Guh Haad with Esata Buckley

IT was her grandma teaching her to make doll clothes by hand that fired up the seamstress in Esata Buckley, and later, when she got a domestic sewing machine for Christmas, she further expanded her talent.

“It all came natural,” the young designer shared. “Growing up with her before she passed, she taught me how to sew with my hands — just needle and thread. I transferred that knowledge into making my own garments, and now for customers.”

Fearless about her passion, and always willing to step out of the box, Buckley says not limiting herself is part of what makes her different.

“If a client shows me a design I have never made, I do my research and execute as best as possible. Also, I will add my creative touch, but not before consulting with the client,” she explained.

Buckley started Guh Haad Fashanz in 2014, and was self-taught up until she enrolled in a fashion designing course at HEART Trust/NSTA Garmex Academy in 2017. Named for the moniker her former boyfriend assigned her in college, the young woman’s line is true to its name.

“While at University of Technology I used to attend dancehall parties. Back then I used to take my designs to a tailor and he would make my pieces. Whenever I’d enter the parties people would just stare. I was so daring, I would wear anything that came to mind — I was daring and bold and people loved it. At that time Rihanna’s song Hard and Wayne Marshall’s Go Hard were hits. My boyfriend at the time started to call me “Guh Haad”. Then others followed suit. One day he was like, you’re doing the wrong thing at school, you should do sewing and name your business “Guh Haad”… and I added the “Fashanz”. I registered the business and that’s how Guh Haad Fashanz was born.”

She said while at Garmex she took a strong liking to gowns and bridal wear, as one of the most important times in a person’s life is their wedding.

“They pull all the stops to make sure that day is perfect. The outfits are the centre of attention and I love seeing the look on my customers’ faces when they are pleased with their outfits. Also, when bridal wear is being constructed properly it has a beautiful finish. I also find it easier to make.”

Guh Haad Fashanz caters to all age groups, and in 2020, Buckley also started her swimsuit line which did extremely well.

“My swimsuit line started during the pandemic. Sewing is my only source of income, and when coronavirus hit I started to brainstorm ways to keep my business afloat. I was making masks, making good money from that, but I also wanted to increase my clientèle and keep cash flow constant. At the time I had like 500 followers [on social media]. So I started to think, what can I do to attract more clients while increasing followers? So I came up with the brilliant idea to have a swimsuit sale — one swimsuit for $1,000 and two swimsuits for $1,500, no matter the size. I made swimsuits and posted on my social media pages and within a week my followers grew, then the customers started flowing in. The growth and feedback was amazing. I started producing different designs which landed me on CVM at Sunrise for the second time.”

Fast forward to 2022, and she’s also been making more kiddies’ wear.

“When I started out, I was mostly doing adult outfits. People would ask for matching mommy and me outfits. I didn’t think anything of it at first but then I decided to give it a try. Now my page (IG: @guh_haad_fashanz) is saturated with kiddies’ outfits,” she shared.

She said she also wanted to work on some new pieces to reflect the casual side of the business with a nice touch of elegance, and found her muse in Amashika Lorne, media personality and children’s book author.

“I enjoy working on this new line and seeing her bring the pieces to life is heartwarming,” Buckley told All Woman. “I look forward to Guh Haad Fashanz excelling, making designs for celebrities and breaking barriers no one thought a local brand could do.”

Her last project, working with Lorne on a mini series for Reggae Month (celebrated in February), showing families locations they could visit during the month to learn more about reggae music, is the one she’s most proud of.

“Since I’ve met her on CVM at Sunrise a few years ago, she has entrusted me with several of her looks. If you should check out her Instagram page, you will see some looks that we’ve collaborated on and I enjoy seeing her come out of her comfort zone,” Buckley said. “She’s conservative but classy, edgy, and she’s willing to ‘Guh Haad’ with me.”

Having multiple stores islandwide is what Buckley envisions for her future, as well as doing mass production for big companies.

“I have a lot of things that motivate me, but the most is producing great work and getting positive feedback,” she said.

For other young designers, or those wanting to get in the field, she said formal training is very important.

“I can’t stress this enough,” she said. “Even if you are already performing at an expert level, there is something that you can work on. Also, the certification, having your papers behind your craft, is the best feeling. You’re a certified fashion designer. Your certification can open other doors for you.”

She said her only regret is not having gone to Garmex sooner, as it’s the best decision she’s made to date.

“But I believe everything falls in place at the right time because I had the BEST teacher that year, Mrs Nicole Anderson. Before Garmex I only cut free-hand and I was just stuck in that frame of mind. Garmex taught us to make patterns. I had a hard time grasping the concept but Mrs Anderson worked with me. Even after school hours she would stay back and ensure I got it right. Sometimes I would take shortcuts and cut free-hand, but somehow she would find out. I hated making patterns but she told me if I wanted to make bridal wear then I need to master patterns. I worked on it endlessly and today a pattern takes me a few hours. It’s true what they say, practice makes perfect.”

Nowadays, a typical day will have her fabric shopping and sewing, sometimes up to 2:00 am, listening to music, mostly gospel or R&B, while she works at her dream job.

“I remember seeing a quote, do what you love and you will never work a day in your life and that spells truth,” she declared.