was surrounded by at the auspicous event; One of whom was the legendary American fashion designer Donna Karan. She tweeted:

As the excitement grew, Ayoung-Chee later added:

More and more, through designer showcases, musical artistes, modeling and other talents the world is becoming aware of  the extraordinary talents and capabilities that abound in Trinidad and Tobago. This year alone, the world got a taste of what the island has to offer as celebrated musical artist Nicki Minaj shot to record breaking fame, Kes The Band was invited to deliver a wonderful performance on ABC television network, Trinidadian model Crystal Noreiga hit the catwalk at NYFW and received a coveted Marc Jacobs deal, and Anya Ayoung-Chee's constant praise and display of superb design talent gained her popularity on Project Runway. These are just a few among the pool of internationally recognized successes to come out of Trinidad and Tobago in fashion and entertainment. It seems like Trinidad and Tobago fashion is heading in a truly positive direction. Let's continue to support the growth and expansion of Caribbean fashion and Caribbean culture on the whole.

NYC FASHION DESIGNER DONNA KARAN AT WIE EVENT IN NYC

Tune in to Lifetime on Thursdays at 9:00/8c pm to watch Anya in action and be sure to add #PR9Anya to your tweets to vote for Anya Ayoung-Chee for crowd favorite!

photos: zimbio.com, observer.com

Trinidad & Tobago Model Rips the Runway at NYFW and Lands Marc Jacobs Contract!

Coco Velvet International Fashion Management 

Coco Velvet model Crystal Noreiga made her international debut at New York Fashion Week in Manhattan from September 09-15, 2011. The 5ft 11 T&T model was booked for four major catwalk collections during fashion week’s Spring 2012 Ready-to-Wear Collections including A-list designer Marc Jacobs collection, Tracy Reese and St. John’s fashion shows; she was the only black model to walk for the Theyskens’ Theory RTW Collection on September 13^th.

                           CRYSTAL NOREIGA

Crystal won the Top Model Trinidad & Tobago 2010 contest at the Hyatt Regency Trinidad and earned the right to represent T&T at the Elite Model Look World Finals in Shanghai, China in October 2010. She was awarded a modeling contract with Elite Latin & South America and subsequently signed by DNA Model Management in New York where she is now based.

Christopher Nathan, founder of Coco Velvet International Fashion Management believes that Crystal’s international success will help to distinguish Port-of-Spain as an international fashion centre. The fashion world is eyeballing Trinidad & Tobago at this time due to Anya Ayoung-Chee’s success on Project Runway; Port-of-Spain is playing host to the Caribbean Next Top Model and the Elite Model Look Caribbean contest on November 12^th. Nicky Minaj is also flying T&T’s fashion flag high. He believes that this is an opportune time for the government to position Port-of-Spain as the fashion capital of the Caribbean.

Coco Velvet has developed other internationally successful models including New York and Paris based model/actor Paul-Robert Pryce, winner of the Oprah Winfrey’s Sexy Island Man contest in 1998, Dominique Armorer, T&T Top Model 1999 who has done many high profile campaigns during the eight years she was represented by Elite Model Management New York, Marsha Alexander created history by walking for A-list designer Oscar de la Renta at his 2000 Ready-to-Wear collection in Miami’s South Beach; while just 15 years old she represented T&T at the Elite Model Look International finals in Geneva, Switzerland in 2000. IMG New York model Michelene Auguste, now based in London received her initial training from Coco Velvet’s Training Academy in 2005 and 2008. Miss Universe 1998, Wendy Fitzwilliam was the principal model at Coco Velvet International in the early years; the agency was launched in October 1997 at 54 Gallus Street, Woodbrook.

Christopher Nathan

Photo Credits

1. Tracy Reese Spring 2012 Ready-to-Wear Collection

            New York Fashion Week Sep 11, 2011

            Photo by Yannis Vlamos

2. Marc Jacobs Spring 2012 Ready-to-Wear Collection

            New York Fashion Week Sep 15, 2011

            Photo by Monica Feudi

3. Theyskens’ Theory Spring 2012 Ready-to-Wear Collection

            New York Fashion Week Sep 13, 2011

            Photo by Gianni Pucci

4. St John Spring 2012 Ready-to-Wear Collection

            New York Sep 09, 2011

            Photo by Amanda de Simone