Tobago-born, US-based designer Trishelle Leacock – a former national track and field athlete – has taken the world of fashion design by leaps and bounds. And she’s already turning heads, earning recognition in Marie Claire and Essence magazine earlier this year. She shares more about her brand (Kaiso. Swim) and her new collection, VOYAGE. – as told by Shelly-Ann Inniss
I discovered another meaning of the word “kaiso”, which is “ka” (go), “iso” (forward) – so my mantra is “go forward”. The name Kaiso. Swim is rooted in the idea of continually bringing our stories and heritage to life through our pieces, and also being inspired by the younger generation who are now writing their own. It also highlights some of our central values of continuous growth, development and innovation as a brand.
process [of creating VOYAGE.] came from an outpouring of emotion on a trip home to Tobago. It felt very special. I knew then what I wanted to do with my life and my brand, and that my first resort collection should reflect that change. So the Discovery. print has elements from different areas of the island, areas I grew up visiting often: Parlatuvier Bay, Pigeon Point and Argyle Falls.
FUN. the printout is a little self-explanatory as it shows the result of my find and the legacy I want to create. I know I still have a ways to go, but getting to this point has been fun.
This collection is very close to my heart as it signifies a phase of extreme growth for me. This brand has always been my way of sharing my creativity and telling stories based on my life and heritage, so being able to do that through clothing has been a blessing.
TRAVEL. it is related to the continuous journey of life. The first part signifies discovery as she found herself, and the second part illustrates the goal – she flourished. Sharing this phase of my life has brought me so much joy and peace throughout the creative process, and I hope this collection resonates with everyone it comes into contact with as they are on VOYAGE. of self-discovery.
We are currently online, but the goal is to get it into boutiques around the Caribbean and major stores worldwide. I want to get into carnival costumes. I’m excited to get a little more crazy with the designs.
