JAMAICAN Carmichael Byfield is one of 12 Caribbean designers who will be awarded the Karib Nation, Inc’s Award of Excellence, on June 27 in Maryland.

According to Byfield, who is based in The Netherlands, it is a major achievement for his House

of Byfield.

“I do hope that this will open more doors for me, not only in the United States but in other countries. This is not only for myself but all the other Jamaican designers who are still ‘unseen’,”

he said.

He believes Jamaican designers get little recognition compared to other players in the fashion industry.

“Sometimes, more emphasis is placed on the models and not the designers at fashion shows. Why do Jamaicans always allow other countries to spot their talent first?”

Born in Kingston, Byfield migrated to Brooklyn, New York, as a teenager.

In 1992, he earned an associate degree in fashion from Parsons College in New York City. He attended, and later worked as a teacher at Fashion Institute of Technology at the State University of New York, before relocating to The Netherlands in 2008.

He opened the House of Byfield in 2011. It has

offices in Amsterdam and Rotterdam.

Byfield’s designs have been worn by Bryan McKnight, Beenie Man and Elephant Man.

Jamaicans Erica Appleby and Ashley Martin, Bahamians Anthea Bulland, Apryl Burrows and Theodore Elyett, Sharleen Lagon from St Lucia, and Shaun Griffith-Perez from Trinidad and Tobago will also be recognised next month.

Karib Nation, Inc was founded in 1992 in Baltimore. A non-profit organisation, it promotes Caribbean-owned businesses in the US.