Our Jamaican Guy
Jamaican-born, Toronto-based menswear designer Caffery Van Horne may have only showcased his collection for the first time in February of this year at Toronto Men’s Fashion Week, but he is already showing the fashion industry that he will be a force to be reckoned with. Having been in the industries of conceptual design and fashion for over 15 years, the international designer has incorporated his extensive knowledge and life experience into his designs, creating sartorial collections for discerning gents.
“The brand is heavily based off of my alter ego” shares the designer, “(He) is a fashionable character called ‘Jet Setter Clive’ (Clive, the nickname given to him by his grandmother, was himself referred to as ‘jet setter’ by his friends) which has since been converted to ‘el hombre del mundo’ (man of the world) when I moved to Colombia. The brand identity is based on all the men I wanted to be growing up, from Scarface to Teddy Pendergrass to a few dancehall notables. Confidence is necessary to pull it off; it is the wardrobe of a confident standout type of man, bold and memorable.”
Indeed his line, according to his NYC fans, “shut it down”, while his Jamaican clients tell him that his clothes “tun up”.
Vibrant and full of prints, his latest Spring/Summer 2017 menswear collections – “My Jamaican Guy “ and “ El Hombre del Mundo” are a visual feast — from patterned co-ords to floral bombers, the collection leaves you wanting to book a flight to an exotic location to sport your fresh Caffery Van Horne duds. The designer shares, “Travelling in style was definitely the inspiration. I find (that) good clothes really affect your experience. It tells the story of your personality.”
AW Fashion couldn’t agree more, but don’t worry, ladies, Van horne has something in store for you too — a collection which, if it is anything like his current collection, will send us retail delirious.
The growing brand — already in Canada and Colombia — could possibly be produced in Jamaica. “There are so many talented artists here; it would be great to give some of them a chance. As my brand grows it would be great to show the world that we don’t only excel in athletics and reggae music, but in style as well,” said Van horne. Check out more of Caffery Van horne’s collections at
cafferyvanhorne.com
