Aaron Moneer makes sweet sweet return to Ja
He talks C’bean luxury and how he’s preparing for his Paris Fashion Week debut
Published:Sunday | July 7, 2024 | 12:08 AMKwela Cole - Sunday Gleaner Writer
In the world of luxury Caribbean-made products, the boutique Locale is at its glittering centre. C0-curated by creative entrepreneur Kerry-Ann Clarke, it can be found on the outskirts of New Kingston in the iconic Pink Building, holding beyond its doors only the best clothing, art pieces, organic toiletries and home necessities offered by select artisans regionally. Ahead of MoDa Market in November, an annual high-end fashion and shopping experience by Clarke, a taste of what was to come was offered to shoppers through an in-store Summer Pop-Up featuring choice creators with lines currently at Locale.
Among them was the Season 7 winner of the locally produced and televised fashion design competition Mission Catwalk, Aaron Moneer, with his winning collection Sweet Sweet Darling, a breathtaking amalgamation of breezy linen outfits in red, gold and white. The young Trinidadian designer is still based in the Leeward Caribbean country. Still, the pop-up feature afforded to him by his prize of hanger space at Locale, along with the uptick in his Jamaican popularity following his victory, inspired him to make the trip to The Rock to meet and sell to clients personally. According to Moneer, the sustained acclaim has him seriously considering swapping his 868 area code for 876.
“After the competition, my brand’s popularity jumped from one level to the next. I notice I have a lot [more] Jamaican customers now than Trini customers. A lot of Jamaicans are ordering my pieces, if not through Locale, then they reach me on social media. Sometimes I’ll even get an email from a random person enquiring about the pieces. I was even asking a friend ‘Should I make Jamaica my home?’ Since I have such a fanbase here now,” Moneer told The Sunday Gleaner.
Laying down new roots aside, since the conclusion of Mission Catwalk late last year, Moneer describes being immediately launched into the production of his garments with no time for pause. It was, of course, work he was used to, having been a practising designer pre-competition. However, the pressure was especially on with the globally acclaimed Paris Fashion Week, where he won a spot to feature a collection, looming on the horizon just months away in September. The effort, though daunting, feels necessary for Moneer. Bringing his unique style into the global space, steeped in his beloved Caribbean flavour will forever be worth it.
“After Mission Catwalk, sometimes the workload that I get is so much and I can’t imagine what it will be like after Paris Fashion Week. I have a special collection planned for that similar to the last collection that I did at Mission Catwalk but more elevated.” The celebrated fashion designer goes on, “Paris is the home of couture but it is what you present as the designer that matters. What your brand is and what is you. Aaron is Caribbean chic. I will incorporate a little bit of resort, a little bit of elegant, a little bit of sexy and of course lots of the classic linen. Linen automatically says Caribbean luxury. [Caribbean designers] work with a lot of natural fibres. That’s what people want from Caribbean high fashion because here you can’t go to any regular store and see a lot of 100 per cent linen garments.”
Post Fashion Week, Moneer foresees his design career being on a continuous upward trajectory. The increased workload, he predicts following a successful showing in the fashion capital, will see him adding to his steadily increasing staff of seamstresses and tailors. He hopes to have his collections available for live purchase in more stores across the region, inspired by his successful availability in Trinidad and Jamaica.
“After Paris Fashion Week, a lot more doors will open so I’ll have to get more staff. I’ve just made a connection with a client of Locale who owns a boutique in another Caribbean island. She wants to have my pieces in store. I see myself expanding and being available in more islands. Building in Jamaica, building in Trinidad and continuing to build regionally. The Caribbean is where I belong,” he says.