{"id":59630,"date":"2014-04-09T09:23:48","date_gmt":"2014-04-09T13:23:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.bahamasb2b.com\/news\/?p=59630"},"modified":"2014-04-15T09:15:08","modified_gmt":"2014-04-15T13:15:08","slug":"btvi-holds-passion-for-fashion-forum","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bahamasb2b.com\/news\/2014\/04\/btvi-holds-passion-for-fashion-forum","title":{"rendered":"BTVI Holds Passion For Fashion Forum"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"btvi-1\"<\/p>\n

\"btvi-3\"With the technologically-savvy era we live in, Fashion Design students were told recently that the world is their market.<\/p>\n

President of the Montaque Group and Creator of Islands of the World Fashion Week, Owen Bethel, was a panelist at a Fashion Forum held at The Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute (BTVI) and emphasized the importance of thinking globally.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t limit yourselves to The Bahamas.\u00a0 Your competition is also the world.\u00a0 Draw a bridge between what you\u2019re learning and where you want to go,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Noting there will be disappointments and rejections along the way, Mr. Bethel who is also a member of BTVI\u2019s Program Advisory Committee (PAC) emphasized that they should be viewed as lessons.<\/p>\n

Mr. Bethel emphasized to the aspiring fashion designers the significance of utilizing social media as a marketing tool.\u00a0 \u201cIn this modern day, you have the means to get your product out there.\u00a0 It\u2019s the greatest marketing tool to have.\u00a0 You can\u2019t be intimidated by it. You have to use it,\u201d he urged.<\/p>\n

\"btvi-6\"The interactive forum\u2019s other panelists included fashion designer and former BTVI student, Kevin Evans along with Executive Director of Junior Achievement, Philip Simon. Under the theme, \u201cPassion for Fashion,\u201d they discussed several topics such as pricing, networking and marketing.<\/p>\n

Mr. Simon noted that market research is important; meanwhile he emphasized fundamental aspects of business including honesty, reliability and punctuality.<\/p>\n

Additionally, Mr. Evans \u2013 who owns the Kevin Evans Collection – was one of the top three fashion designers in the Miami RAWards semi-final competition in November 2013.\u00a0 He believes more students can emerge from BTVI\u2019s fashion program and experience the success he has.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey must overcome their fears.\u00a0 I want them to build their confidence.\u00a0 They must break that barrier, even if they start with family members and then friends. They must believe in their work,\u201d said the fashion designer who sewed his first garment for his grandfather.<\/p>\n

Student, Krystle Murphy said how \u201cinspired\u201d she was by the work of Mr. Evans which he brought with him.\u00a0 \u201cI can take my dream further.\u00a0 The information helped to encourage me and will help me to stay driven,\u201d she stated.<\/p>\n

Another student, Lanova Lotmore said the exposure has caused her to re-think her position about participating in fashion shows.\u00a0 \u201cI didn\u2019t want to be in fashion shows, but the forum has pushed me to do so,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Lanova went on to credit BTVI\u2019s fashion department – headed by Shirley Pearson – for her quest for perfection. \u201cI am very detail-oriented and I was taught that here at BTVI.\u00a0 The inside needs to be just as good as the outside,\u201d said the student who first sewed a glasses case for her mom at the age of four.<\/p>\n

Taking a refresher course in fashion design at BTVI, Ann Bease who is a custom bra maker too expressed how impressed she was with Mr. Evans\u2019 work, but also about the business tips the panelists shared.<\/p>\n

\u201cStudents already have the fashion side, but if you don\u2019t have a business sense, you\u2019re doomed to fail.\u00a0 It was more than I expected and it related to our program.\u00a0 It was very informative, especially the business-side of it,\u201d said Ms. Bease.<\/p>\n