Scotia Bank will support this year’s Guyana Fashion Weekend (GFW) through the establishing of a bank account with $100,000 for the winner of this year’s Guyana Fashion Weekend Designer’s Portfolio.
A press release from the head of the GFW committee, Sonia Noel, said the bank has contributed $300,000 to this year’s activity and its Small Business Banking Department will set up the account for the designer’s portfolio winner.
The release said the $300,000 will go towards the start up account and branded t-Shirts for the management team and competitors among other costs.
According to the GFW release the bank’s Manager, Products & Marketing, Jennifer Cipriani said the bank was pleased “to play its part in helping Guyana’s fledgling fashion industry to grow.
“Fashion presents an opportunity to create jobs for our people – especially our young people – thereby giving them economic independence and an opportunity for success in life,” she was quoted as saying in the release.
She said that development of the industry will lead to exports, which will contribute to the country’s economy.
“Each year Guyana Fashion Week gets better, a testimony to the fact that the hard work put in by the organisers and participants is paying off,” she further said.
And according to Sonia, the “creative juices are already flowing for the models, designers, stylists and chefs,” and she promised that the entire cast will be introduced to the public next week.
Rehearsal and workshops are in progress and this is expected to prepare everyone involve to achieve their full potential.
Additionally, as part of its commitment to helping small businesses grow, Scotia Bank will also organise a forum for local designers to discuss how they can access funding to set up their businesses.
“Scotia Bank has certainly set a positive example for others to follow by partnering with us again, giving the young talent in Guyana the opportunity to be nurtured, groomed and fine tuned,” Sonia said.