CAPRICORN is a personal mini-collection that embraces the characteristics of my Capricorn sun: perfectionism and determination. It is meant to be the elevated coupling to my other mini-collection, STAR GYAL. Browse the lookbook at a glance below, and scroll for a more in depth look of the process from conception to final looks.

Conception to Fruition.

Concept & Colors

CAPRICORN answers the question of “What does Indo-Caribbean high fashion look like?”

The topic is new terrain, as there are not many Guyanese fashion designers. Like any collection, I started my exploration with color. CAPRICORN is meant to complement STAR GYAL, which is composed mostly of denims. Naturally, I chose golden yellow as the center of this collection, because the color represents the gold adornments in my culture, and it is a close complimentary color to deep blue.

My first point of reference was Guyanese weddings, which glitter with beads, lehengas and sarees. This sounds similar to South Asian weddings, but to me, Indo-Caribbean fashion is distinctly different because of our inclination to show skin. I believe this comes from fete and carnival culture in the tropics.

From this reference point, I began to reinvent traditional garments, shorten hem lengths, and indulge in piecework and beaded trims.

Sketches & Swatches

While I collected references for CAPRICORN, I simultaneously made quick sketches and sourced my fabrics. Typically I build out my moodboard, fabric swatch catalog, and sketchbook at the same time.

Production

After narrowing down to 4 looks, my process involved altering patterns I was already familiar with (bell sleeve jackets, circle skirts, princess seam tops, and bras), cutting, and sewing. I also conducted fitting with my models throughout production. Below are images of the process.