Tourism Minister swats claims by fashion designer

Tourism, Industry and Commerce Minister Oneidge Walrond has rejected claims by US-based fashion designer Marrisa Wilson that the inaugural ORIGINS: Guyana Fashion Festival is based on her intellectual property and not developed by the government and its collaborators.

Wilson, who is of Guyanese descent, alleged in an Instagram post that the government had stolen her ideas from an earlier proposal made to Minister Walrond three years ago.

However, Minister Walrond, in a statement today, dismissed the accusations and said the ORIGINS brand was created by a team of local industry practitioners and event organisers assembled to develop Guyana’s fashion industry.

She said the government had invested over G$2.7 billion in the creative and cultural sectors in 2024, and had budgeted G$3.6 billion for 2025.

According to Minister Walrond, Wilson was contacted by a representative of Alex Graham’s team in the United States. Graham is serving as event director of the ORIGINS festival. He met virtually with Wilson and her team on 13 March 2025 to discuss the goals and approach of the event.

The statement said there was “a shared understanding” regarding Wilson’s potential participation in the event. Her team later submitted a short video for inclusion at the festival’s launch, along with images featuring the ORIGINS brand. While the images were not used, the video was played during the 26 March launch at the Railway Courtyard in Georgetown, and Wilson was publicly acknowledged.

Wilson’s team submitted a formal proposal, including associated costs, on 31 March. Minister Walrond said elements of the proposal overlapped with roles already assigned to other local creatives. Internal deliberations were still ongoing when Wilson released what the minister described as an “erroneous and mischievous” video, which has since been circulated online.

Minister Walrond acknowledged Wilson’s achievements but criticised the public release of the video.

“Marrisa’s work and achievement are outstanding, and it is therefore disappointing that someone of Guyanese roots, who had an opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the growth and development of the industry here, quickly choose to go public with distortions, exaggerations, and lies in response to our effort to include her and her team,” the statement said.

The government reiterated its commitment to developing the local fashion sector and described the festival as a “visionary initiative” led by President Mohamed Irfaan Ali.

“The Government of Guyana is firmly of the view that Guyana is not just a land of natural beauty and economic potential; we are a force in fashion, creativity, and culture,” it said. “This festival is a visionary initiative, spearheaded by His Excellency Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, to give our designers a global platform.”

Minister Walrond expressed regret that Wilson and her team had chosen not to participate in the May event. She also said she would publish the 2022 proposal referenced by Wilson, contending that “there was nothing original about that proposal.”