The Journey
I’ve been making things for as long as I can remember. My earliest memory of creating something that felt truly significant to me was in primary school, when, with my mom’s help, I made my own flag for Sports Day, covered in glitter, designed to stand out, and very much a reflection of who I was even then. My love for costume design took shape during my teenage years, when my uncle, Dune Ali, introduced me to the art of mas making. I became fascinated by the process, spending hours that probably should have been devoted to schoolwork learning how to build costumes for children’s Carnival bands in Trinidad. Years spent beside him taught me not only materials and techniques, but the patience, resourcefulness, and imagination required to bring an idea to life.
At Queen’s Royal College, I found every opportunity to put that creativity to work, designing billboards, mascots, theatrical costumes, and anything else that gave me an excuse to make something. My involvement in the drama club eventually convinced me that my path was acting, which led me to New York at 18 to pursue the industry. After two years, however, I found myself naturally pulled back toward Trinidad, and toward Carnival. I made my first pitch to YUMA, marking my official entry into designing Carnival costumes, and became the first first-time designer to have a section sell out. That experience showed me just how far my creativity could take me. While working in Carnival, I was commissioned by Republic Bank Trinidad to transform several of its branches for Christmas, opening another door into spatial and event design.
Eventually, I returned to New York with a bigger vision: to take the energy, craftsmanship, and spectacle of Carnival and merge it with my growing love for fashion. There, I found myself gravitating toward hospitality and creative design, working on restaurants, weddings, holiday installations, and personal projects while building relationships with established interior decorators and other creatives. I continued designing costumes for Carnival in Jamaica and Miami, keeping my connection to the culture that shaped me while allowing my creative practice to evolve. Over the years, I’ve also found that making art for the people closest to me is one of the ways I express love, I create because it is how I communicate. Today, I make because I have no choice. It is my purpose. And wherever that purpose takes me, I carry Trinidad and Tobago with me.
The Creative Journey
From the first idea to the moment she puts it on, every detail matters.
VISION
CONCEPT
DESIGN
CRAFT
TRANSFORM
It starts with the woman. I’m inspired by her curves, her confidence, and the way she moves. I want to take what’s familiar, push it somewhere unexpected, and bring the energy of Carnival together with my love for fashion.
Every costume starts with an idea; sometimes a clear story, sometimes just a feeling I can’t shake. I like taking that first spark and asking, “What if?” That’s usually where things get interesting.
I design for the girl who wants to be seen. The one who walks into the room and somehow becomes the room. My designs are bold, playful, and intentional, with enough personality to make the woman wearing them feel like the main event.
I love when an idea becomes something you can actually touch. Whether I’m bending wire, sculpting shapes, building structure, or working through tiny details, I’m not afraid to get my hands dirty. The craft is where the magic starts to feel real.
A piece of wire becomes a shape, materials become a costume, and a costume becomes a moment. I love watching an idea, and the woman wearing it, become something completely unforgettable.