Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Guerline T. Emmanuel. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, Guerline T. thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?
As the owners of Belle Vue Tours, a historical, cultural, and adventure tour company to Haiti, my husband Hogarth and I, have always been passionate about adding to and owning the narrative of Haiti. Through tourism, we saw firsthand how Haiti’s rich history and global impact in helping dismantle the transatlantic slave trade through its independence in 1804 is often missing, disregarded, or simply unknown. Beyond sharing this history through our tours, it inspired us to create BVstylez, a travel and lifestyle brand that authentically represents Haitian culture and centers Haiti’s global impact and influence. At the time, we did not see many travel and lifestyle brands authentically connecting Haitian history, diaspora identity, and functional travel products in a modern way.
We wanted to combine function, fashion, and storytelling through products that felt connected to identity and movement. What excited us most was building more than just bags or accessories, we were creating a brand centered around representation, pride, and culture.
Our collection, “The Liberators,” was inspired by revolutionary historical women and men whose contributions transcended Haiti and whose impact was felt across multiple continents through their role in dismantling the transatlantic slave trade.
We believed it would resonate because consumers were looking for authenticity and purpose, and we understood that audience personally because we were part of it.
Guerline T. , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
Hogarth and I are the founders of Belle Vue Tours and BVstylez, two brands rooted in history, culture, travel, and representation. Much of our work is centered around owning and adding to the way Haiti and the African diaspora are seen, experienced, and connected globally.
We first entered the tourism industry about 17 years ago through Belle Vue Tours, a historical, cultural, and adventure tour company focused on providing immersive experiences throughout Haiti. Through that work, we realized that many people around the world knew very little about Haiti beyond headlines and stereotypes. What was often missing from global conversations was Haiti’s revolutionary history, cultural richness, artistic influence, and its role in helping dismantle the transatlantic slave trade through the Haitian Revolution and independence in 1804.
The narrative of Haiti and the Haitian Revolution transcends a national context. As the first nation to permanently abolish slavery, it holds great significance not only for the Haitian people but also for the broader African resistance movement. In the age of revolution, unlike the American and French Revolutions, the Haitian Revolution uniquely proclaimed genuine liberty and human rights by rejecting chattel slavery and asserting that equality must include all people.
That realization inspired us to expand beyond tourism and create BVstylez, a travel and lifestyle brand that combines fashion, functionality, and cultural storytelling. We wanted to create products that were not only practical for travel, but also meaningful and connected to identity, pride, and movement. Our collection, “The Liberators,” is inspired by Haitian revolutionary historical figures and their global impact.
What sets our brands apart is the intentional connection between travel, culture, history, and design. At the time, we did not see many brands authentically merging Haitian heritage, diaspora identity, and modern travel products in a way that felt elevated, bold, and globally relevant. We are not just selling tours or bags; we are building platforms for representation and cultural connection.
In addition to our products and tours, we have continued expanding our vision through once-in-a-lifetime initiatives like The Legacy Tour, a global experience connecting Africa, Europe, and Haiti through history, identity, and shared cultural pathways. The Legacy Tour is a three-continent pilgrimage across Africa, Europe, and Haiti, with distinct tours of Africa in the summer of 2027, Europe in March-April of 2028, and Haiti in December of 2028-2029. We will have the chance to conclude this experience celebrating Haitian Independence Day on January 1, 2029 in Haiti. The Legacy Tour is created to honor The Liberators and us, their descendants who are tasked with the responsibility of pushing their legacy forward. Some of these Liberators’ names can also be found memorialized on The Wall of Names at Freedom Park in Pretoria, South Africa, through our past initiative with Haiti’s crowned Miss Heritage Global, Abigail Pierre-Louis.
What we are most proud of is building businesses that operate with purpose. Whether through tourism, fashion, or cultural experiences, our goal has always been to responsibly add to our legacy as Haitians and as part of the larger African Diaspora community. We aim to honor that legacy not only through the lens of struggle or misinformation, but through our ancestors’ courage, tenacity, influence, innovation, and global impact.
The main thing we want people to know about our brands is that everything we create is intentional. We believe travel, fashion, and storytelling are powerful tools for education, empowerment, and representation. We want people to feel pride, connection, and confidence when they engage with our work while also learning more about the histories and cultures that continue to shape the world today.
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
Consistency, credibility, tenacity, and love are what build our reputation in our market.
Through Belle Vue Tours, we’ve built credibility by offering immersive cultural and historical experiences in Haiti that are rooted in lived, guided experience rather than perception and rumor. Our commitment is real and grounded in love, investment, and a belief in what Haiti represents. We understand that we are the ones we have been waiting for, and no one will create the Haiti we want, need, and deserve. Our ancestors already showed us we are enough.
With BVstylez, we extend that narrative into fashion and lifestyle, reinforcing a clear focus on identity, culture, and representation through “The Liberators.”
A key part of our work is rigorous historical research, including the scholarship of historians such as Marlene Daut, author of The First and Last King of Haiti: The Rise and Fall of Henry Christophe, along with the Haitian Genealogical Society (AGH) and archival study. This ensures our storytelling is grounded in verified history and lineage.
We also strengthen our reputation by building an ecosystem of tourism, fashion, and cultural experiences rather than isolated projects, making our work intentional, consistent, and long-term focused.
How did you build your audience on social media?
What I’ve learned about building an audience on social media is that consistency, clarity, and authenticity matter more than anything else. Not everyone is our target audience, and part of the trailblazing community we are building.
You have to be clear about what you stand for and repeat that message over time in different ways. For us, that has been centered on Haiti’s history, cultural identity, and the African diaspora through both Belle Vue Tours and BVstylez.
Another key lesson is that storytelling builds connection more than promotion. People don’t follow you just for products or services they follow the meaning behind what you are building, the history, the perspective, and the lived experience behind it.
It’s also important to stay consistent even when growth feels slow. Social media rewards repetition and patience, not instant results. Building an audience is really about building trust over time.
For anyone starting out, the most important thing is to start with what you actually love, know and care about deeply. Trends change, but clarity of voice and purpose is what makes people stay.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://bvstylez.com and https://www.bvtourshaiti.com
- Instagram: @bvstylez and @bellevuetours
- Facebook: @bvstylez and @bellevuetours
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/guerline-t-emmanuel-962457170/
- Youtube: @bvstylez and @bellevuetourshaiti
