Fashion Blogs

This week, Fashion Frolic highlights another passionate designer - Juliette Andrea Dyke of Julan Designs.

This womenswear designer has brought her own unique style to the fashion industry with her label, Julan designs.

Her company's name is a combination of her first and middle names (Jul-An), and her aim is to have her company represent her and allow fashionistas to connect with her as a fashion designer.

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Dyke thinks of herself as a contemporary designer and told Fashion Frolic, "In an industry saturated with so many amazing fashion designers, you have to have something that makes you stand out; therefore, you have to create your ownaesthetic. I want my clothes to have a luxurious feel and look, with an artistic edge."

The designer revealed that since she was nine years old, she has loved clothes and dressing up but wasn't thinking of designing as a career. "My mother had a sewing machine, which I used to sew halter tops and reconstructed clothing for myself."

Dyke spent 15 years as a flight attendant at Air Jamaica before deciding that she really needed to start working on her passion: fashion designing.

In 2006, the aspiring designer enrolled in the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts to pursue its fashion-design programme.

After completing the programme at 2008, Dyke launched her fashion brand, Julan designs, and shortly after, she was chosen by Jampro as one of the designers to represent Jamaica at a fashion initiative in Belgium.

She said that she was surprised at how quickly her customer base grew after launching her brand. "From being a total unknown to being one of Jamaica's most respected fashion designers," Dyke said.

Dyke lives by the mantra 'Work hard and persevere today and success will be yours tomorrow'.

One-On-One With Juliette

1. How would you describe your style?

My sense of style is always about comfort and looking fashionable, so I tend to lean more towards being boho chic.

2. How would you describe your design style?

It can be very eclectic at times because I like mixing

different textures, patterns, unconventional colours, as well as hard and soft fabrics or materials.

3. What is your most important rule of fashion?

All trends are not for everyone. Know your body and find styles, shapes,and proportions that work for you.

4. What is your favourite design or collection to date and why?

My spring-summer 2015 collection (Secrets). This collection is special because part of the fabric used was digitally printed with a design that I created. This means I am the only designer with access to the print.

5. What advice would you give to young, passionate designers?

One has to cultivate an active mindset, which helps to proactively deal with circumstances by asking effective questions, always looking for new answers, opportunities, and solutions. Discipline, passion, commitment, perseverance, and patience play an important role in achieving success.

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