contributed photos -Designer of Avah Taylor, Kerry-Ann Thompson models one of her T-shirts.

Krista Henry, Staff Reporter

Avah Taylor designs is

planning to be the premiere T-shirt brand in the business.

Owned by Jamaicans Kerry-Ann Thompson and Patroe Belchur, the duo hopes to officially launch in Jamaica by next year.

Started by Kerry-Ann Thompson, who hails from Portland and now lives in Canada, 'Avah Taylor designs' has been producing signature T-shirts for over a year.

With a lasting interest in fashion, Thompson met her partner Belchur, a graphic artist, by chance and the two developed the concept of a quality t-shirt line. Named after Thompson's childhood friend 'Avah', the T-shirt brand aims to provide a sexy everyday wear.

online marketing

"We started the company around early 2006, although I had the idea in my head before that. We started gradually with 50-100 T-shirts. I'd come up with the idea and my partner would do the graphics. Right now, we're operating from home but we do a lot of marketing online," Thompson recently told THE STAR.

Influenced by the dancehall community, the first collection was launched at Irie Jamboree in New York in August of last year. The collection started out with local slangs such as 'Madda Ukubit', 'Needle Eye', 'Bad mind a kill dem', 'Jamaican Bombshell' and others. However, Thompson and Belchur plan to expand their focus on more designs.

One of the slangs, 'Real McKoy Since Birth', was influenced by dancehall singjay Mavado who has endorsed the brand, buying a number of the tees. Dancers Ding Dong and Jagga B have also worn the brand, as well as Assassin, who wore the tee in his Money Machine music video. Thompson says she is looking to get more artistes into her t-shirt line.

good response

"The response so far has been good, especially from men; the designs, the guys really like it. We have plans to incorporate the name in order to expand the line and explore other business ventures under the Avah Taylor umbrella-stores, wholesale, Internet cafe and more. I want to establish Avah Taylor as a luxury T-shirt brand throughout Canada, Jamaica, the US and eventually, the UK," Thompson commented.

The Avah Taylor T-shirts are not yet available in stores in Jamaica but can be bought online. Thompson told THE STAR that the brand will soon be available locally with Jamaican model Sakina Beaumont, the current face of the brand.