The Sint Maarten Tourism Bureau (STB) recently sponsored well-known local fashion designer Zillah Duzon Hazel who attended The Bomb Fashion Show on September 9, 2023, at the Chelsea Industrial in New York City, NY, hosted by Nene Leakes, an American TV personality, actress, businesswoman, author, and philanthropist.
Zillah Duzon Hazel was one of the featured designers at the New York City Fashion Show. The Bomb Fashion Show was a star-studded experience that discovers and recognizes cutting edge creatives in fashion, showcasing their critical contributions as the fashion industry grapples with diverse representation and constructive solutions for economic inclusion.
“I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to the STB for sponsoring me to participate in the Bomb Fashion Show. To have the opportunity to present my collection during New York Fashion Week was a dream of mine that I can now scratch off my bucket list. My goal has always been to be a positive inspiration to people around me and the generations coming behind me, to show them that making a living from your art and creativity is possible. Lastly, I would like to thank the entire community of Sint Maarten for their support in helping me to reach my goal. I am grateful,” Zillah Duzon Hazel said.
The Red-Carpet event highlighted excellence with awe inspiring runway collections, a designer marketplace, post worthy photo moments, and more.
Destination Sint Maarten was proud to have Zillah Duzon Hazel profiling the island and showcasing her fashion brand which is part and parcel of the orange economy that the STB has been focusing on. This was the perfect opportunity to sponsor a Sint Maarten fashion designer.
Destination Sint Maarten could receive extensive media coverage and attention when participating in fashion events generating positive press coverage resulting in potential visitors booking a holiday to the island for a magical experience.
The word “Jolie” is French for pretty and that’s exactly what Jolie Duzon represents. Exclusive fashion from Sint Maarten designed to make women feel pretty, beautiful, and confident! Founder and Designer Duzon Hazel merged European elegance with bright prints inspired by the colors and the lifestyle of the islands. Thus, creating the trendy and exclusive Jolie Duzon brand.
Claire Siobhan Sulmers is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Founder of Fashion Bomb Daily, a direct-to-consumer fashion company that leverages content and community to power a multicultural shopping experience.
Readers log on to The Fashion Bomb for its fresh takes on fashion news and stories, along with its boutique spotlights, exclusive editorials, magazine scans, fashion show reviews, trends, wardrobe advice, celebrity looks for less, and tips on how to break into the industry from the best in the business. The site has 2.4 million monthly visitors.
The cultural and creative industries or orange economy are being harnessed by countries for their potential as an engine for development. The orange economy is one of the fastest growing sectors in the world.
The orange economy can be defined as including all sectors where goods and services are based on the creation of intellectual property (design and visual arts, tourism and cultural heritage, new media, software, performing arts, music, literary arts, publications).
The industry was estimated at US$2.25 billion and contributed to more than 29.5 million jobs worldwide in 2015. By 2017, it had grown to more than nine trillion of the world economy and of 18 trillion according to McKinsey Global Institute.
“Local designers attending a prominent event like The Bomb Fashion Show in New York contributes to the industry’s increased cultural diversity. Visitors to these events get to encounter a wider spectrum of design inspirations, styles, and aesthetics, fostering a richer cross-cultural dialogue and drawing in a wider range of people.
“Sint Maarten may become a popular destination for travelers interested in fashion and design if it participates in a major event like The Bomb Fashion Show with local designers. This could result in more visitors coming to Sint Maarten particularly to attend or see fashion-related events, which would help local establishments including hotels, restaurants, and entertainment venues.
Sint Maarten can showcase its distinct cultural identity and fashion legacy by displaying local designers on a global scale,” Cherinah Franken, Acting Section Head, Visitor Relations & Product Development stated.