Seeking earnestly to seize the fashion moment that is beginning to evolve out of the socio-economic transformation that is rapidly unfolding in Guyana, Junette Stuart is preoccupied with ensuring that her creations leave a meaningful mark on Guyana’s broader fashion tapestry.
Her confidence in what she has to offer is reflected in the frequent public ‘parading’ of her impressive range of her work, all of which derives from her preoccupation with trend-setting, and more importantly, with making an eye-catching impression on fashion watchers looking for clothing that makes a difference.
Junshazyna’s Academy of Designing & Technology, the ‘home’ that she has created for the manifestation of her creative imagination derives from Junshazyna’s World of Fashion, her trading name that derived its popularity largely from her involvement in public fashion displays on Main Street avenue and at other locations where clothing conscious people frequently go.
That she projects her creations as a “household brand” is a reflection of a dream that is inching its way towards reality.
The successful manufacture of “custom-made clothing”, she says is her endgame. She has kept going, over the years, her feisty attitude towards the promotion of her creations having endured through testing times, not least the interlude of the unforgettable coronavirus corridor, a period during which it seemed, was creatively and aesthetically pleasing.
Not with Junette… She preferred to see the pandemic as a time to rise above, which is why she used that protracted period to encourage young girls and adults to use the corridor of quiet to seek to make over themselves by acquiring some technical vocational skill, an idea that she had developed from her earlier familiarization with the ambitions of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs,), a mission that set itself the objective of, among other things, substantially increasing the number of both youths and adults that had inculcated some relevant technical and/or vocational skill that would better position them to profitably enter the world of work.
This year, 2023, she has targeted the acquisition of Approved Certification, under the umbrella of the ISO Standards for Junshazyna’s Academy, an accomplishment that will enable her to transfer the credential to students of the Academy. Her goal here, she says, is to use the Academy to empower and to build capacity.
There is no reason, she says, why capable Guyanese fashion designers cannot transform themselves into successful entrepreneurs in a country which, for obvious reasons, is now attracting a generous measure of global attention. “We are more than happy for the opportunity that has been created to bring a greater sense of awareness to “tech fashion” industry,” Junette quips.
When the current exercise comes to an end on June 21, Junette hopes that it would have served to help showcase a generous measure of the country’s creative talent.
The conclusion of the exercise will be underlined by the staging of a June 25 Graduation Gala, that is being staged at the Theatre Guild under the theme “Empowering Women Through Skills & Technology.” Here, Junshazyna’s is seeking to stage what she hopes will be an appealing Virtual Fashion Show.
Here, she says, the entity will be seeking to bring to public attention the pivotal role that technology has to play in the creation of a modern fashion industry. “Our objective here is to have our graduates become pacesetters As such, our students learning these new tools (fashion & tech) which showcase their products can result in them becoming pacesetters, to enhance their earnings and to cause them to become the backbone of a network of professional garment creators that is available to the local, regional and international markets.”
When the Stabroek Business spoke with Junette recently, she was keen to articulate her satisfaction with the sponsorship/support that she had secured from both the business sector and from individual fashion-seekers. These contributors, she said, were instrumental in creating an opportunity for participation in the fashion orientation experience, by aspiring fashion designers who were not financially equipped to pay their way but who, nonetheless, are imbued with a passion to get to the top. Her hope, she says, is that public support for the work being done to ‘grow’ the fashion industry will continue.
