BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - A young fashion designer from St. Kitts and Nevis is now living her childhood dream with the recent establishing of her own boutique that showcases designs made by her. A dream made possible through the Sugar Industry Diversification SEED Programme.
Since at the age of eight, Yakima Daniel told herself that one day she would become an acclaimed fashion designer. Today, after recently graduating as a SIDF SEED incubate, she is the Managing Director of her own business - Kiwie Dan Couture.
In an opening ceremony held on Thursday (Dec. 18) at the business establishment on Rosemary Lane, Daniel expressed her gratitude of being afforded the opportunity by the SIDF and also thanked her family and well-wishers for their support.
“Without them I would not have been here. They have pushed me and encouraged me all the way. I don’t consider it work, I consider it having fun because creating and seeing people in my wear brings joy to me.”
She also highlighted her experience at the SEED Boot Camp.
“The Boot Camp had me like a zombie, because I was working at that time and I had to wake up at seven to go to work until five. Then from five to nine or ten I would attend Boot Camp. It was really hard work and we had to go home and do homework, stay up late in the night and still had to get up early in the morning again. It was very demanding but thanks to Noah Mills and Ms. Browne who kept pushing us.”
Speaking at the ceremony, Corporate Communications Manager of the SIDF Dalcia Bradley-King expressed her joy at seeing Daniel’s success.
“Every time a business opens I feel a great sense of pride and a great sense of joy. And when I hear the entrepreneur say that I had and I was able to realise through the SIDF SEED programme, it really makes me and my colleagues realise over and over that this is really a worthwhile venture.”
Bradley-King also highlighted the role the SIDF has so far played in entrepreneurship in the Federation.
“SIDF is really proud of Yakima and the other businesses currently in operation. And I am please to let you know that to date SIDF has funded 46 businesses in St. Kitts and Nevis and this, the 36th to be in operation, the 17th on St. Kitts.
Daniel’s mother highlighted how her daughter became so enthusiastic about fashion design.
“She always said since the age of eight that she would be sewing. At the age of three she got on the machine but her foot could not reach the control. She had the baby chair and she would sit in the chair and I would put the control in that chair.
“One Sunday morning, I could remember, I had a piece of material from my sister…she made a green skirt with a pink zipper and a top…and she said she was going to wear it to Sunday school and I did no say a thing. But that is how she rally started, and I am really proud that she came up to do what she is doing today.”
The boutique opened with a tour of the facility and a toast to the young entrepreneur's success.
