-as Origins Guyana Fashion Festival 2026 launches

-by Celestine Chacon

Thirty selected designers participating in the upcoming Origins Guyana Fashion Festival will receive grants as part of efforts to support and develop local talent. The festival was officially launched on Friday evening under the theme, ‘A Diamond Legacy Fashioning 60 Years’. 

In her remarks, Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Susan Rodrigues, emphasised that the event, which takes place from July 3 to 5, is more than just a fashion showcase. 

“We are positioning Guyana as a destination not just for tourism, but for culture, creativity and fashion. And the Origins Guyana Fashion Festival is a key part of that vision,” she said.

Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Susan Rodrigues

Rodrigues emphasised that the festival also serves as a key platform where designers can transform their creativity into viable businesses and compete on the global stage. 

The Minister announced that while designers from across Guyana will be given an opportunity to present their work, 30 will be selected to participate in the upcoming Origins Showcase. 

Each of the 30 participating designers will benefit from a grant provided up front to support production and preparations. In addition, five award categories will be introduced this year to recognize and reward excellence. 

The Best Fashion Designer will receive a prize of GYD$1 million, while winners in the Best Emerging Designer, Outstanding Storyteller Innovator, Best Female Model and Best Male Model will each receive GYD$500,000.