LU: What suits do you wear?
JJ: Jill Sanders and Dior. One of the designers who really inspires me is Boris Bidjan, his stuff is amazing. He’s not one of those designers people will know by name but if you Google his stuff, he truly is an influence.
LU: One thing you have in your collection is a mesh marina, which has been a staple of Caribbean men’s fashion for a long time. But that’s a basic garment you usually get on the corner. Why did you include that and what did you want to bring to the table with your version of it?
JJ: Growing up in Trinidad, that would be the most important essential to have when running through the streets. Rebeling in these streets. That is like a rebel souvenir. You gotta have that. It’s a set foundation in Trinidad or Jamaica. We’re bringing back the old days when you would wear them in the summertime as a vest or tank top. It’s been a part of the culture for a long time.
