When one of Barbados’ top creative directors and designers, Tia Olton, of label TIALANI Fashion Designs left Barbados in February to participate in Milan Fashion Week in Milan, the regional capital of Lombardy, in northern Italy, she was creating history.
It was the first time that a Barbadianbased fashion designer had been given the opportunity to showcase their work at this clothing trade show with clothing designed and made exclusively on the island.
Tia’s designs, offering inclusivity, sustainability, and versatility, while fusing Caribbean resort wear with a 1990’s edgy touch and an aesthetic consisting of a very neutral palette, using materials such as linen, cotton, and cheesecloth, have captivated the hearts of many across the globe.
This designer who, from a child was surrounded by creatives in her immediate and extended family, is still in awe of her success at the February 24-March 2 event which saw her showcasing her work during an independent runway presentation at the Duomo Cathedral Square. This allowed for an open, public-facing showcase.
World of fashion
While she has received many accolades from this event, Tia who launched her TIALANI collection in 2018, directly after graduating with her associate degree in fashion design from the Barbados Community College (BCC), actually used the collection she showcased during her final year studies, to propel her in the world of fashion. Since then, there has been no turning back.
To make her collection known, she built her own website, staged local and regional pop-ups, stocked some of her pieces in local stores, did lots of interviews overseas, worked extremely hard, persevered and even launched a collection twice annually.
“It was a lot of hard work, but I didn’t let that stop me. I put a lot of pitches out there, and even got regional sales.”
All this strategic planning helped to place Tia in the forefront of fashion in Barbados, the region and beyond. In fact, without her being aware, many were taking an interest in her brand.
Coming out of her successful Milan Fashion Week, Tia holds firmly to the view that her success is Barbados’ success in many ways.
In an interview with Easy this week, the 27-year-old former student of Christ Church Foundation, shared that an agency in New York, that had been following her fashion, reached out to her about attending a fashion week to display her designs. It was decided that Milan Fashion Week would be the perfect event. Tia in turn reached out to the
National Cultural Foundation (NCF) and the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI), both of whom came onboard and helped in putting Barbados in the spotlight.
“The showcase functioned as a form of cultural diplomacy, positioning Barbados within the global fashion dialogue while reinforcing its identity through design. Barbados now becomes a lifestyle experience. The show also extended beyond fashion, offering an immersive introduction to Barbados as a cultural and lifestyle destination. It gave visibility for Caribbean fashion on the global stage, while elevating Caribbean fashion as a serious player.
International stage
“This event mattered to Barbados as it shows Barbados as a cultural exporter and not just a location. It positioned Barbados as a source of design language, not just a destination, and translated Barbadian heritage into contemporary luxury fashion on an international stage. It also introduced global audiences to Barbados through material storytelling (burlap, doily, craft traditions), rather than tourism clichés.
“In addition,” Tia stressed, “the showcase repositioned Barbados from a travel destination to a cultural export where heritage, materiality, and craftsmanship are translated into contemporary luxury. The presentation signals the viability of Barbados’ fashion industry as an exportdriven sector, opening pathways for international retail, editorial placement, and cross-border partnerships.”
Feedback from her participation was extremely welcoming.
“People were very impressed especially when they heard I was from Barbados. One person told me, “Barbados is so small, but your collection was so big.”
There were other comments, such as: “I love it; very creative.” “I like the collection very much, so modest, so fantasy, so beautiful.” “I like the natural colours, very nice.” “You can go everywhere. It’s just luxury vibes. “ “I love your collection, I am a fashion teacher here, and this collection blew me away.”
Most profound
While this was not Tia’s first international show, it was perhaps her most profound to date.
Having been featured in the December 2024 issue of the respected Travel and Leisure Magazine as one of the Caribbean’s top six fashion designers, one can say that 2024 was extremely kind to this creative. The TIALANI brand was also featured in Cacique Magazine, on board Inter Caribbean Airways It was in June 2024, that Tia was invited to Toronto, Canada by the BTMI and given the opportunity to showcase her work during the Rose Picnic Fashion Show and the Vanguard Fashion Show.
In collaboration with the NCF, she also showcased her collection in Africa at Ghana’s Accra Fashion Week, together with five other Barbadian designers, each of whom showcased their individual brands. She met international fashion designers, and the experience expanded her view of the fashion world.
In July 2024, she was chosen to represent Barbados at the United Nations (UN) Multi-Year Expert Meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, where she was part of the discussion on how AI could benefit the creative industry.
Then, in December 2024, she collaborated with Barbadian fashion designer, Lavern and staged a popup for their individual brands.
“We collaborated with Deia Beach Restaurant on the South Coast and incorporated fashion and culinary arts experiences. Persons shopped the collection and indulged in culinary arts at the same time.
“Some people even flew to Barbados to meet me, including a writer from Travel and Leisure Magazine.”
So, what’s next for Tia and her brand?
“There is a new collection and we have been invited back to Milan. We are looking at the options as we continue to grow. We also want to open our first brick and mortar store soon, hopefully on the south coast. There are lots of good things in store.”
Looking back at her successes, Tia had this to say: “Coming from such a small island what we want to achieve sometimes appears unattainable. But reaching out plays a big part in what we do achieve. I did a lot of reaching out. It is also important that one creates opportunities for one’s self and continue pushing. You never know who is watching. There were many people watching me. I definitely believe in my brand and will keep showing up.” (Cheryl Harewood)
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