Nov. 26/ WARRIORS WALK ALONE by AFROFUNKK

On Saturday 26th November at the Big Black Box, fashion label AFROFUNKK and home décor line The Sykadellic Shack will host a Spring/Summer 2017 collection, entitled,

“Warriors Walk Alone”

The designer behind these brands is T&T-born and US-based Charlene Sheppard Duncan who earned her formal training at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York and has over twenty years of experience as a fashion and jewelry designer.

The Warriors Walk Alone collection will carry over 70 pieces ranging from Christmas Cocktail wear to Carnival pieces, which the designer has labeled “fresh and funky” all the way down to flirty, fun options for Easter and vacation time. Items sold under “The Sykadellic Shack” brand are designed using elements of tribal cultures mixed together in the mind of this Trinbagonian world traveller.

Forty (40) special invitations for “Warriors Walk Alone” are available to all fashion lovers interested in attending the event and view the new collection, which can be accessed on the Afrofunkk event page on Facebook.com. The evening will be divided in two parts: An Open House display of the new Sykadellic Shack line from 6:30 p.m., followed by the Warriors Walk Alone fashion runway at 8:30 p.m. Entertainment will include Tassa drumming by the NGC Trinidad and Tobago Sweet Tassa Girls band as well as music by DJ Rawkus.

[tw-divider] About The Collection [/tw-divider]

Everywhere in the world that her feet tread, eccentric fashion designer Charlene Sheppard-Duncan continuously searches for her global tribe – those unique pockets of the world where authentic and indigenous art and artisans live.

Every month, her one-woman journey has taken her to almost every continent: Asia, Africa and the Far East seeking out kindred spirits who collaborate creatively with her in creating one-of- a-kind pieces to be featured under her fashion brands – AFROFUNKK and The Sykadellic Shack.

After a year-long hunt, she has come home.

“Warriors Walk Alone is me creating my own funk. Like a warrior. They stand tall. They go out and hunt and they have to come back with the goods. Me going to these tribes all over the world is like hunting season. When I travel, I feel alive and in sync with the tribal energy of the planet, and I bring that vibe back to the world in the global language of fashion.”

Over the past year and a half, Sheppard-Duncan’s brand has become a beacon in T&T for the truly independent fashion shopper who is not afraid to stand out and make a statement. AFROFUNKK is the outward expression of the designer’s commitment to the concept of “Global Tribal” .

 I feel like I’m supposed to be there among the tribes”

confided Sheppard-Duncan an intimate Google Hangout interview from New York.

“I feel normal there. These places that I go, it’s a whole different lifestyle. I pick these places because there are still living, functioning tribes there. If they don’t have a tribe there and they are not functioning. I’m not going”

“Sometimes people say, girl, why you going all the way to Africa” she laughed, “I’m not afraid. There are not many indigenous tribes left. They are my main inspiration. They got a special kind of funk, and they don’t try to be funky. It’s just their way of life”;

Always in search of unique fabrics, techniques and inspiration, Sheppard-Duncan continuously travels, often going alone into unknown places and spaces. On her solitary journey, she carries with her Fair-Trade practices and a hands-on approach to quality control all the way through the process.

The designer’s journey has been one of solitude, with a few meaningful friends along the way. One of them is her best friend Antoinette Rodriguez.

“She supports me in all of my crazy ideas. She totally understands me because we are the same. When we walk down the street, or when I go on my trips and return, she will always say, “Charlene we have thangs!’ It’s not diamonds and jewels but we see them as such”

“I know some Trinbagonians are afraid to take a chance on individual expression but I walk down the street in my necklaces and my beads, rings, feathers, funky jewelry and top hat feeling normal. Like we say, ‘normal normal” ; she laughed.

In a world that is racing head-long towards 100% machine-made efficiency, Sheppard-Duncan strives to keep grounded to the earth and all its organic riches, by ensuring that the materials she uses are designed from scratch. For example, she has sat with village weavers, dyers and potters to perfect the unique fabrics and crafts from which her fashions are created.

The 2017 collection will be available in phases, but the designer promises that the pieces can be styled for any occasion all year through. To claim a spot at the Big Black Box for 1-868- 678-3432 | janine.charles.farray@gmail.com

RSVP by visiting the official Afrofunkk

Facebook For more information on the”Warriors Walk Alone” Collection please contact 678-3432 or janine.charles.farray@gmail.com.