By Alicia Roache, Staff ReporterGIA MARIE is the tag line on designs by Mekielia Nembhard. Just 21 years old and a designer for only a few months, Mekielia is creating waves in the local fashion industry.
Mekielia Nembhard started designing on a serious level in January of this year, but her passion for fashion began in high school, long before she went to Canada and got the attention of fashion photographer David Raposo. That happened when Mekielia was a student at the University of Western Ontario, in Canada, reading for a degree in International Relations: Diplomacy, Finance and Marketing - a far cry from her present focus. Mekielia says that after a show, which she was asked to organise, she was invited to a network party to showcase her designs and managed to put together a portfolio in just two days. They were impressed and Mekielia has not looked back since.
Since then, she has returned to hone her skills on the 'creative flow of energy' in Jamaica. Besides the energy emanating from the Jamaican people and culture, Nembhard has also received support from industry executives and at least one local business.
FIRST RUNWAY APPEARANCE
She got her first runway appearance as a fashion designer at the 2003 CVM 'Faces of Summer' competition, for which she says she got full sponsorship from local fabric giant Pablo's. In fact she was very passionate in her endorsement of their support. "They are a truly unique organisation. There aren't many places that are willing to take the chance," she said.
Mekielia is also appreciative of her production team and her sister Kimberly, whom she says has given her a lot of support. She maintains, however, that pure talent and a few sponsors like Pablo's cannot turn the fashion industry around. "There needs to be more invested in it; there needs to be more push behind it," she said.
Nonetheless, it seems that her sponsors saw the same talent as the judges of the Smirnoff Ice 'Avante Garde 2003' competition. Mekielia won an award of the same name, valued at $10,000, from an "excellent pool of talented designers," according to Gia Marie, inclusive of Yola Gray and Siim. Mekielia has also appeared, along with these designers, on the 'Fashion Face of the Caribbean' competition, put on by Saint International recently. She will be in New York in the United States this week to showcase her line at the 'Caribbean-American Fashion Exhibition 2003'.
Gia Marie designs a combination of formal suits, chic and sassy wear for the elegant woman and edgy, rugged wear. Mekielia typifies her clients as "very tasteful, elegant, daring and fun." The kind of woman she says, who can dress up or down as the situation permits, but still maintains her class and elegance. A full suit, she says, can cost anywhere from $3000 up, depending on what is required by the client.
Mekielia's Choice:
Who would you like to dress that you haven't already?
Realistically, Sean Paul's dancers. They have that edgy vibe that I like. I would like to see news reporters in my suits, I would love to do wardrobe for production.
The man/woman with the best style:
Man - P.Diddy; he doesn't 'overthug', but has a little edge. He puts himself together really well. Woman - Halle Berry. I've never seen Halle Berry step wrong.
Favourite Fashion Moment: Winning the award. It is my first and best so far.
You can check out Mekielia's designs atwww.giamarieagency.com.
