From 26 to 28 October 2018, Madam Wokie, one of Sierra Leone’s leading fashion designers, participated in the inaugural Bahamas Fashion Week,at the Melia Beach Resort, Nassau, Bahamas. Madam Wokie was represented at the event by its Creative Director, Mary-Ann Kaikai, an alumni of the Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone.
During the three-day event, Mary-Ann Kaikai met with several stakeholders in the Bahamian government, tourism, national and international fashion industry. These included the Attorney General, Senator The Honourable Carl Wilshire Bethel QC; the Minister of State, The Honourable Ellsworth Nathaniel Johnson; Cardell McClam, Co-Founder of Bahamas Fashion Week; and Claire Sulmers, Editor in Chief of Fashion Bomb Daily. The Attorney General, Senator The Honourable Carl Wilshire Bethel QC, welcomed Mary-Kaikai to The Bahamas and expressed his excitement at the prospect of collaboration between the African and Caribbean Fashion industries. Mary-Kaikai also participated in a panel on “Women, Fashion and Style, The Impact of Fashion on our Daily Lives”, alongside local fashion industry ladies from The Bahamas, and world renowned blogger Claire Sulmers of Fashion Bomb Daily.
Madam Wokie’s participation in Bahamas Fashion Week was climaxed with the unveiling of its 2017 Nyapui Couture Collection on 28 October 2017, an ode to Mende Women of southern Sierra Leone. The collection featured fourteen couture pieces which were designed and produced in Sierra Leone. Speaking about the collection, designer Mary-Ann Kaikai, noted that “the collection is dedicated to Madam Wokie Massaquoi, who is the inspiration behind the brand”. On Tuesday 31 October Mary-Ann Kaikai was also hosted at Bahamas National TV show, The Stew, where she discussed he experience at Bahamas Fashion Week, fashion and her hopes for African designers in the global fashion industry.
Madam Wokie’s participation in Bahamas Fashion Week was sponsored by Mutzig Lager Beer, in line with its objective of supporting young and enterprising entrepreneurs. The aim of the partnership was to enabled Madam Woke to continue to raise awareness and support for the fashion and creative industry in Sierra Leone, and build its profile both within and outside the country. The sponsorship is an extension of Mutzig’s mission expressed in its slogan “a taste of success”, affirming the brand’s superior quality seen as a genuine badge of success. Mutzig lager beer is a 5% alcohol beer, produced by Sierra Leone Brewery Limited (a part of the HEINEKEN Company), which strives to connect with and be a part of a platform that builds, nurtures and provides opportunities to entrepreneurs in Sierra Leone.
Monday November 13, 2017.
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