Anya Ayoung-Chee is the talented Trini designer on Project Runway. The show is in its ninth season and from the beginning Anya has been a favorite not only with the viewers, but her keen eye for fashion was handpicked by show host and super model Heidi Klum. The former beauty pageant queen gave an exclusive interview with LargeUp. In a two part series she talks about her upbringing, drawing inspiration from her deceased brother and representing the Caribbean.
LU: So you’re not just the designer, you’re the West Indian designer, you carry that weight on your shoulders…
AAC: Yeah, that’s my impression but I will say that aware of that because that’s what I choose. If I sat down and started to read, I know there’s a lot of other stuff going on that’s not so positive. The [sex] tapes thing is there, that’s real. People don’t believe that I’ve actually just learned to sew. Which is actually in a twisted way sort of a compliment because I really did. There are things I choose not to engage in. But I really genuinely feel a lot of love, a lot of support. There’s a sense that maybe there’s a chance for us people who come from a small place to make it. And it’s true. And that’s nice. I didn’t intend on that. I did this for me as a designer. And if all that comes with it, I am proud of that. I became Miss Trinidad & Tobago really so that I could rep the Caribbean.LargeUp: Where have you sold most of your clothes?
Anya Ayoung-Chee: I’ve done mostly custom orders. A lot of my clientele is diaspora West Indians living in cities. It’s Toronto, New York, London, Tokyo. It’s always one off but a weird mix of ready to wear and custom. It’s not like I’m designing specific pieces for them. But they’ll still only order one piece at a time from the collections that I’ve made that are “ready to wear.” I do have West Indian clients who live in the West Indies. But local fashion in the Caribbean is a strange, art-on-the-wall kind of thing. People don’t really buy it. Because we’re competing with Chinese imports and it’s very hard, price-wise, to compete with that.
Be sure to check out the interviews on LargeUp and check out Anya on this season of Project Runway and you can vote for her as a fan favorite.
Mikelah
Mikelah is a Caribbean Culture expert, curating the bridge between the Caribbean and its diaspora. A CUNY Baruch College graduate with a BBA in Marketing. With previous experience with Caribbean lifestyle brands such as VP Records, Tempo TV and JAMROCK Magazine. Currently serving as a digital marketing maven by day, while continuing to collaborate with Caribbean brands.
Follow Me:
GREAT JOB! She is one of my favs on the show:)