BY NELSON A. KING
Billed as one of the seven designers
to watch at this year’s New
York Fashion Week by Elle magazine,
Brooklyn-based Grenadian
fashion designer Fe Noel brought
her new collection to life at New
York’s Spring Studios Gallery last
week, according to the Grenada
Tourism Authority (GTA).
GTA said that Grenada Ambassador
to the United Nations
Keisha McGuire, celebrity publicist
Yvette Noel-Shure, GTA chief
executive officer Patricia Maher,
US Director of Sales Christine Noel
Horsford, sales executive Zachary
Samuel and general manager
at Silversands Grenada Narelle
McDougall were “seated front
and on hand to provide support to
this daughter of the soil.”
McGuire emphasized “the importance
of supporting Grenadians
on the rise in the international
arena as they help shine a light on
the country to promote the tri-island
nation of Grenada, Carriacou
and Petite Martinique, and fuel the
nation’s continued success.
“Such exquisite talent as Fe,
whose work exudes patriotism and
pays homage to the ‘Isle of Spice’
(Grenada), is, indeed, inspiring to
us all,” McGuire said.
To a packed house of fans, wellwishers
and industry infl uencers,
GTA said the collection began with
a two-and-a-half-minute video presentation,
featuring striking images
of Grenada’s cultural character,
“Jab Jab,” described as “people
who walk and dance through the
streets wearing a horned headpiece
covered in black oil,” and
a prologue by Noel’s Grenadian
grandmother outlining the journey
of the “Daughter of the Soil.”
“From sleek and draped nutmeg
prints, an ode to Grenada being
considered one of the world’s
top producers of the spice, to elegantly
flowing silhouettes in
various patterns and shades of
red, yellow and green – the colors
of Grenada’s national flag –
the eclectic collection received a
standing ovation from those in attendance,”
GTA said.
GTA said Noel entered the industry
at 19, opening a brick and
mortar boutique for vintage lovers
and trendsetters in Brooklyn.
Since then, her designs have
been worn by the likes of Michelle
Obama and Beyoncé, with the latest
collection sponsored by Estée
Lauder, GTA said.
For more on the “Daughter of
the Soil” collection, visit www.fenoel.
com.
Caribbean Life, February 21-27, 2020 3
Bahamas relief effort kicks off in Brooklyn
BY TANGERINE CLARKE
Consulate General of the Commonwealth
of the Bahamas, Lawrence S.
Cartwright, expressed special thanks
to the Caricom Consular Corp. for the
outpouring of support after Hurricane
Dorian ravished parts of the Island nation.
Cartwright, who joined the relief effort
on Saturday, Sept. 14, at the Friends
of Crown Heights Educational Center,
921 Hegeman Ave., in Brooklyn, conveyed
appreciation to the diaspora and
governments around the world for their
outstanding support.
“It is phenomenal, the way, governments
from all over the world, and
groups like us here in the diaspora,
have come forward to show solidarity, it
is outstanding. We are happy to be here,
even though, it’s a sad situation in the
Bahamas”.
“We thank all who are showing support.
We are in survival mode. Water,
baby supplied, and non-perishable items
are needed for people to sustain themselves,”
he said, adding that tarpaulin
is also necessary, because of a tropical
storm in the area that is drenching the
island with rain.
Hurricane Dorian ravished Abaco
and Grand Bahama; the second and
third economic power islands of the 16
major islands. “We have 14 islands, operational,
and luckily, he said, “the island’s
main economic power, New Providence,
escaped the devastation, and the
Bahamas is open for business, hotels
are running, and life is going on other
islands, that escaped the wrath of hurricane
Dorian.”
Chair of the Consular Corp. Consul
General of St. Vincent and the Grenadines,
Howie Prince, stressed that the
islands are located in the hurricane
belt, and reiterated the needs for international
aid in the wake of disaster.
In 2017, the corp. was formed to help
the BVI, and other islands that suffered
the wrath of Hurricane Maria.
“It is our duty to provide assistance
to our brothers and sisters. We are asking
to give generously. Financial assistance
is also needed. Let us do what we
can to ease citizens from this plight they
are in, said CG Prince.
Consul General of Guyana, Barbara
Atherly, expressed condolences to
the Bahamas nation for the hundreds
of citizens who died, noting that when
the Consular Corps. was activated after
Hurricane Maria, there was an outpouring
of support. As such, the group is optimistic
that the response in the wake of
Dorian will be equally generous, with
donations of necessary items to aid Bahamians.
She also praised Guyana, for the
emergency team that is in place to assist
the Caribbean Disaster Emergency
Management Agency (CDEMA) with rebuilding
efforts as part of the Caricom
mobilization plan.
Bousquet said the corp. is doing a
phenomenal job, adding that, like other
consulates, her offi ce is collecting necessary
items to be sent to the Bahamas
consulate in Manhattan. Additional aid
in the form of packaging, shipping, and
fi nancial assistant would be donated as
needed.
In addition to partnering with the
consular corps, Consul General of Belize,
Herman L. Longworth, said his offi
ce will do whenever it can to ease the
hardship the people in the Bahamas
must endure.
“We came from a country that is located
in the hurricane belt, so we know
what it is like to be hit with a disaster.”
The relief efforts will continue on
Saturday, September 21, Sunday, and
September 22, from 10am to 5pm. Saturday
October 19, and Sunday October
20, from 10am - 5pm., at the Friends of
Crown Heights Educational Center, 921
Hegeman Avenue, in Brownsville.
Food items only, canned food, with
long expiration date, baby products, (no
clothing) could be also be dropped off at
Saint Lucia House, 438 East 49thStreet,
Brooklyn on Saturday October 5thand
Sunday October 6, 10am-5pm.
Queens: United Methodist Church,
126-22 150 Street, South Ozone Park.
Call, 347-738 -1096
Rev. Bernadette Logan.
For a list of needed items go to the
GuyanaconsulateofGuyanatoNewYork/
facebook
Mayor of Georgetown, Guyana,
Ubraj Narine, extend greetings
to Consul General of Guyana to
New York, Barbara Atherly.
Photo by Tangerine Clarke
Brooklyn designer
pays homage to
‘Isle of Spice’ during
Fashion Week
Barbadian native, Katy Ann Elliott, president of Women’s Motivational Services, (right, center) hand over, 60 cases
of water to Consul General of Guyana to New York, Barbara Atherly, at the Caricom Consular Corp, relief, at
Friends of Crown Heights Educational Center, Brownsville. Vice Consul of Saint Lucia, Victoria Bousquet, extreme
left, and Debra Patrick-George at extreme right, made contributions. Photo by Tangerine Clarke
/www.fe-noel.com
/www.fe-noel.com
/www.fe-noel.com