Jawara Alleyne accepts the audience’s applause after showing his collection at Cayfest’s Fresh! Cayman Couture.

This year’s Cayfest presented an opportunity for young, creative, and talented fashion designers to showcase their innovations.

One designer in particular made an impression on the audience for his imaginative designs constructed from newspaper.

A senior at John Gray High School, Jawara Alleyne is just beginning his dream career of becoming an haute couture fashion label.

At the tender age of seventeen his second collection was showcased in Fresh! Cayman Couture, winning him the Designer of the Year accolade.

Naturally an artist, Jawara began experimenting with fashion design at fourteen. His inspiration is ecological, with most of his ideas stemming from plants, animals, and natural colours.

Jawara is a follower and admirer of prominent fashion houses Chanel designed by Karl Lagerfeld and John Galliano for Christian Dior.

“I’m impressed by how these designers can create such complex designs with the use of simple fabrics, cuts, and colours,” Jawara said.

With a focus on women’s young contemporary apparel, Jawara has recently tested his men’s fashion design abilities.

His talent and creativity continues to develop with his eagerness to learn. His main focus in 2009 and 2010 is to achieve a scholarship to attend the prestigious Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City to study Art & Design. If admitted he will study amongst the future’s most talented fashion designers. Notable alumni of FIT include: Calvin Klein, Michael Kors, Nanette Lepore, and Norma Kamali.

At this stage in his career, Jawara experiments with fabrics, colours, and design. He hasn’t found his ‘signature’ yet, and admits he needs to learn basics like pattern making, sourcing, and most importantly he says, “I need to learn how to sew.” For this year’s, Fresh! Fashion Show, Ms. Letecia, his main encouragement to enter the show, helped him choose fabrics and produce his sketches.

After the show many of his classmates have commissioned him to design prom dresses for this year’s graduation, which he considers a compliment.

He thanks his mother Fayona Barnes for constant encouragement and is grateful for the support of the Cayman National Cultural Foundation.

Jawara recognizes himself as an inspiration for other young Caymanian artists thinking of breaking into the fashion industry, and had advice for others: “Make sure you have patience, and don’t worry if it doesn’t work out the way you planned, ” he said.

In order to prepare for his technical education, Jawara will continue to design for his portfolio. He is in need of a sponsor who will assist him with the costs of production.

In ten years, he hopes to have his own haute couture label designing apparel, footwear, and accessories.