I started meme bete as an outlet, a means to explore my creativity. Since leaving St. Lucia, being away from my Atelier has been hard, because it was the best part of my day. I would be physically tired, bent over a machine all day, wreaking of contact cement and leather, dusty, fingers cut, glue everywhere, but somehow this was it for me. It took me a while to realize that being out of that environment took something away...
Hot bakes and cocoa tea are damn near the most perfect combination. Any Saint Lucian will tell you that this simple duo brings back a wave of happy memories. A one degree drop in our usual blisteringly hot day is a good enough excuse to whip out a cocoa stick and snuggle up with a steamy cup of cocoa tea. Made from raw, organic cocoa, this time honored tradition is a labor of love. You must first dry the...
It started out as the 40th anniversary Independence Collection. I commissioned a local artist, Ted Sandiford to use his own imagination to create something that he felt represented St. Lucia. I gave him no further direction. It would be three years later when I would finally understand his true inspiration behind the images. I re-released the collection in 2022, once again for St. Lucia Independence and figured it would be a great idea to do a social media live...
Unlike many young St. Lucians, I love going to the Castries market. Every trip home to St. Lucia, I make sure to visit the Castries market at least once. I love to purchase crafts, savour some local cuisine or just take in the essence of St. Lucian life. The market is one of our oldest colonial buildings and has stood the test of time. It has even benefited from a recent face lift. It was therefore a no-brainer to...
Today in Black History we're finally able to debut our new Espadrilles. The original artwork, although you may have seen it on previous styles has been rebranded. It is now the Flor de Gaillard Collection. It has always been my goal to tell my story as a St. Lucian through fashion. I commissioned this original piece of artwork from a St. Lucian artist and specifically requested a strong creole woman. While I was happy with the outcome finding a name...
Let's learn how to tie a head wrap a different way today! You guys loved the first one so much and as you know, when it nice, do it twice! This particular style lends itself closer to the tet mawe styles. This particular style is very popular in the Caribbean and you will see many women, labourers and vendors with their head tied this way. Local women use this style for tradition costumes as well. I think this is a...
In 2013, BlackBusiness.com published an article on the top 5 black-owned handbag brands. Back then, instagram was not so saturated, algorithms gave everyone a fair chance to be seen, and real people, rather than bots were running ig accounts. I boldly messaged the publication to ask if I could be included. They swiftly responded that once I updated my site they would be happy to give me an honorary mention. This should have been my cue that I wasn't...
Wow father's day is fast approaching and we are all in need of father's day gift ideas. Man oh Man 2020 has been a whirlwind! And to think we're only half way through. I think we all deserve special awards for surviving an imminent WWW3, crazy wild fires and corona virus. We're currently on Season 1 Episode 6 of 2020 that features murder hornets!! When will it all end? No doubt it has been crazy daunting for several industries...
Ever wondered how to tie a head wrap? This post is a safe space for my sisters who struggle! Trust me, I was like you before I mastered the art! Black women are the queens of head wrap. For centuries the head wrap has been a staple in black fashion. From Sub-Saharan Africa to the shores of the Caribbean, head wraps have moved from Culture to Fashion. In several cultures, specific head wraps represent your rank in society, or...
What are the top 10 business lessons for small businesses? Budding entrepreneurs ask me this question the most over the past 10 years. And phewww! These 10 years have been a whirlwhind. I've learnt so much and still have so much growing to do. Every year is different. Each year the parameters change and there is more to learn. And since sharing is caring, I've put together this little video speaking on the 10 top business lessons for small...
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