Tabitha St. Bernard co-founded Tabii Just in 2012. A graduate of New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology, Tabitha fine-tuned her design skills with internships at Vivienne Tam and Tahari ASL. She joined the dressline design team at Tahari ASL, where she discovered her passion for sustainable fashion. Born in Trinidad & Tobago, she now hails from Brooklyn, New York. She takes her rich Caribbean heritage with her to the design studio and traces of it are evident in every item of clothing. Tabitha maintains a double, not-so-secret life as a fashion & beauty blogger for a range of websites, while writing her personal blog, Tabs On Fashion. As a designer and blogger, Tabitha is privy to a unique, well-rounded perspective on fashion. She believes that every woman deserves to feel beautiful and chic, from within.
As a designer, what is the most challenging part of being in the fashion industry? That’s a tough question. Every part of it is a challenge. Lol. I would say the most challenging part for me is having to exist and think in different realms of the business. On an average day, I make decisions about design, production, budgeting, social media, etc. As an artist, I literally have to detach myself from my treasured designs in order to make business decisions. It’s challenging to just switch off different sides of myself for the good of the brand.
Has your Caribbean culture influenced your approach to your business? If so, how? My father was a workaholic growing up in Trinidad. He worked crazy hours as a plumbing contractor and I think I’ve inherited some of that work ethic.
What digital tool do find most useful to your business /brand? Twitter and my personal Facebook account. I have processed more orders through my personal Facebook account from strangers than I have on the website. I also love Twitter for business. I connect with businesses like mine when Twitter suggests them. I also discover related businesses by browsing other Twitter accounts like mine and seeing who comments. It’s invaluable.
What advice would you give to those wanting to take the leap into entrepreneurship? Get ready for it not to be a leap, firstly. Ease into it. Do tons of research. Keep other sources of income coming in so you can funnel all the revenue from the business back into it. Most of all, be sure that you are completely in love with whatever your business is because it will consume you on its way to success and there will be more bumps than you can ever plan for. Be sure to have a strong support system and enjoy the process even when it’s not fun.
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.
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