Behind The Design: The Monokini Collection

I am always excited to bring my culture, faith, eclecticism, and love for the arts into everything that I do!

When I was designing "The Monokini Collection”, I was thinking about women, our bodies, and some of the things that we go through. Because we wear so many hats and solve so many problems, when things end up not working out, it seems like a piece of us has been stolen away. Whether it is because of a severed relationship, career-related stress, or a lack of closure in other areas, we are left feeling like something is missing. This brings me to my first design detail.

The Cutout:

The cutout detail in these monokinis represents the missing piece that can tend to show itself in our lives, but it's never over. When circumstances seem to leave a hole in our lives, what is happening is freedom taking place! Every part of separation promotes a new level of sweet, victorious freedom. Every release was a release, indeed.  

This cutout design is an example of all the things that have been cut out that were no longer allowed to be in your way! When you reflect on these issues now, you will no longer see it as a negative loss, but as a positive gain of freedom, conquering, and brand newness. 

The Waist Chain:

No, this is not a chain that signifies bondage by any means!

In West African traditions, as well as in the Caribbeans, women wore waist beads for many reasons from celebrating femininity, and sexuality, embracing beauty, to tracking weight changes. I believe a woman's body should be free. Since the cutout represents freedom, the handmade waist chain is strategically used as an adornment and embellishes our newfound liberty! The design choice to add the waist chain pays homage to my West Indian roots.

Prints & Color:

Red: Boldness and strength. Red is the color of the chaconia/wild poinsettia, the national flower of Trinidad and Tobago.

Blue: Tranquility. I named this color "Deep Blue Caribbean Sea" because one of the bodies of water that surrounds Trinidad is the Caribbean Sea. When visiting the islands, specifically, Trinidad, mother's land, a feeling of peace and tranquility comes over me.

Caribbean Diaspora: This was my very first design idea for “The Monokini Collection”! I wanted to show love to the Caribbean kingdom, so I made this collage of independent Caribbean flags. I love the whole Caribbean diaspora, but since this design focuses on freedom, I wanted to use independent Caribbean country flags as a statement of breaking free from rulers and dictators.

Knowing your culture is knowing part of where your power lies.