Genieve Prescod shares Passion for fashion

She was among the 11 students who graduated from the University of T&T’s Caribbean Academy of Fashion Design on June 22. Genieve Prescod is a young woman with a passion for fashion.
Over the past four years, Prescod and the other students pursued studies in the Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree. At the graduation, each student was required to present a mini collection in which they unveiled six concepts before the large audience. The event was aptly titled Beyond Limits. Prescod’s collection was Tenebras Circum. She later spoke to Sunday Vibe and shared her passion, vision and mission for the local fashion industry.

Q: What or who made you study design?
A: I’ve always had an interest in artistic and creative fields of study. Of all the various creative fields, fashion design was the most appealing to me.

How would you describe your designs?
My designs are edgy and unique with a sophisticated touch, and attention to detail.

Where do you find your inspiration?
I find inspiration in everything, but I am mainly inspired by the Victorian-era fashion and Japanese street fashion, such as the “visual kei” and “lolita” styles.

Do you have a style/fashion icon?
Although I do not really look to any particular person as a style/fashion icon that I would emulate or draw inspiration from, I do admire the personal style of Amy Lee of Evanescence.

Are there designers that influence your style?
Seth Aaron Henderson and Alexander.

What is your approach to a collection?
Inspiration! Research! Brainstorm! When I am inspired by something, I research it thoroughly, collecting information and reference pictures. Then, using what I have learned, I envision a fashion story based on that inspiration and brainstorm various designs until I come up with the design elements I think suit the story best. Once I have found the elements I like best for that story, I then work towards designing a cohesive collection based on those elements to portray the story of my inspiration.

What are your favourite colours, colour combinations and textiles?
I always get teased about patriotism for this, but my absolute favourite colour combination is red, black and white. My favourite individual colours would be black, red, pink and purple. As for fabrics, I have an intense love for leather or anything resembling leather. I also fall easily in love with anything that has a houndstooth print, pattern or texture.

How do you define your personal sense of style?
My personal sense of style is somewhat gothic, but also fun and flirty. My style reflects the various sides of my personality, and I often dress to reflect my mood.

New to the business, what motivates you?
I am mainly motivated by the ability to create. It’s an amazing feeling to envision something and watch it come to life before your eyes as you work toward creating something new that no one else has created. It’s an even more amazing feeling when those creations are acknowledged and appreciated by others.

To your mind, what are the most important elements to consider when it comes to designing?
Originality and wearability! When I design something, I’m always trying to find ways to make it different to what’s always available. In that pursuit, however, I tend to go overboard at times, so I always try to remember that even though I want the garments I’m creating to be original works of art, they are still meant to be worn and as such, they need to be functional garments, as well as art.

What is the next step for you?
My next step would be working to improve my skills while designing custom orders. I also intend on looking into a fashion internship either locally or abroad to do more hands-on learning within the fashion industry.