BIDC hosts fashion workshop

A group of 22 small business owners recently got the opportunity to learn from and train under the tutelage of well-known fashion designer, Monif Clark.

Karen Headley-Lucas, Business Development Officer at the Barbados Investment and Development Corporation, told The Barbados Advocate, that they brought in Clarke for the workshop titled, “Ultimate Guide To Building A Profitable Fashion Brand” as she was someone they
considered successful in the field of fashion, and hearing from her would be beneficial for the fashion designers that were a part of the BIDC.

“She created her fashion brand not knowing how to sew, but she did it because she wanted to create something for herself. She said she was plus-sized and she wasn’t finding clothing to fit her and figured – why not do it herself?” Headley-Lucas said.

“We chose her because of how she got to where she is, and also so she can teach our clients, how to get where she has gotten.”

She also noted that ten of the 22 people that were present for yesterday’ workshop, have received international training and the fashion workshop was the BIDC’s way of helping them get to the level of exporting next.

Denise Lawrence, co-ordinator of the workshop and Business Development Officer at the BIDC, believed that yesterday’s training was important as she reported that sometimes persons make garments without knowing their target audience and doing their costs; so they make things but
they are not getting them sold, which is why research is important, and a reason why the BIDC is training people. She went on to note that one thing she was seeing in potential and current small business owners was the fear of failure.

“In any business there has to be a level of commitment; there will be failures but the important thing is to get back up, see where you went wrong, plan again and go forward. I find that sometimes what happens is someone fails, and they don’t want to start again because they are afraid. Don’t be afraid of failure! Find another way; seek after the people that are successful and see what they have done, and see how you can be mentored by them in some way or, plan and research,” she said.