Artiste-turned-model dreams of starting own fashion line
Published:Thursday | September 8, 2016 | 12:00 AMCurtis Campbell
Jamaican model Brandon 'Pencil Lunatic' Bailey has his eyes set on reaching the top of the fashion world.
The dancehall artiste-turned-model, who hails from Portmore, St Catherine, was discovered by Saint International's Deiwght Peters and has since graced fashion magazines like Vogue, GQ Magazine, Prada, Ralph Lauren, Interview Magazine, W Magazine, Fashion for Men Magazine, among others.
In a recent interview with The Sunday Gleaner, Bailey said that he was interested in starting his own fashion line, banking on his creativity and international experience.
"I have a vision to create my own clothing line. That is a big business venture that I want to go into. I want to influence the way people dress - I want them to see fashion through my eyes - and when people wear what I design, their confidence should peak. I just want to be a household name, and based on how my mind operates, I know it will happen," he said.
The average person may not pay much attention to high fashion, which is why Bailey's success is somewhat unknown. He has modelled for Kanye West's Yeezy Season fashion line twice. However, Bailey believes Jamaicans appreciate fashion more than they give themselves credit for as he looks at the extent to which they go to make their style of dressing unique, especially in the dancehall.
He, therefore, believes that the fashion market is here for the taking.
"I don't think the youth are lacking in any sense of the word fashion, because when I go to the dances and any street functions in Jamaica, I see a lot of creativity, so much that it could be taken to a world level and even transform into a profitable business. As far as my success goes, I have a pretty decent following, and it's just to keep working because this is no joke to me. When I put my mind to something, I will achieve it, and I have a vision for the youth of Jamaica. Tomorrow may never come, so what we have to do is work from today," he said.
Modelling Career
Prior to embarking on a career in modelling, Bailey was widely known as a hardcore deejay in Portmore, St Catherine, along with his frequent collaborator, Maestro Don. However, since climbing the success ladder via his new profession, Bailey decided to modify the content of his usually explicit and violent lyrics to motivate his fans and sell the message of love.
"The way I would like to impact the world is in a positive way. I am still Pencil Lunatic, but when I leave this world, I don't want to be remembered in a negative light. I want to be remembered for positive things. I would rather sing about the ladies and be an ambassador for positive and not as somebody who tells the youths to pick up the gun. I think travelling all over the world has broadened my views. I was born with the talent of music, and even as a successful model, I will still use that talent - just with more positive lyrics," he said.