5 Questions with ... Kevoy Burton

Starring in movies such as Ghett’ A Life, Destiny and Joseph, this Jamaican-born and raised actor, television personality and marketing specialist took a chance of a lifetime when he migrated to Ghana. His goals of making graphic T-shirts soon stitched its way into creating casual and cool kaftan shirts that recently hit the runway of his very own fashion show held at Jamrock Restaurant and Grill in Accra during Jamaica’s ‘Emancipendence’ celebration.

This week, 5 Questions With ... catches up with newly minted fashion designer, Kevoy Burton.

1. Were you always interested in fashion or was this an area you grew passionate about over time?

Fashion was something I became fascinated with when I came to Ghana. I used to model for different brands and started understanding how to put clothes together. I can admit that I had no style prior to coming to Ghana but this intrigue grew over time. Keen on unlocking a mass-market product, I believe Ghana has the right environment and tools for such a venture. So, you can say I am also passionate about the business side of fashion.

2. What inspired you to create your men’s line?

I was actually inspired in the beginning to do T-shirts. I had a caption that I used to write on Instagram, ‘Gyal dem’, then I would add a food item. For instance, ‘Gyal dem oxtail and broad bean.’ This caption picked up steam as people started adding their own food items to the list as a gimmick. I wanted to start a T-shirt line and sell graphic tees, but I was going to caption it with Ghanaian foods. So ‘Gyal dem waakye’ would have been a part of the line-up. But I got delayed. So my friend, Dr Rachel V. Brown, decided to challenge me to get it done with a full fashion show during the Emancipendence celebration at JamRock in August 2022. I created my own designs and had a great show. We barely sold anything, But it gave me vim. Fast-forward to this year and my other friend, Raphael, sat me down and told me that I need to start putting more detail in what I was doing and stop skimming the surface. That inspired me to go deeper into clothing and fashion, and now I have developed standardised pieces.

3. What’s the name of your brand? And tell me more about the fashion show and collection you launched this year.

Kalthan is the title of the brand and the collection is called Kingston to Kalthan. The main show consisted of three categories: standardised, prints of Africa and Kingston to Kalthan. Prints of Africa featured designs from Woodin, Africa’s largest prints distributor. This year marks my third year as a Woodin ambassador and influencer; they have supported me since I got off the plane from Jamaica. Each designer that came had to create a design using the Woodin material and they all came out great! Kingston to Kalthan showcased modern styles made from traditional cloth in Ghana.

4. What was your creative process like behind the scenes leading up to the main event?

There were a lot of disagreements and arguments with my tailor about getting our product right and understanding how to produce the same thing over and over. You can understand that as a creative person, his mind wants to do things that are unique and look complex, but I believe less is more. We also invited some local upcoming designers to showcase their work.

5. How was the reception from the audience, and what’s next for you?

The audience loved it. People came backstage to order designs the same night! The Jamaicans in the crowd let everyone know they were Jamaicans. They were my loudest cheerleaders. My hope is for it to reach the global market and become a billion-dollar clothing company. My next move is to complete my website and go live before the end of this month.

BRAWTA:

How did it feel to see the models hit the runway in your designs during your country’s ‘emancipendence’?

Jamaica lives in my heart, and I miss it every day. So it always means the world to me to represent the culture. It is a country loved in every corner of the world, and I remain a proud Jamaican. To have my designs, representing Jamaica, strutting down the runway means that there is more in store for me. Last year, July 2022, was merely a concept. This year, the vision was much more clear. The designs are still being talked about and I plan to go bigger for next year’s show.

krysta.anderson@gleanerjm.com