Business
Barbadian Siblings Win International Sustainable Fashion Award
Trinity and Zion Rose, a brother-sister duo from Barbados, won the Zero Waste International Competition at the E.D.W.A.R.D. Awards, showcasing their innovative sustainable fashion designs.
5 min read
Originally published by barbadostoday.bb (opens in new tab)
A brother-and-sister team, managed by their dad, has secured a major sustainable fashion prize less than 18 months after entering the field, winning the Zero Waste International Competition at the E.D.W.A.R.D. (Ethical Defender of the World) Awards, zooming to the top of home-grown sustainable design.
Emerging fashion designer Trinity Rose, 18, and her brother, model and actor Zion Rose, wowed audiences at the climax of Sustainable Fashion of the World in Panama City on July 26. The event brought together sustainability, education, innovation, culture, and creative industries to promote global sustainable solutions.
“How I won that award was kind of shocking and surprising because we found out about it just a few days ago,” Trinity said. “It just means so much to me, especially as a new designer. I only started designing last year in February, when my auntie Sheena Rose gifted me a sewing machine.”
She recalled making early garments for dolls that did not look very good, but noted that Zion offered encouragement whenever initial attempts failed.
“Zion truthfully was the one to bring me out of the shell when it came [to] fashion. He said: ‘Try and try again. It don’t look good, try it again.'”
The journey to the international award began during CARIFESTA in 2025, where she met event organiser Jose Alexander, who challenged her to produce a full ten-piece sustainable collection.
“I told him: ‘Jose, it’s so nice to meet you, but I never went to school. I never learned how to do fashion.’ He said: ‘It’s OK. Most designers don’t learn from school. Just try. I want 10 pieces.’
“As our father told us: ‘Just say yes and then figure out reality.’ So I said: ‘Yeah, of course.'”
Explaining her focus on eco-friendly design, Rose pointed to the creative possibilities in repurposing discarded materials. “With conventional fashion, you have to get that drip and put it on. With sustainability, you get to be creative,” she explained. “You take something old, and you transform it into something new.
One of my favourite pieces was an old curtain that we found in a thrift store, rather than getting four to five yards of new fabric.”
Brother Zion shared a similar approach, designing an accessory using cardboard, scrap fabric and old bag straps. He also described his proudest moment on the international runway in Panama modelling Trinity’s designs.
