Sonia Noel: cutting her own style | Word of mouth

Sonia Elizabeth Noel has been in fashion for 28 years, first under the name Mariska’s Designs (named after her eldest daughter) and then as Sonia Noel Designs — producing exclusive lines with an upbeat Caribbean flavour and international appeal, for both men and women. Her versatile design concepts, flattering to all body types, range from tie-dyeing to hand-painting Guyana’s flora, fauna, and important historical sites (like Kaieteur Falls) and embellishing fabric with bamboo and wooden beads.

The signature style and hallmark of the Sonia Noel brand is her lattice motif, inspired by colonial-era Guyanese architecture. The child of a seamstress, Noel grew up in Bartica — a small mining town in Guyana — where her passion for fashion began when she started making clothing for her dolls. She soon realised that she preferred designing concepts more than sewing, and in primary school she would teach the kids how to make clothing and headwraps for their dolls out of newspapers.

Her economics teacher confessed to her decades later that when Noel had shared her dreams in class of becoming a designer, she felt sorry for her, thinking it couldn’t go beyond a dream — not in that tiny mining town. But with consistent faith, determination, focus, and discipline — and despite having no formal training — Noel proved dreams can come true.

Noel mainly designs her clothing and has samples made for her approval. “I would not be able to accomplish anything if I had to sew all day,” she chuckles. The pieces sell in Guyana and the Caribbean (shops in Guadeloupe and St Vincent carry her designs), as well as in the United States and Canada.

Most garments are produced by the Denmore Garment Factory in Guyana, and she works with private seamstresses for more intricate pieces. She decides on the images to paint, does some beading, or even paints some pieces herself — but most are done by Brian Beckles, a painter who has been working with her for 20 years.

Noel now also designs jewellery and created a few necklaces made from fabric and bamboo beads for her personal use. They caught the eyes of her clients, and she decided to create a collection. “The versatile bamboo hand-band that converts into a necklace and belt is one of my best sellers,” she says.

With few opportunities for emerging designers to showcase their work, she needed to create a platform of her own, so has produced many fashion shows over the past 20 years — both in Guyana and abroad. “A great fashion show is more than just clothes on a runway — it is a combination of creativity, craftsmanship and performance to create a truly unforgettable, immersive experience,” she says.

She held her first major show — Simply Irresistible — at the Pegasus in Guyana. She partnered with Joshua House, an orphanage, donating part proceeds of the sold-out event to them. In 2007, Noel launched the Guyana Fashion Weekend — later Guyana Fashion Week — showcasing other talented Guyanese designers. The following year, with the assistance of Richard Young from Trinidad, she launched Guyana Model Search & Designer’s Portfolio.

Noel’s designs have been featured in fashion shows all over the region, including Haiti, the British Virgin Islands, US Virgin Islands, Anguilla, Belize, and several cities in the US and Canada. They have even been featured in Moscow, Manila, Ningbo, and Beijing.

Noel had closed her studio pre-pandemic, feeling pulled in a different direction. She had already published seven books on Amazon, launched the Women in Business Expo, and started a programme called Confidence Becomes You. When Covid hit, she was able to live off the book sales, put the Confidence Becomes You programme online, and host several virtual writers’ retreats (partnering with Richard Young and Claudia Vital).

She lost two of her inspirations recently — her fashionista aunt Corin Gibson, and her dear mother. “Despite this, 2025 will be a phenomenal year for me,” she says. In addition to receiving the Outstanding Humanitarian Award at the 69th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69), she with her team plans to re-launch the Guyana Fashion Week in August; explore business opportunities in Africa; and expand her philanthropic work.

I asked her to give some advice to emerging designers. “Don’t choose this career for its perceived glamour,” she says. “If your passion is genuine, you will have the drive to persevere through the inevitable challenges. Like many Caribbean designers, I am self-taught. This often allows us to approach problems with fresh eyes, unburdened by traditional limitations. However, staying connected to the evolving design world is crucial. Embrace continuous learning, explore new techniques and be open to constructive feedback, it is a powerful tool for improvement.”