KajFAB models strike a pose in front of the Kaj Flagship Boutique. From left to right: Fertility tank dress; long sleeved evening dress; silk kaftan; and maxi dress with ring accent. Makeup by Lyndy-Anne Parks of Lady Parks Makeup Studio. Photo courtesy Kyle Keens-Dumas of Konsortium Studios for Kaj Designs.
Mid-Luxury Fashion House Bids Farewell To 2017 With Exclusive Retail Experience
Tobago’s premier mid-luxury fashion house, Kaj Designs, will usher in the New Year and 2018 Carnival seasons with an exclusive Kaj Legacy Atelier. KajFAB femmes will enjoy 50% off all legacy items as the brand celebrates the bold, signature flair gained over its disruptive 12-year history in Caribbean fashion. Featuring both limited edition and one-of-a-kind creations from several Kaj collections including the resort wear of Shore Culture and Tribu Sauvage, the atelier will run throughout the New Year and Carnival seasons by private viewing only, while stocks last.
Kaj’s provocative innovation, the Signature Halter Lounge Shuffle, was first shown as part of the Shore Culture runway presentation at the 10th Caribbean Fashionweek (CFW) in June 2010 in Kingston, Jamaica. Photo courtesy Pulse Investments Limited.
In June 2010, Kaj premiered the barefoot luxury of the Shore Culture collection at the 10th Caribbean Fashionweek (CFW) in Kingston, Jamaica. The CFW audience welcomed the scintillating charms, textures and tones of the Caribbean as it set sail with the first-ever Kaj Resort collection. The fashion house presented a sea of undulating fabrics in rich tones of magenta, fuchsia and teal with flowing, easy creations befitting a luxurious vacation of leisure. Reflecting the sun-kissed iridescence of its Caribbean landscape, the collection lavishly drapes the feminine contour in ribbons of ombré and tie-dyed chiffons, silk rayons, silk satins, organzas and crepe georgettes with subtle accents in suede, leather, taffeta, coque and pheasant plumes and coconut shell. Designed with versatility and feminine comfort in mind, the effortless silhouettes of Kaj’s Shore Culture collection can be worn in the day and night, ideal for festive New Year and Carnival functions.
A captive audience was treated to the majesty of Kaj’s sheer strapless Bohemian lounge dress, with wooden beaded fabric accents, at the 2010 CFW during the Shore Culture presentation. Photo courtesy Pulse Investments Limited.
In June 2011, Kaj marked an historic milestone with its launch in the French Caribbean and the placement of the Kaj Resort line at Guadeloupe’s exclusive Caribbean boutique, KOD. This move established KOD as the first retailer of the Kaj brand in the region. In February 2012, Kaj received one of its highest honours as it was selected to represent the Caribbean in an initiative of the Caribbean Export Development Agency (CEDA) entitled Caribbean Collections. This initiative sought to create opportunities for access to European markets via participation in the British Council and the British Fashion Council’s inaugural International Fashion Showcase for Autumn/Winter (A/W) 2012 during London Fashion Week (LFW). For the label’s LFW debut, Shore Culture was favoured as it featured at an LFW-produced exhibition held at The Charing Cross Hotel while select pieces featured at a private showing at the Corinthia Hotel.
Folded envelope tunic and Bermuda shorts from the 2010 Kaj Resort collection, Shore Culture. Makeup by Lyndy-Anne Parks of Lady Parks Makeup Studio. Photo courtesy Kyle Keens-Dumas of Konsortium Studios for Kaj Designs.
A trailblazer in Caribbean fashion, Kaj boasts several accomplishments that are irrefutable Caribbean fashion firsts. In a pioneering move to capture international markets, the Tobago fashion house made history with the May 2013 launch of its sophomore resort collection, Tribu Sauvage, in USA and Singapore. Kaj was the first Tobago brand at ENK International’s exclusive fashion tradeshow, Intermezzo Collections, a staple of the US fashion trade circuit. With its humble Intermezzo debut, Kaj successfully captured the attention of New York’s leading fashion industry publication, The Daily Front Row. Amidst more than 900 of the world’s foremost fashion brands, Kaj was featured in TheDailyFrontRow.com’s haute highlights alongside Alice and Olivia, Nicole Miller, L.A.M.B. and Rebecca Minkoff.
