Regional seamstresses under heavy threat from online shopping

A preference for online shopping is threatening to make the Caribbean seamstress extinct.

That concern from St Lucia’s 2018 Seamstress of the Year, Lisa Barton – Volney.

Speaking ahead of Bridal Couture, the Caribbean Expo of fashion designers which took place on Saturday, January 26 in Barbados, Volney said regional shoppers are opting for clothing which is cheaper both in quality and cost.

According to the Business 2 Customer or B2C report e-commerce volume in the Caribbean for 2005 – 2011, the annual, overall e-commerce sales in the Caribbean in 2011 amounted to 2.75 billion US dollars, up from 1.9 billion US dollars in 2010. Those figures are estimated to be higher eight years on.

The owner of the De Kloze Line and De Zip Code said it is extremely difficult for designers and seamstresses to compete.

“Customers don’t want to adequately compensate us for our workmanship, even though they are fully aware that raw materials are mostly sourced from outside and that costs are incurred when trying to satisfy our customers,” she said.

Barton-Volney, who received the best seamstress award from the St Lucia Industrial and Small Business Association (SLISBA) noted, “It is the only industry that you cannot leave home without yet still there is no respect for garment producers in the Caribbean.”

She warned that seamstresses no longer have the luxury of catering to a niche market. “You have to be diverse and flexible by catering to everyone’s need,” she explained.

To reduce production costs, she suggested the region should look towards creating its own fabrics and utilise materials readily available from agricultural produce. “I heard once that someone was experimenting with making fabric out of banana straw. I am sure there are other things in agriculture we can use. We just need to educate ourselves on the dynamics and possibilities of exploring these options.”

With regard to moving the entire fashion industry forward she called for ‘objective’ people to get involved. “Creative people are passionate, sometimes we cannot hear anything but our own voices. We need objective people who will keep us focused and who will drive home the point that there is no harm in working together when we have a common goal. There is strength in numbers. Sharing our knowledge and supporting each other can only make our industry stronger,” she said.

Saturday’s collection from the De Kloze Line and De Zip Code featured clothing for weddings and for church. “It is spiritually inclined,” she said. “I sought my creator’s input and this collection reflects how he requires me to use the gift and talent he afforded me; the line is called Royalty.”

Bridal Couture was held at the Samuel Jackman Prescod Institute and also featured designers from Antigua, St Vincent and Barbados.