Open call for up-and-coming designers to join Xaymaca

Xaymaca International has launched a costume design competition aimed at providing a gateway to the local and regional industry for up-and-coming designers.

The competition, which runs from August to October 2019, will see designers competing to have their designs showcased at Xaymaca’s band launch in November.

Opportunity for designers

“The team at Xaymaca has stood by their promise to deliver an extraordinary carnival experience and this has transcended our masqueraders, and now includes our designers. We want them to have opportunities to grow, develop their skills and contribute to the overall Jamaican carnival industry, giving them an unforgettable experience as well,” said Director Kandi King. She also added, “Xaymaca International CEO Andrew Bellamy, shared that the competition is a great opportunity for both Xaymaca and up-and-coming designers.”

The design competition was officially launched on August 23 via the band’s official Instagram account @xaymacainternational, with the aim of showcasing the rich, untapped talent of designers in Jamaica and across the region.

“It will not only be a dream come true for an up-andcoming designer, but also a chance for us, the Xaymaca International team, to continue to contribute to the industry. Every year we have an overwhelming amount of emails from designers who want an opportunity, and this year we want to give back to them,” said Bellamy.

With increased participation from partners and revellers, Bellamy notes that the sky is the limit for the carnival industry in Jamaica.

“Carnival in Jamaica has experienced exponential growth over the last five years, marked by a tremendous increase in the number of masqueraders on the road, fêtes during carnival week, and participating designers. With this in mind, the management team hopes to use this competition not only to provide an exclusive opportunity for one designer, but to also further kick the local carnival industry into high gear, as we anticipate more growth in masqueraders and our road parade,” added Bellamy.

The Xaymaca International design competition will be documented on their official Instagram account, with updates on their Twitter account @xaymacaintl, and Facebook page, XaymacaInternational. The team promises an exclusive look at the process, from sketch to prototype to stage.

How to enter

The selection process for the competition is two-pronged. The first stage is an open request for a costume design sketch from which 20 designers will be selected to move forward. Sketches should be submitted to xaymacainternational@gmail.com by 11:59 p.m., on August 31, 2019.

The top 20 designs will be posted to Xaymaca’s Instagram page, where followers will be able to vote for their favourite to move on to phase two. Five finalists will then have two weeks to produce their final prototypes.

The winner of the competition will be announced on October 22 via Instagram and will receive US$1,000. The winning design will also be presented at Xaymaca International’s highly anticipated band launch in November.