Kristia Franklin is on cloud nine. Just two days after slaying the competition to become Campari Pop Style’s Most Stylish Female at the grand finale event on the waterfront in downtown Kingston, the stylist and e-commerce retailer who fronts Tia Clothes Girl is meeting us for lunchtime cocktails at J Wray & Nephew’s corporate bar @twentythree, and is still very much in high spirits.

Drink orders made, we settle in to talk fashion strategies, and celeb closet raids.

How do you take your Campari?

With Sangster’s Jamaica Rum Cream, of course!

What is the story behind your winning ensemble for the Campari Pop Style finale?

From the moment I won the Kingston leg of the competition, I started to plan for the finals, literally the following day! This idea all came together after finding the boots online; I showed them to my mom and three aunts — two in Los Angeles and one in New York. They loved the boots. The next step was for the four of us to get our creative juices flowing to figure out the rest of the outfit. We came up with the full outfit within a week; we all agreed it would be the one to take home the prize. It was a long road to getting the full outfit together, I must say! FedEx lost my shoes several times. I made over 42 calls to them. Each time a representative would tell me something completely different from the one before. I sent family members to several FedEx locations in pursuit of my lost shoes, then FedEx finally reported the shoes as lost. I was feeling completely defeated a couple days before the competition, seeing as my entire outfit was based on these shoes that could not be found. Also, the idea of a refund was a hopeless case because the site I ordered them from, after not getting through to them after 25 attempts, I turned to Google and there turned out to be several complaints that the store might be fake. I was at the point of changing my outfit, then just five days before the competition a neighbour on a different block called my brother’s house and said, “A pair of shoes have been delivered here for about two weeks now in error.” We all sang praises! I found someone to carry them down for me and kicked in full gear to complete the rest of the outfit. My mom worked on the wig; my tailor Orlando on the suit, after buying the wrong fabric twice. We got everything done three days before the competition, so my mind could relax a bit before all the excitement.

How do you define your general sense of style?

I believe I am very versatile and keep my outfits interesting. I don’t like being boxed in. I like to mix it up with uniqueness and spontaneity. I always say don’t try and study my style, you will fail!

Upon being declared the most stylish female at the Pop Style finale, onstage you likened copping the title to becoming a Miss Jamaica World or Miss Jamaica Universe. What’s your next move?

I really just want to work on my brand as much as possible. I’m devoting a set amount of time each day to research and find ways to better my brand and also to improve myself as much as possible.

What scares you?

Not achieving my goals and lack of motivation.

If Kristia were a colour, what would it be?

I want to say red because it is my favourtie colour, but I would have to say yellow. I would want to be a bright colour that reminds you of hope. Every time I see the sun it reminds me that there’s a future ahead of me. Also I believe yellow is a joyful colour and I always aim to bring joy and positivity to the people I am around.

The trend that needs to die a natural death right now is…

High/low any and everything!

What’s your opinion about the style of Jamaicans?

We are full of flavour and confidence. Jamaicans are some of the most stylish persons, in my opinion. Our culture is so rich in creativity that it has spilled over decades and has travelled to all industries including fashion. We stylish bad!

Which celebrity’s closet do you wish you could raid?

Rihanna’s, because her closet must be so versatile. I would find so many different looks in her closet: sexy, modest, trendy, vintage, sophisticated, you name it… it’s in there. I would be like a kid in a candy store!