Over the last four years, the SAINT INTERNATIONAL-organized STYLE WEEK JAMAICA has evolved as Jamaica’s most prestigious fashion event. The event has seen  a live audience of 30,000 people passing through all events from the launch event FASHIONBLOCK MOBAY to the three runway show nights of the week-which ends with the blockbuster FASHIONBLOCK KINGSTON.  

BOOSTING JAMAICAN DESIGNER'S GLOBAL STYLE PROFILE

STYLE WEEK JAMAICA consistently maintains the lead in presenting more Jamaican designers than any other event. This year, an incredibly powerful and diverse cast of international designers will present in the Caribbean at STYLEWEEK JAMAICA ‘08. At a time when the most diversified world media has confirmed attendance to the event. This will solidify STYLE WEEK JAMAICA as the singular most important and influential platform for Jamaican and regional designers to showcase their talent to the world. The runway presentations executed by a world-class team of top models, stylists, hairstylists and production team, are unequalled in glamour and dynamism. Therein is the allure for global media, buyers and fashionistas.   

A stunning majority (at least 90%) of Jamaican designers (established and new) use this platform to shine in the global fashion spotlight as Jamaica becomes the Centre of Global Glamour. Four days of shows, after-parties, developmental seminars, international editorial photo-shoots, underscores this remarkable effort to have Jamaica strongly positioned as a serious fashion/lifestyle market. The developmental seminars and roundtable discussions (refer to schedule of activities), also reinforce the commitment of the organizers to the development of the industry. The participation of world class designers from around the world not only serve to heighten the prestige of the event. This also creates a relevant point of reference for our Jamaican designers who are creatively demonstrating their point of reference to the world market. 

TRENDSETTING APPROACH

Since its inception, the organizers of STYLE WEEK JAMAICA have invested heavily in establishing a strong development component to benefit the designers at the event. In 2006, history was created in the Caribbean at SWJ when facilitators from Parsons School Of Design-The New School, were brought in to conduct seminars at the event. For 2008 that development component will be further strengthened with a longer schedule of workshops and seminars. A number of important international fashion institutional links are also being confirmed. Issues to be covered this season include Establishing and Managing the Global brand, Understanding International Trends, Sustainable Design development among others. Many of the international designers coming for SWJ ’08 will also be participating strengthening the core of presenters.

The Fashion Summit is another innovation as STYLE WEEK JAMAICA seeks to increase the interaction among all the stakeholders in the industry which can profoundly enhance the development of the industry.  The Summit will bring designers face to face with a number of important Government institutions and stakeholders in the industry. 

MENTORSHIP

SWJ has uniquely created an enviable situation where Jamaican designers are able to interact one on one with highly accomplished international designers. Last year, history was again created when Savile Row-based Master Tailor, Professor Andrew Ramroop, announced at STYLE WEEK JAMAICA that he would offer to be a mentor for Jamaica’s hot menswear designer- Carlton Brown. This year, the intent is top widen the opportunities for other participating designers. 
 

The event has been featured in high-end international fashion media such as V  Magazine, the JC Report, Fader.com, Pride Magazine (UK), Models.com, TRACE Magazine and other publications. Over the years, the event has enjoyed the presence of top rated international designers from Paris including Gaspard Yukievich, Pierre Henri Mattou, and Xuly Bet; New York such as Abaete and South Africa such as Mark and Michael and more recently Master Tailor Professor Andrew Ramroop (Maurice Sedwell Tailors) of London’s famous Savile Row. This makes STYLE WEEK Jamaica the leading international fashion showcase in the Caribbean. This provides an international context for Jamaica’s best designers (who work exclusively with Style Week Jamaica 
 

BOOSTING KINGSTON'S TOURISM PRODUCT WITH AN EVENT SUCH AS "FASHIONBLOCK"

Since its debut in 2005, FASHIONBLOCK (the finale to SWJ) has eclipsed all other fashion events in the region. Blocking a major business thoroughfare and staging a 150ft.catwalk spectacle remains to be topped anywhere in the world. International fashion media who has witnessed the event considers it one of the top 3 best fashion shows anywhere in the world-with favorable comparisons to Victoria Secrets mega Christmas Show.

Annually, STYLE WEEK JAMAICA falls on the Memorial Day Weekend in the US and Banking Holidays in Europe. This timing position gives the event, and its strong inclusive and exciting schedule events, credible potential as a strong tourism branding product.