LOCAL fashion and Carnival designer Stefan Justin Sealy showed 16 pieces from his eponymous brand at Cayman Fashion Week which ran from April 10-13. Last year, Sealy’s work landed him on Flying Solo’s runway at Milan Fashion Week last September. On April 12, he showed eight male and eight female pieces from his Sealy Resort Wear collection. International model Anita Lain showed Sealy’s pieces on the Cayman runway. It was not only his first time at the event but also his first step into resort wear. Creating a full range of female pieces was also a first for Sealy. He is known for his male collection. It was a pleasure representing Trinidad and Tobago and the Caribbean aesthetic on the global stage, Sealy said. “This moment means everything – my first time doing resort wear, my first time designing for women at this scale, and my first visit to the Cayman Islands. “There’s something really special about all of that aligning right here.” Being at the event allowed Sealy to broaden his reach and take one step closer to become a widely-known, Caribbean-grown international brand. Haitian-born designer and Project Runway season 19 finalist Prajje Oscar were among the fashion week’s participants. Sealy hopes that his participation at this event would lead to New York’s Fashion Week this September. Sealy said he is positioning himself as a Caribbean creative force with global ambitions. “I want to fly the Trinidad flag high as I travel the world sharing my fashion perspective. This is just the start - I’m building a global fashion powerhouse, piece by piece,” he said.