7 News Belize

Style Upon Styles...
posted (July 6, 2011)
Last week we told you about the Belize Design Week, where NICH is celebrating and showcasing the work of Belizean fashion designers, artisans and craft makers.

The event had to be moved indoors due to the rain, but it still opened today and Monica Bodden visited to find styles upon styles...

Monica Bodden Reporting:

15 Belizean designers packed this room at the Biltmore Hotel - showcasing their many talents as a part of the first ever Belize Design Week.

Jackie Castillo - Creative Industry Dev. Officer, NICH
"We started yesterday with the Belize Designing Forum. And then, for today and tomorrow, we have the Belize Design week expo, where as you can see, we are showcasing what designers created in Belize, which entails fashion, accessories, jewelry, hats, bags, furniture. Basically the idea of design week is to highlight fashion designers and artisans, to take it away from just an idea that you're craft person, but you are actually a designer."

Bamboo furniture's, skin products, bags, jewelry, evening gowns and cocktail dresses on manikins - were just a few of the items on display. The room was filled with vibrant colors - the displays all locally made by Belizean designers.



Elton Silva - Bag Designer
"My displays are bags and hats, and all my designs are of paints - everything complete. I do other things as well."

Monica Bodden
"Now I'm looking at these bags, and they're beautiful. How do you actually get the idea, put them together - how long does it take? Tell us a little bit about the process."

Elton Silva
"The process would be - I have to think about it, and my mother helps me also. It takes time. I have to come up with ideas, and I have to sew it and everything. It takes time."

Monica Bodden
"How long does it take you to actually put together a piece like a bag?"

Elton Silva
"A bag would be like about 2 or 3 days, depending, because I have to do the painting - I have to sew it and then do the painting."

Monica Bodden
"Now, so far, are you selling your bags and so forth? How are sales going for you?"

Elton Silva
"Well I'm just starting, so I haven't sold anything as yet."

Khadija Asaldez - Jewelry Designer
"I brought out a variety of different pieces, basically catering to all types of tastes. I brought out some pearls, crystals. I also brought out some pieces like this one right here. This does have some local Placencia shells, so I brought out a wide range of stuff. I made all these things; I came up with the designs and put them together."

Monica Bodden "For you to put together ordinarily - for you to put together a piece - how long does it take?"

Khjadija Asaldez
"It depends on the piece. Something basic like a bracelet like this, would take maybe like 5-10 minutes."

Maurine Navarrete - Fashion Designer
"My favorite designs are cultural clothing such as these tribal patterns. I love to use patterns and, if you notice, I have my favorite piece on the mannequin there. And I try to make my work as simple as possible, but enhance them with embellishments."

Monica Bodden
"Was this something that you always dreamed about, becoming a fashion designer, doing your own pieces - your own style?"

Maurine Navarrete
"Well not really, I came out of high school, and decided to start this."

Monica Bodden
"So, will you continue?"

Maurine Navarrete
"I will continue, definitely, once I open my new clothing line."

Jerome Flores - Bamboo Designer
"It's pretty much a family business, and I'm the one that designs and create these beautiful, unique, customized bamboo furnitures."

Monica Bodden
"How long have you been doing this for?"

Jerome Flores
"I've been doing it for 4 years. I stopped one year to work with Care Belize, but I recently - for the past two months - I started up back. And it's been going good. A lot of people have a lot of interests in making different, beautiful stuff for the house."

Monica Bodden
"So business has been coming along pretty well."

Jerome Flores
"Yeah it has been coming along, and I'm so glad for this opportunity for Design Week to show my talent that I have, and to show something that I love to do. I would just spend all day working with it, and I love working with it. The finishing product is worth it when you see everything done, it's just so beautiful."

Monica Bodden
"Tell us a little bit about the stuff that you create."

Jerome Flores
"Pretty much anything, you could say. Mostly household items, beds TV stands, sofas, lawn chairs, deck chairs, you just name it. If you have a design, pattern, or something you would like to make, I could it for your specifications."

These products will be on display for 2 days at the Biltmore Hotel. A fashion show will be held tomorrow night at the Hotel.

Jackie Castillo
"We continue the week with a fashion show tomorrow night, here at the Biltmore. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased at the Bliss. And on Friday, we close with a mini-cocktail at the Bliss Hotel."

The marketplace continues tomorrow at the Biltmore, and there'll also be a fashion show tomorrow night. The event closes on Friday night...





New "Sol Gen" Takes Office


Belize has a new Solicitor General after Oscar Ramjeet, finished his two year stint last week. She is Cheryl Krusen, formerly Thompson, a Jamaican and Belizean national.

She is an Attorney with more than thirty years experience including working as a Crown Counsel in the Office Belize's DPP, a Magistrate in Belize and Corozal, and then, Deputy Registrar of the Supreme Court of Jamaica; Legal Adviser to the Deputy Prime Minister and Leader of Government Business in the House of Representatives of Jamaica. Krusen was also involved in the process of advising on the instruments which led to the formation of the Caribbean Court of Justice.

She most recently worked as General Counsel for CARICOM.

She is married and has six adult children.

She took up the post on July first.

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