The Fashion Unit (formerly The Trinidad and Tobago Fashion Company Limited- FashionTT) was established in 2013 with the mandate to stimulate and facilitate the business development and export activity of the fashion industry in Trinidad and Tobago to generate national wealth.
The Fashion Unit provides structured and extensive capacity building support in training and export for local fashion industry stakeholders.
- Comprehensive exporter training programmes
- International standards certification programmes
- Market entry support for export-related expenses
Local Fashion Stats:
Value Chain
Investment Programme
The VCIP enhances the export capacity of local fashiondesigners by providing strategic and targeted support tailored to their specific stage of business development. The programme is structured as a tiered system comprising four tiers, each representing a distinct phase of business growth. Designers’ progress through these tiers based on their export readiness, ensuring a systematic and sustainable approach to entering and competing in global markets.
The Value Chain Investment Programme (VCIP) is one of the core projects of the Strategic Plan for the Fashion Industry. This programme assesses local firms by an independent international panel who will categorize firms into one of the four levels of the VCIP:
- The Global Value Chain (GVC) Support Programme
- Non-Global Value Chain (Non-GVC) Support Programme
- Business Advisory and Financing Programme
- Entrepreneurial Proficiency Programme
The VCIP is a landmark initiative that began in July 2016 when the Fashion Unit (formerly Trinidad and Tobago Fashion Company Limited, FashionTT) convened a three-member international panel to interview twenty-one designers in Trinidad and Tobago.
Each candidate was scored based on their responses to a series of questions related to the fifteen VCIP criteria.
These firms received support in improving up to two elements of their value chain by refining their in-house performance or outsourcing some steps locally. This support was provided by Professor at the Fashion Institute of Technology and consultant, Vincent Quan over a one-year period who worked closely with these designers to harness their most significant value chain potentials.
LookBook
The LookBook is a stunning digital and print publication that celebrates the creativity and talent of Trinidad and Tobago’s fashion designers. This milestone project highlights the local fashion industry and is shared across the nation, the Caribbean, and international markets. Through partnerships with public and private organizations, the LookBook aims to promote designers, drive local sales, and expand export opportunities for Trinidad and Tobago’s fashion brands.
Resources
State and Private Agency collaboration are critical as we work together in providing our local micro and SMEs with the framework required to build upon and bolster diversification within the T&T Economy. These are FashionTT’s Key Partners.
