LIBERIA: Fashion & Art Expo celebrated in grand style
By Peterking Quaye – Liberia is yet to experience on a wide scale the beautiful art and fashion many talented youth in the creative industry. Although in recent time many event organizers have attempted to put together a show of this nature but did not match the expectation of many event goers.
Liberia Fashion and Art Expo came off over the weekend in the colossal poolroom, of the Golden Gate Hotel adjacent the Samuel K. Doe Sports Complex) .The event showcased some of the latest fashion and arts from Liberian.
Organizers Fanta Kamara and Chiquita Johnson said the event is intended to create sustainable income for marginalized youth and women/girls in Liberia. “The 2012 Liberia Fashion and Art Expo show will provide a dynamic, professional production in partnership with leaders in the retail, fashion and entertainment industries.
The Liberia Fashion and Art Expo is expected to become the second major fashion show in two years. It can be recalled, last year, a US based Liberian fashion designer Korto Momolu staged an extravagant fashion show in Liberia, featuring international standard fashion designers and designs with authentic Liberian flavor. The event set the tone for elevating Liberia’s image in a new dimension – fashion and arts, the LFAE 2012 raised the bar even higher.
The proceeds of this event will go towards Marazetti, an organization with hopes of building a facility that will develop a technical skill workshop and apparel production facility; a place where women and girls can come to acquire skills in the art of Fashion and Design while earning a sustainable income via employment.
The show included the latest fashions from designers such as Marazetti, Chris Collins, and Afropolitan and among others, as well as entertainment by Liberian and international artists.
Fanta Kamara in an interview Focus news said with this Liberia Fashion and Art Expo it certainly provide a one-of-a-kind event which displayed the beauty of fashion, art and music which unveils the great mounts of talents we’ve had just in our backyards” . She added: “The Liberia Fashion and Art Expose Project culminates in a country-wide fashion show featuring art and clothing that is edgy, trendy sophisticated, elegant and very much tasteful.
The inkling that appeared just a few months ago has now become reality. Although it’s a local event, our goal had always been to support the fashion talents in Liberia and develop them to international recognition standards.”
All Fundraising efforts for this project will go to the purchasing of equipment and supplies such as sewing machines and materials, fabrics and computers. This facility will also host production of Uniforms and Reflective Gears, workbags for International companies operating in Liberia.
Marazetti has already embarked on sampling Corporate Wear, Reflective Gears, work uniforms and bags for BHP Billiton manufacturing for BHP will begin in February of 2012.
