Young local designer Brandi Estwick may very well be on her way to stardom.
Ever since her official entrance into the fashion industry over seven months ago, the certified interior decorator said she has been on a roll, showcasing her designs at a number of fashion shows and making special pieces of clothing for individuals.
Her brand is Iman Estie, a “combination” of her name, she explained.
Estwick attended Barbados Community College where she studied interior decorating. She said toward the end of her studies she decided to “pick back up” fashion.
She first realized her passion for designing clothes during third-year studies at the Deighton Griffith School where she created her own clothing for various occasions and school functions.
Estwick said: “I realized every time I wore one of my pieces, someone would stop me and ask ‘“where you got that from?”
“So I said you know what, Brandi, it is time that you take a step further and try your hand at it.”
And since then she has been taking many steps toward becoming a successful designer. Last May, the entrepreneur made her mark when she showcased some of her pieces at the 2012 Barbados Manufacturers’ Exhibition. She said that “slowly paved the way” for her to get started.
She has also taken part in Barbados Fashion Week 2012 and later showed some of her designs in the Bridgetown Alive fashion show last November.
“Business has been going great,” she said.
“I got the opportunity to do Dominica’s first Fashion Week in December [last year]. I was selected to go, and that was a great experience – and it was interesting. The reception was great. Doors are really opening for me and I am really thankful,” she said.
The enthusiastic designer said she was hoping to open her Iman Estie store before year-end. Additionally, she told BARBADOS BUSINESS AUTHORITY that she would be introducing a full line of men’s clothing this year.
Estwick said she believed that one of the challenges for most designers on the island was getting more Barbadians to “step outside the box” and experience a wider range of fashion. She also said that sourcing good quality fabrics could sometimes be difficult.
“Realistically speaking, the fashion industry is not where we could be . . . sometimes people won’t take you seriously or you have to be very good for them to acknowledge you, and some people just have to do it on their own.
“Another thing is that some of the models and designers here are too laid back.
“They don’t take it seriously – and that is not just for fashion, it is general; we are too laid back,” she said.
Estwick noted that although she was designing some men’s clothing, her niche will be designs for both plus-size and petite women.
