Top Jamaican models (from left) Nell Robinson, Jeneil Williams, and (right) Jaunel Mckenzie, at the United Kingdom launch party for Caribbean Fashionweek 2007 on Monday, February 12, at the Jamaican High Commission in London. Caribbean Fashionweek 2007 will be held from June 6-10. - photo courtesy of JIS

Caribbean Fashionweek (CFW) 2007 was launched last Monday evening at a glitzy reception in London, England. Organised by Pulse, the producers of CFW, and jointly hosted by Jamaica's High Commissioner to London, Burchell Whiteman, the event was attended by diplomats, fashion designers, business executives, financial sector representatives, press and of course, the supermodels.

Held at Prince Consort Street, in Kensington, the event received a wide range of press coverage including the BBC. In attendance were supermodels Jaunel McKenzie and Nell Robinson as well as Deola Sagoe, arguably Africa's top fashion designer. The models, including Mac campaign girl Nicola Gray, showed off designs by Deola, The Mushroom, Mutamba and Biggy.

Greg Barrow, senior public affairs officer at the United Nations, outlined the UN's recognition of Caribbean Fashionweek as an important event on the international fashion calendar. He also highlighted the support of the UN's World Food Programme (WFP) for CFW. He declared that the UN has now added Caribbean Fashionweek to its roster of official WFP events.

Rosemary Emodi, business affairs manager of the office of the mayor of London, commended Pulse on its work and announced a partnership with CFW and the mayor's office, organisers of the Culture to Couture project. Ms. Emodi will lead a delegation of British designers to this year's CFW.