Photo Credit: Errol John Photography
What do you get when you combine a passion for fashion, an education in Fine Arts and a love for street wear. I hope you said a glamorous T-shirt line because you would be absolutely correct. Jeremy Payne, the Vincentian designer behind Fashion is Payne creates hand made cotton T-shirts which seem to have a personality and a life all of their own. His SS2014 collection incorporates vibrant colours with geometric patterns and fringed appliques. This collection resonated with me because I'm an 80's baby and it gave me a distinct 80's tropical vibe. I recently connected with him to discuss his work and realised that the T-shirts are an extension of his jovial personality.
How did you get into this field?
It was a natural progression I studied Art & Design at the St Vincent Community College but it wasn't until 2007 I realised that I could actually make a career from this. From there I went full speed ahead, I initially launched my line under the name Silky Ruff in 2008, I rebranded as Payne in 2012 and now my clothing line is represented by the name Fashion is Payne because it just made sense. T-shirts are like quintessential street wear and they are comfortable...I'm sure even Queen Elizabeth wears T-shirts.
Who or what inspires you?
I am inspired by nature, patterns, eclectic personalities, music, street style and art, I also like industrial type stuff like street signs and street cones.
How would you describe your personal style?
My style is eccentric, I like looking very dapper and preppy at times but at the same time my style is very grungy. I like ripped clothes and rugged cuts, washed out pieces and paint spattered clothes. It's a bit ecclectic, but there is some direction to my messiness. I don't take fashion too seriously, I don't want my clothes to be too pretty. I guess the best way to describe my current style is afro-punk. My clothes reflect me, I keep strict control over my personal life but I'm very free with what I wear. I just try not to over think it too much.
What is a typical day like for you?
It varies, some days I don't do anything at all even if I want to. I usually wake up with the energy to create and get right to work, I capitalise on that energy because I don't want to break and lose my momentum. When I think I've done sufficient work I do other things like browse online, check out my favorite magazines such as Vogue etc, to get inspiration. I hoard a lot of photos of things that I see and like . I also sketch a lot, I try to do 1 sketch per day. Later on I might take a walk around my neighbourhood, it's very green and full of trees, it relaxes and inspires me.
What has been the most
amazing moment for your brand?
In 2009 when I was in
my second year in college, I went to Miami Fashion Week this was facilitated by
Invest SVG and the Center for Enterprise Development. It was a great learning
experience to see how other designers work and to experience fashion on an
international level. This sealed the deal for me and showed me that I needed to
work in the fashion industry. Fashion is generally a cut throat business but I
liked the interaction with the other designers, I saw how seriously they took
their work. They didn’t treat me like an amateur at all, they treated me really
well. It was a very enlightening experience.
Every day is a
highlight, when a client sends me a picture of their Payne Stash that excites
me. The brand is a reflection of me so when people believe in the products I
take it a little personal. I am just inspired by the respect and appreciation
that people have for my work.
What has been your biggest challenge?
I have trouble sourcing fabric and other things. There is a demand & people ask for it all the time but it's hard to source the fabric or it costs an arm and a leg to import. I am a small business and I don't have a steady cash flow so funding has also been a challenge. Another challenge is finding the right persons to link and collaborate with. I think it's so important for artists to form the right associations with persons who share your vision.
If you could pick one
celebrity as the brand ambassador for your line who would it be and why?
Well these persons
aren’t celebrities but locally I would have to say Eniye Kagbala and
Peta Odini. I love their fashion sense and the way they wear their clothes,
they just have their own identity, the clothes don’t wear them and you can always
tell exactly who they are because of their clothes. That’s true personal style.
Internationally, I
would pick Solange Knowles, I love the way she follows her own path. I also
like Grace Jones because of her androgynous features. She tells my artistic
story. She would be the perfect muse for my artwork, she’s hardcore, edgy, she
tells it as is. She is totally herself. I live vicariously through these
people, I admire them as people first and then as style icons.
How are you currently marketing your line?
Well I have been doing the fashion editing for a local editorial called Vincy eZine. In it we promote local content and I feature a lot of my work along with the work of other local artisans. I also use social media, I take part in fashion shows and I do collaborative work with other creatives like Ikesha Art and Ailocious. I also do a lot of networking because I am looking to expand into other areas.
What's next for Fashion is Payne?
I want to do more collaborative projects and get more experience with persons in other fields. I would really love to do photography and videography and learn the other technological aspects of fashion. I just want to be cutting edge and stay fresh. It would also be great to get my line into more stores so it's readily accessible to more people.
What advice do you have for aspiring designers/creatives seeking to make a career in your field?
Don't go into this business blindly, don't think you know everything, take time to research every aspect of the business. Eat, sleep and live what you do but try to balance it with your life...but what am I saying? This would be your life! Just prepare yourself and breathe what you do and it becomes your life. Surround yourself with like minded people who understand what you do. It's also important to surround yourself with persons who would give honest feedback.
To build your Payne Stash check him out here:
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