OJZ shines bright at New York Fashion Week |05 October 2023

Oushna being interviewed by Elle magazine

Oushnajohn Shalimahjohn Zoe, known as Oushna, made her mark at the New York Fashion Week, representing Seychelles on a global stage. She stood out as the sole Seychellois participant, captivating the audience with her unique collection.

Seychelles NATION has been closely following Oushna's journey as an artist and designer since 2020. We recently had the opportunity to catch up with her for a brief interview.

Oushna is not only a talented local designer but also a dedicated secondary school teacher in the field of technology and enterprise. Under her own brand, OJZ Seychelles, she specialises in crafting jewelry, clothing accessories, tailoring, and upholstery. Her prior experience in local shows paved the way for her remarkable appearance at New York Fashion Week.

Reflecting on her experience in New York, Oushna shared that “New York Fashion Week was an incredible journey. I found myself in the right place at the right time. I had the privilege of being interviewed by prominent publications like Elle magazine, flying solo, FWO online magazine, and fashion tv. My interview will soon grace the screens of fashion tv, and my designs were featured in Elle magazine and Glamour magazine. I am immensely proud to be the first Seychellois fashion designer to grace the runway at New York Fashion Week and to be featured in Elle and Glamour magazines. With faith, nothing is impossible!”

During her time in New York, Oushna received support from fellow Seychellois, including Sophia de Baun, a film producer based in New York who owns Mizo Film Production Company. Sophia and her partner, Zora, captured stunning photos and filmed Oushna's show.

The Seychellois ambassador in New York, Ian Madeleine, also made time from his busy schedule to show his support towards this young designer.

Another remarkable achievement for Oushna was a collaboration with the renowned singer known as Singuila from Paris. Singuila launched his sunglasses brand, Caché, during the event and invited Oushna to collaborate on the runway show. All five models showcasing swimwear also donned Caché sunglasses. Oushna explained, “When you collaborate with another designer, the beauty lies in mutual promotion. As they promote their designs in their own country, they also promote you. In addition to Caché sunglasses, my models wore Felipa bags Philippine and Nafari mods shoes.”

Oushna's collection featured eight unique looks, comprising five swimwear pieces and three lingerie sets. “This marked my debut in swimwear, and what better platform to launch it than at NYFW. I incorporated three reversible swimwear fabrics from Mauritius, along with two handmade crochet swimwear pieces made from 100% cotton yarn, completely biodegradable. I am committed to raising awareness about sustainable fashion in the industry. Additionally, the three lingerie sets were inspired by the Barbie movie. Since the movie's producer omitted Barbie and Ken's wedding, I took it upon myself to create Barbie and Ken's wedding lingerie. I am delighted with the outcome of this collection.”

Oushna has thanked her sponsors namely president Wavel Ramkalawan, Seychelles National Institute for Culture, Heritage and the Arts, Juliette de Baun, Sophia de Baun, Marie Annette, and Jacobs family.

For this young Seychellois designer, the doors have opened and Seychelles NATION wishes her continued success, globally.

Vidya Gappy

Photos: Contributed