Our thing with renowned clothier and pioneer of ‘salvage fashion’ Jessica Ogden dates back to 2007, when she copped the Designer of the Year award at the inaugural Jamaica Observer Style Awards. That was the official homage. Prior to that, we were obsessing about her skirts at Browns Fashion and making desperate attempts to get into her London Fashion Week shows at One Aldwych.

Ogden has not stopped. Her list of accomplishments is mind-boggling.

SO recalls in 2010, when she shared that her new Madras line was in shops and online, her collaboration with French label APC, her CAT mania new installation in children’s shop BONTON, her one-off and vintage JO at Jeanette’s — London’s new fashion pop-up boutique. Her patchwork quilts with APC were soon off the production line and so were the F-troupe collaboration line of shoes. And how could we forget the online organic fabrics and ethical fashion company called People Tree!

We met up again in 2013, with Ogden en route to Tokyo, where Isetan Shinjuku — one of the most influential stores in Japan —hosted 20 quilts curated by her.

It’s almost surreal, speaking to the normally reticent Ogden at length and in Jamaica, where she is in installation mode for today’s CB Foundation, the charitable arm of the Pan-Jamaican Investment Trust Limited, in association with Mount Plenty Organics Farm’s second staging of Farm to Table, a fusion of food, art and goodwill.

“I am relocating to Jamaica at this moment to work with Harmony Hall, and Annabella and Peter’s legacy (her recently deceased mother and stepdad), yet I continue to do my own work.” She continues, “The show is my reintroduction to Jamaica. The cause of CB Facey’s mission to raise money for the Boys’ Town Infant and Primary School is one I support wholeheartedly, education being the key in any country’s move to the future. I want to be a part of that. The choice of showing quilts has more to do with a shift in my own work. Texture and textile were key in my fashion line, and this is just another branch of the same thought process for me.”

Seven quilts and five cushion cases — each design is unique and on show today. “This series,” she elaborates, “is an edition only for Jamaica, of Round 12 of the APC Quilts, theirs being red and white; for this event, blue and red.” Ogden works with APC on this project twice a year, in limited editions. “They are the history of the company APC, as well as my interest in patchwork in my label.

“The inspiration came from the exhibition Infinite Varieties in NY at the Bowery, Laura’s invitation for participation to work around red and blue, and what can happen in such limited colours.”

Creating a quilt…

I work on the drawing and fabric together. I draw to scale with swatches and send to India for the first mock-up. A team there of cutters and sewers put together the first sample, and with some changes the limited edition of 30 of each is launched. My drawing time is an intense month for a round (seven quilts, five cushions) with research before and changes after.

On the show…

… I can’t wait! The space is an incredible gallery to show in. If you found this in Paris or New York it would be the place to be! I am inspired by the building and it will be an installation that correlates with Laura’s work. I think the auction will be exciting. The thrill of a sale for a good cause coupled with good food and good music; the day will be full.

Jessica’s quilts…

… are sold through all APC stores worldwide and on their site apc.fr, and now in Jamaica! Today and at Mount Plenty Organics Farm, Orange Hall, St Ann, and at Harmony Hall in the future.

On the death of Annabella and Peter Proudlock

An unexpected turn in my life… The relocation is challenging, as well as the picking up of the pieces of a very vibrant and social couple. They made their mark in this world and left an incredible legacy, but we also have to live this life now. Meaning, I try not to be a shadow. But I see positive paths forming. Opportunity. Because they left such an intricate history, it has to be unravelled, but then brought forward.

It has been a challenging time…

Post-show…

My concentration will be on reopening Harmony Hall with a new point of view in time. My brother and I want to revere its history and bring it forward to a relevant and exciting venue on the north coast. My own work will continue, plus I have put out feelers for starting a line here.