Pursuit of Passion: Pryce sewing her way to success

We all have dreams. Track star Jesse Owens once said, "In order to make dreams into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline, and effort." Twenty One-year-old fashion designer behind the label KYDA Makedia Pryce can identify with this.

"It all started as a young child cutting my mother's curtains and sheets to make outfits for my many dolls," shared the recent graduate of Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts with Outlook.

Growing up, Pryce gave some thought to architecture, but those thoughts were short lived. While in fourth form at the all-girls institution of Marymount High School in St Mary, her talent was harnessed by an art teacher who encouraged her to enter the WorldSkills Jamaica competition in 2010. The 16-year-old won a gold medal in the design apparel category against a host of other talented youth. Pryce was thrilled: "That served as an eye opener and confirmation to pursue what I have always loved. I then enrolled in the fashion design degree programme at the Edna Manley College directly after high school."

Inspired by styles of the 1950s, today Pryce in fully dedicated to her craft, manipulating the fabric as she sees fit depending on what she is creating. The young woman from Bay Bay in Portland, is already seeing the fruits of her labour. Anna Mariah, a contestant in the recently concluded Digicel Rising Star competition is one of her clients.

When the budding artiste made it to the top 10 earlier this year, she gathered a team of which Pryce was the designer. This for Pryce was a great opportunity to showcase her trendy, fashionable designs on national TV.

This was on the heels of entering this year's Caribbean Fashionweek's Emerging Designers showcase. Despite not winning, Pryce's designs stuck a cord with some who saw it and have become clients of hers. It has also given her some valuable experience.

Living daily by her mantra, "Elegance is timeless beauty," Pryce has big plans to put in what it takes to make her line succeed. "Future plans include expanding the business by opening my own store as well as providing certification classes in the fields of pattern making, construction of garment and fashion portfolio development which I will be starting soon."

She advises future designers, "Never be afraid to make designing your full time priority. You will experience growth and success through sacrifice, persistence and endurance. Count your blessings, but do not be satisfied by them. Each success means something, but keep thinking about the next step. Short sightedness isn't helpful."

• Pryce can be contacted at: kydastyle@gmail.com, Facebook and Instagram @kydastyle telephone: 876-250-7681.