Sons of Sons 13
Alleyne’s work is an inspection of his Caribbean culture and an exploration of the attitudes and values that underpin it. By incorporating personal touches and materials removed from their usual context, he challenges the established norms of fashion in general and Caribbean style in particular, and thereby invites his audience to think about authenticity in the representation of oneself. This study involved an earnest exploration of gender and masculinity and led the artist to revisit the prescribed formulas for viewing and dressing the male form. This work was one of 13 original designs that the artist featured in NGCI’s Art of Fashion exhibition (2018).
About the Artist
Jawara Alleyne
b. 1993
Jawara Alleyne is an interdisciplinary artist, creative director and educator whose work is rooted in identity. Alleyne graduated with a Master’s in Design from Central Saint Martins in 2020 and in 2021 launched his signature brand under the Fashion East initiative. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Fashion Design and Marketing from London College of Fashion and a degree in Business Administration from the University College of the Cayman Islands. Alongside his work as a designer and creative director, he also lectures at Central Saint Martins.
Jawara’s eponymous label is based on a value system that consists of two core pillars – identity and circularity – and is informed by his experience with ‘hand me downs’ in a Jamaican household, as well as the customary practices of reclaiming and repurposing objects in Caymanian society. Speaking about his work, the artist says: “The stories we tell balance the Rastafarian mysticism of Jamaica and the pirate folklore of the Cayman Islands with the punk histories of London’s subculture. This collision of narratives highlights the importance of embracing differences in the construction of new futures. A fluid interlocking of archetypes and histories sits beside a design practice that weaves together drape work and circularity, arriving at handcrafted works that speak to the consumer of tomorrow.”
Alleyne’s work has featured in NGCI exhibitions such as Art of Fashion (2018), Cross Currents – 1st Cayman Islands Biennial (2019) and a solo show entitled Jawara Alleyne: Island Underground (2024). He is an avid representative of the Cayman Islands internationally, representing Cayman at the 2017 Carifesta festival and in London at the UKOTA.
