AWARD-winning singer, songwriter, producer and actress Jaleesa !Gaoses (better known as Taylor Jaye) has joined the fashion world.
She now has her own fashion collection titled ‘Jaye Walker Urban gear’, which comprises ready-to wear urban and sport pieces. The collection is under Taylor Jaye’s clothing house ‘Jaye Walker Enterprise’.
The collection was unveiled during the MTC Windhoek Fashion week while Taylor Jaye and hip-hop artist Chin Chilla performed. The duo performed as the models paraded the Jaye Walker urban gear, with their hairstyles done in the Jabaru style to add to the furistism look.
Taylor Jaye is preparing to launch the collection soon.
The artist, who grew up with her grandmother in Otjomuise, Windhoek, says she has been working on the collection since January last year.
“All designs are custom done by me. The collection is an extension of my Jaye Walker superhero persona as an artist. I wanted my fans to be part of the journey by making the clothes that I wear accessible to them in a ready-to-wear style. I love colour and sci-fi futurism. So, you see that throughout the collection from a wide range of colour and metallics. I wanted to create pieces that look great individually, but able to be mixed and matched with other pieces in the collection,” she said.
Taylor Jaye used fabrics that are light and durable. “I am all about futuristic fashion that stands out in the crowd. My designs are not for those that are trying to blend in. They call me the Jaye Walker superhero so my collection translates that in a more ready-to-wear style. The fabrics are very light and they are like windbreakers. I also like the fact that all the pieces are easily interchangeable,” she said.
What is great about the collection is that the clothes can be worn throughout the year. “My focus was to not have a collection just catering to winter or summer. My collection is predominantly unisex. A majority of the pieces can be worn by both men and women. The metal jackets were inspired by the 90s hip-hop era jackets,” the entrepreneur said.
Taylor Jaye said working on the collection was a natural process for her. She always had a passion for designing. She always designs all the clothes she wears, especially on stage and in her music videos.
The engineering graduate believes her interest in fashion grew while watching her grandma work. “She was a professional tailor and when I was growing up she used to teach me how to make clothes. I think by learning how to sew, my taste for fashion and custom-made pieces naturally developed. I remember for my matric farewell, I made my first dress with my grandma’s assistance. At my first launch, I could not afford a stylist or seamstress, so I made all the outfits myself,” she said.
Taylor Jaye further said since she unveiled the collection, the response from the public has been good, and that many people are patiently waiting for the collection to be made available for sale.
“I also cannot wait. I planned the collection. I knew at some point in my music career I would release fashion as an extension of myself. I’m just happy that I finally brought it to life and I’m glad my team urged me to do it sooner rather than later,” the artist, who launched her music career fulltime in 2015, said.
Taylor Jaye assures her fans that releasing a fashion collection does not mean the end of her music career. “I want my fans and fellow Jaye Walkers to also feel like they can be part of my journey by having access to the clothes that I wear. Fashion and music are not different – they both are art. They both require lots of work, creativity and focus,” she said.
Taylor Jaye said she plans to launch more collections. “I certainly have more coming. The public can look forward to couture and more classic pieces. I have a few surprises planned for the year,” she said.
Speaking about music, the artist said she will be releasing a few music videos from her latest album ‘Rise Of Jaye Walker’ featuring Chin Chilla.
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