Deck the halls in style this Christmas
Published:Friday | December 16, 2022 | 12:10 AMKrysta Anderson/Staff Reporter
Christmas is the season of giving. And designer Lavinea Gayle is doing just that with her Bold and the Beautiful collection. Still trying to decide what to wear for the holiday festivities? Let’s deck the halls in sultry yet sophisticated styles of red.
Gayle told Living, “Red is always ‘giving’, bold, and full of energy.” The collection initially made its debut last year for her birthday. But since time is so precious, the designs have become a gift that keeps on giving.
“I love to see red and green at Christmas time, and being that it was coming down to the festive season, I launched that collection, and I made the dresses and shirts to be versatile so that they can fit well for more than one occasion,” she added.
Inspired by international couture, Gayle decided she would love to see similar styles on fellow Jamaicans. She pulled ideas from various designs, producing stunning and dashing results.
I started the Lila bodycon dress without a cape, and one of my customers wanted a little addition [to] the same dress. So I included the cape, and it became the statement of the piece,” she said.
As for the jacket, the designer took on that style challenge with stitching arms. The round-neck shirt for men can be worn in formal or semi-formal settings while the dresses can strut in just about any classy occasion, be it a birthday, dinner, or exclusive party.
Gayle’s first design dates back to 2015. The young creative, who practised cutting and creating designs on her fashion dolls, made what she described as a simple round-neck dress. “It came out well,” she said proudly.
The next four years would be spent honing her art form while working in another field until 2020, when life as she knew it changed forever.
“When the pandemic came, I had lost my job. Family, friends, acquaintances, and even strangers who saw how I carried myself and even strangers encouraged me to do the modelling or go into the fashion industry. So that also helps to shift my focus here. I decided to officially launch my small business,” she shared.
LG Designs and Fashion started by offering swimwear to customers. From there, she cut a unique clothing pattern for herself and hasn’t looked back since.
“My style is very artistic, a mixture of classic, chic, alluring, and feminine. I try my best to translate that energy to my sophisticated and suave designs.”
As far as trends are concerned, the fashion currently on the scene includes wide-leg pants, blazer jackets, maxi dresses with or without a cape, bodycon dresses (mini, midi, maxi), and velvet shirts for men.
Already making strides, she hopes to achieve more brand recognition and run a very successful business. She would also like to have small fashion design classes that will help other upcoming fashion designers.