Fashion Zouk Domnik Opens with Celebration of African and Dominican Fashion Culture

28 Aug

Written By: Sémaj Bernard

Roseau, Dominica — Fashion, culture and heritage took center stage as Fashion Zouk Domnik officially opened in Roseau under the theme “Unbroken Threads,” bringing together African and Dominican influences in a celebration of identity, creativity and craftsmanship.

Presented by EarthGold Beauty, Fashion Zouk Domnik is a four-day cultural shopping experience and fashion showcase running through Sunday, August 30, designed to explore Dominica’s freedom story through fashion while highlighting the diverse cultural influences that have shaped the island’s identity..

At the opening ceremony, Earlson Matthew, Chief Cultural Officer, described the movement as an inspiring initiative and emphasized the important role fashion plays within the cultural sector. He expressed the Cultural Division’s full support for Fashion Zouk Domnik and announced that the team will collaborate with the division during Dominica’s upcoming Independence season.

Also lending her support was Her Worship Lucy Belle-Matthew, Mayor of Roseau, who welcomed the event to the capital. She highlighted the initiative as a reflection of Roseau’s ambition, creativity and entrepreneurial drive, describing the city as a melting pot of culture.

For Natasha Yeeloy-Labad, CEO of EarthGold Beauty and Chair of the Fashion Zouk Domnik Committee, the event represents much more than a fashion showcase. It is an opportunity to use fashion as a vehicle for telling Dominica’s story.

“Fashion Zouk Domnik is a really cultural experience,” Yeeloy-Labad explained, describing it as an expression of Dominica’s freedom story as imagined and interpreted by local creatives.

Five designers came together to create pieces inspired by the island’s heritage, incorporating fabrics and textiles including Ankara, adire, linen, cotton, aso-oke and madras. Through their designs, the organizers sought to encourage Dominicans to reconnect with the multiple cultural threads that make up the nation.

Yeeloy-Labad pointed to Dominica’s African heritage, Kalinago roots, and English, French and Creole influences as essential parts of the island’s identity.

“All of these things make us uniquely Dominican,” she said, stressing the importance of standing together as a people and using available creative expressions to tell stories of pride, dignity and excellence.

The collaborative nature of the project was another major focus of the opening. Yeeloy-Labad highlighted the participation of women designers and creatives, including Sharon Tanner, PK Prix, EarthGold and Joyful Designs, noting the energy and excitement that came from bringing Dominican and Caribbean women together through fashion.

For the organizers, Unbroken Threads is also about drawing attention to the artisans and creatives whose work forms part of everyday Dominican culture.

“Every day people pass artisans on the street, pass creatives on the street,” Yeeloy-Labad noted, pointing out that these individuals and their crafts represent “little pieces of what make us Dominican.”

The four-day Unbroken Threads Expo, which concludes on Sunday, August 30, further expands on that story through visual art and fashion. Visitors can explore a mural featuring imagery representing African glory, passage, cotton and intertwined blood, adding another layer to the exhibition’s exploration of heritage and connection.

The opening ceremony ultimately presented Fashion Zouk Domnik as the beginning of a larger movement—one that aims to establish fashion as a meaningful part of Dominica’s cultural expression while creating greater visibility for local designers, artisans and entrepreneurs.

Yeeloy-Labad expressed hopes that Fashion Zouk Domnik will grow into an annual festival showcasing Dominican fashion, people and cultural heritage.

With the showcase continuing through Sunday, August 30, attendees are encouraged to visit the expo, discover the featured designs and purchase pieces that represent aspects of Dominican heritage. Members of the diaspora can also access the collection through the event’s catalogue.

As Yeeloy-Labad put it, the message is simple: get a piece of heritage.

Fashion Zouk Domnik’s “Unbroken Threads” therefore serves as both a fashion experience and a cultural statement—connecting the threads of Dominica’s past, present and future through the creativity of its people.