The Designers Edge
Focus on Industry Finishes · Perfect the details. Elevate the standard.
A 3-day fashion-industry workshop hosted by Origins Guyana Fashion Festival, the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, and South America Undiscovered. Three sessions across Tuesday June 2, Wednesday June 3 and Thursday June 4 — 9 AM to 12 PM each day at the Co Labs. The focus: industry insights, professional standards, quality finishes and real-world applications. RSVP via QR code on the official flyer below.
What is The Designers Edge?
A free, hands-on workshop on the part of fashion most designers never get formally taught — industry finishes: the professional finishing standards that turn a home-sewn garment into a polished, market-ready, sellable product.
In fashion, “finishing” is everything that happens after the main sewing is done — how seams are enclosed, how hems and edges are treated, how linings, labels, fasteners and pressing are handled. It’s the difference a customer feels the second they touch a garment, and it’s exactly what buyers, boutiques and export markets inspect first. Over three mornings, The Designers Edge: Focus on Industry Finishes walks Guyanese designers through those standards with industry insights, live demonstrations and real-world examples, led by presenter Alicia Rose.
It runs as part of Origins Guyana Fashion Festival’s capacity-building drive — a government-backed push, through the Ministry of Tourism, Industry & Commerce, to raise the technical standard of Guyana’s fashion industry so local designers can compete regionally and internationally.
Emerging and working designers, tailors and seamstresses, fashion students, and small clothing businesses who want to lift their work to a commercial, sellable standard.
Finishing is what buyers judge first. Sharper finishes mean higher prices, repeat customers and the credibility to sell beyond Guyana — whether you show at Origins or sell from home.
Free. The flyer shows no fee — just register by scanning the QR code (RSVP). Three morning sessions, 9 AM–12 PM, June 2–4.
Official Flyer
Verified flyer from Hon. Susan Rodrigues, Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce (FB post, May 28, 2026). Scan the QR code on the flyer to register.
What's Covered
Four workshop themes confirmed on the official flyer.
What the global and regional fashion industry expects from a finished garment — and how Guyanese designers can meet those standards locally.
The technical benchmarks that separate a craft project from a commercial-ready piece — measurement tolerances, seam allowances, lining selection, label placement.
Hemming, edge-binding, hand-finishing techniques, pressing methods, hardware attachment — the small details that separate professional work from amateur.
Putting the theory into practice — case studies, live demonstrations and Q&A with presenter Alicia Rose.
Inside the Craft
What “industry finishes” looks like in practice — the details this workshop focuses on.
Illustrative imagery.
Who's Behind It
Three organisations sponsoring the workshop together — reinforcing Guyana's tourism + creative-industry strategy.
The umbrella creative-fashion festival under which The Designers Edge sits. 2025 inaugural edition ran May 2–4 at the Railway Courtyard with 31 Guyanese + 9 international designers. See the parent festival page →
Hon. Susan Rodrigues is the announcing minister. The ministry is co-investing in creative-industry capacity-building as part of the wider tourism + diversification strategy.
Regional tourism + culture brand partnering with MoTIC on industry-development programmes that position Guyana within the broader South American creative economy.
Venue — Co Labs, Kitty
Co Labs (Co-Labs Guyana) · 43 Garnett Street, 3rd Floor · Kitty, Georgetown, Guyana
A creative co-working & events space in Kitty, central Georgetown — the workshop runs on the 3rd floor. Central and easy to reach from across the city.
Venue per Origins’ official flyer (shown below). Travelling? Confirm on @origins.guyanafashionfestival before you go.
Part of the Origins 2026 Workshop Series
The Designers Edge is one of several free workshops Origins is running ahead of the main festival. See the full Origins 2026 Workshop Series → — if you’re building a fashion brand, the others are worth a look too.
Managing the finances of a fashion business. Host: Shamella John.
Co Labs · May 30 · 9 AM–12 PM.
This workshop. Host: Alicia Rose.
Co Labs · June 2–4 · 9 AM–12 PM.
Storytelling and writing for fashion. Learn to write with clarity and confidence.
Co Labs · June 6 & 13 · 1 PM–4 PM.
All of these lead into the main Origins Guyana Fashion Festival — July 3–5, 2026, themed “A Diamond Legacy: Fashioning 60 Years,” part of Guyana’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations. Register for any workshop by scanning its QR code, or follow @origins.guyanafashionfestival and the official site origins.gy.
FAQ
Who is The Designers Edge workshop for?
Fashion designers, fashion students, garment-industry professionals and anyone working in or aspiring to enter Guyana’s creative fashion industry. The focus is on industry finishes — the professional standards that separate a good piece from a great one.
How do I register?
Scan the QR code on the official flyer above. Registration appears to be free — confirm with the organisers via Origins Guyana Fashion Festival on Instagram or via the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce.
Is there a cost?
No price is shown on the flyer, which typically means free admission with RSVP. We’ll update this page once we have a verified answer from the organisers.
Where is the Co Labs?
43 Garnett Street, Kitty, in Greater Georgetown. About 10–15 minutes from central Georgetown by taxi. Ample on-site parking.
Do I need to attend all three days?
The flyer presents this as a three-session workshop — Tuesday June 2, Wednesday June 3 and Thursday June 4, 9 AM to 12 PM each day. Whether registration covers one session or all three needs to be confirmed at the time of RSVP.
Who is the presenter, Alicia Rose?
Named on the official flyer as the lead presenter. We’ll add her bio and credentials once the organisers publish them.
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