The KajFAB safari of the Kaj Resort collection, Tribu Sauvage, featured on the catwalk at the inaugural Fashion Festival Bali in August 2013 at the luxurious Stones Hotel in Bali’s Legian region. Featured is Kaj’s maxi dress with ring accent. Photo courtesy Anggara Mahendra.
Later that same month, the brand led as the first Caribbean brand to exhibit and show at the international fashion tradeshow, BLUEPRINT, during Singapore’s fashion week, Asia Fashion Exchange (AFX). With its runway debut at BLUEPRINT, Kaj’s creations of bold tribal infusions set against a backdrop of wild animal and camouflage prints stood out among the pervading contemporary Asian aesthetic.
Kaj’s trendsetting camo raglan tunic with daring waist-high side slits, of the Tribu Sauvage resort collection, on the runway at the 2013 Fashion Festival Bali at the Stones Hotel, a Marriott Autograph Collection hotel. Also featured is Kaj’s faux-pocket maxi skirt. Photo courtesy Anggara Mahendra.
These favoured pieces later graced the runway at the inaugural Fashion Festival Bali (TFFB) in yet another daring move by the fashion house to forge ahead in infiltrating South Asian markets. On August 31, 2013, in the closing show presented by Indonesia TATLER, Kaj brought its signature flair to the TFFB runway. The high profile, 7-day event took place at the lavish Stones Hotel in Bali’s Legian region. Set against the breath-taking backdrop of one of the world’s leading tourist destinations, TFFB attracted an exclusive audience of media, fashion professionals and enthusiasts, leisure travellers and Asian Pacific celebrities and socialites including Michael and Lindy Klim and Casey Burgess.
The bold simplicity of Kaj’s Tribu Sauvage resort collection was captured during a 2015 Global Runway promotional photo-shoot on location in Verona, Italy. Featured are Kaj’s magyar tee with tribal pocket accents and its classic trousers with pocket accents. Photo courtesy Global Runway.
With a steadfast focus to establish Kaj as the Caribbean’s foremost mid-luxury fashion brand, the fashion house embarked on a strategic mission to penetrate European markets. This led to the launch of the Kaj Resort line at the Martinique-based online boutique, Kameri, in September 2014. In Nov 2014, the brand’s CEO, Liza Miller, was one of three female entrepreneurs selected to be part of exporTT’s gender programme participating in the CARTFUND French Caribbean Outermost Region (FCOR) trade mission alongside nine other Trinidad and Tobago companies. This opened the door to fourteen B2B meetings with buyers and other trade partners that generated ten trade leads. This was closely followed by the brand’s January 2015 launch at the Martinique-based boutique, Pygmées. By the last quarter of 2015, Kaj was introduced to the thriving UK luxury fashion market via its distribution with the London-based online boutique, Global Runway, coupled with an advertising campaign in Britain’s lavish specialist consumer magazine, Destinations Weddings and Honeymoons Abroad (DWHA). Kaj further strengthened its market presence as DWHA’s exclusive international fashion brand and partner at two of London’s leading trade events, The National Wedding Show (TNWS) and the World Travel Market London (WTM London). This was accompanied by Kaj’s retail placement at Guadeloupe’s exclusive boutique, Jheipour.
The sensual tribal infusions of Kaj’s long sleeved evening dress in a taupe, cream and black print captivate in the streets of New York City during a 2015 Global Runway promotional photo-shoot of the Tribu Sauvage resort collection. Photo courtesy Global Runway.
Kaj will commemorate this legacy of cutting edge creative excellence, fine quality and timeless luxury with its ongoing Kaj Legacy Atelier. KajFAB femmes may experience the exclusive versatility and impeccable finish of the Kaj Designs brand, shopping limited edition classic resort as well as one-of-a-kind legacy pieces including the brand’s signature innovation, the Shuffle. Join the Kaj Legacy Atelier Facebook (FB) event at http://bit.ly/KajLegacyAtelier or visit Kaj on FB at fb.me/KajDesignsLIVE or on Twitter and Instagram @KajDesignsLIVE to stay in the KajFAB know. For more information, email KajLegacy@estuaryPR.com.
Kaj’s exhibitor’s booth at the fashion tradeshow, BLUEPRINT, during Singapore’s fashion week, Asia Fashion Exchange (AFX). Photo courtesy estuary PR.
WHAT: Kaj Legacy Atelier
WHO: Kaj Designs
WHEN: Throughout the New Year and 2018 Carnival seasons, while stocks last.
WHERE: By private viewing only.
PAYMENT: Cash and cheque payments accepted.