Kevin Ayoung-Julien
Designer/Director, Kaj Designs
Designer/Director, Kaj Designs
Kevin Ayoung-Julien is always thinking, re-thinking and dissecting. Every initiative must be evaluated and re-evaluated as he stresses on the importance of learning and growing from every experience. He is Trinidad and Tobago’s newest and quite probably its youngest fashion genius. He is also the man behind Kaj Designs, an individual with a natural flair for design and affinity for colour and different fabric textures. His discerning eyes explore every line and cut of his pieces ultimately concerned with the visual impact of his works. His musings, “Has the essence of what I am portraying been conveyed? How can it be improved? Is it a cohesive body of work?” steadfastly push him to perfection.
At the age of 28, considered a junior yet already leaving an indelible mark on the Caribbean’s fashion sphere. He is driven to create. He exists to do so.
Nothing provides him greater joy. It is his passion. And his raw talent has caused members of the Caribbean’s fashion circles to stop and pay notice to his art.
With no formal training, Kevin began designing in 2005 with his first collection and signature line Chachalaca, another name for Tobago's native bird, the Cococrico. Nature's tones, patterns and textures dominated this collection and trademark pieces were featured at the 2005 Caribbean Fashion Week (CFW) in Jamaica. With its combination of feathers, coconut shell and burlap reflecting the Cococrico’s majestic appearance and muted natural colours, Chachalaca garnered Kevin the attention of international fashion critics and designers with his work featuring in fashion publications including SHE Caribbean Magazine.
Chachalaca was closely followed with Mwangaza his sophomore collection under the signature line, which graced the runway at Trinidad and Tobago’s 2006 Makin’ Style.
Kevin’s most recent success has been with his sophomore showing at the 2007 CFW. Last June, Kevin again walked the infamous CFW runway following the showing of his newest collection Eccensual: Shake Well & Stir. The Caribbean’s lush landscape and diverse cultures served as inspiration for Kevin’s latest offering where the rich tones, hypnotic rhythms and the deep sensuality and exoticism of the islands met the eccentricities of high fashion. Kevin once more impressed the CFW audience, basking in Eccensual’s widespread publicity which has included coverage in Britain’s daily newspaper The Independent, the US magazine Sister 2 Sister, Caribbean Airlines’s in-flight magazine, Caribbean Beat, Primaris Airlines’s in-flight magazine, Caribbean LIFE and the international fashion publication, Ocean Style.
As the artist works to refine his design techniques, his ingenuity and enterprising and conscientious approach to his craft and business has not gone unnoticed. In August 2007 he won the noted award for entrepreneurship at the National Youth Awards ceremony which was presented by Trinidad and Tobago’s Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs.
In December, his couture swimwear creations featured at the 2007 Miss World pageant as Grenada’s representative, Vivian Burkhardt, sought out his work to complete her wardrobe. His skill in the art of costume design was also recognised in Tobago’s 2007 Carnival competition as his creation, Island Spirit, paraded by Mickael Franklyn coped the Junior Individual Of The Year title.
Kevin is now looking ahead to the future as he continues work on his newest collection, Wild Things, which will feature on runways in 2008.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Liza Miller, Director of Public Relations, Caribbean
Estuary Public Relations
At the age of 28, considered a junior yet already leaving an indelible mark on the Caribbean’s fashion sphere. He is driven to create. He exists to do so.
Nothing provides him greater joy. It is his passion. And his raw talent has caused members of the Caribbean’s fashion circles to stop and pay notice to his art.With no formal training, Kevin began designing in 2005 with his first collection and signature line Chachalaca, another name for Tobago's native bird, the Cococrico. Nature's tones, patterns and textures dominated this collection and trademark pieces were featured at the 2005 Caribbean Fashion Week (CFW) in Jamaica. With its combination of feathers, coconut shell and burlap reflecting the Cococrico’s majestic appearance and muted natural colours, Chachalaca garnered Kevin the attention of international fashion critics and designers with his work featuring in fashion publications including SHE Caribbean Magazine.
Chachalaca was closely followed with Mwangaza his sophomore collection under the signature line, which graced the runway at Trinidad and Tobago’s 2006 Makin’ Style.
Kevin’s most recent success has been with his sophomore showing at the 2007 CFW. Last June, Kevin again walked the infamous CFW runway following the showing of his newest collection Eccensual: Shake Well & Stir. The Caribbean’s lush landscape and diverse cultures served as inspiration for Kevin’s latest offering where the rich tones, hypnotic rhythms and the deep sensuality and exoticism of the islands met the eccentricities of high fashion. Kevin once more impressed the CFW audience, basking in Eccensual’s widespread publicity which has included coverage in Britain’s daily newspaper The Independent, the US magazine Sister 2 Sister, Caribbean Airlines’s in-flight magazine, Caribbean Beat, Primaris Airlines’s in-flight magazine, Caribbean LIFE and the international fashion publication, Ocean Style.
As the artist works to refine his design techniques, his ingenuity and enterprising and conscientious approach to his craft and business has not gone unnoticed. In August 2007 he won the noted award for entrepreneurship at the National Youth Awards ceremony which was presented by Trinidad and Tobago’s Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs.
In December, his couture swimwear creations featured at the 2007 Miss World pageant as Grenada’s representative, Vivian Burkhardt, sought out his work to complete her wardrobe. His skill in the art of costume design was also recognised in Tobago’s 2007 Carnival competition as his creation, Island Spirit, paraded by Mickael Franklyn coped the Junior Individual Of The Year title.Kevin is now looking ahead to the future as he continues work on his newest collection, Wild Things, which will feature on runways in 2008.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Liza Miller, Director of Public Relations, Caribbean
Estuary Public Relations
Phone: (868) 761-1195
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