Unique designs, both with clothes and swim wear are hard to come about these days. DIY fashion is all the rave and Lanadeene Rene, is a hit. You’ve seen her designs multiple times, whether it be for personal clients, or huge events like Vice and Remedy beach parties, she brings you the most daring swim wears. We sat down with Lanadeene Rene who operates on a small scale, her fashion business for the past two years, which bears her name “Lanadeene”. She told us how she started sewing, her business, why and how difficult it’s been for her in the fashion industry.
‘Lanadeene’ is a unique handmade brand targeting modern-day go-getter women. The brand offers ready to wear and custom made swimwear, signifying fun prints and colours with its own creative identity, keeping the target market in mind; offering monokinis with flattering cuts, one pieces, high cuts to accentuate the body’s curves, high waist and brazilian bottoms just to name a few. All swimsuits are fully lined for longer use. The brand is based on quality with exquisite attention to detail from the selection of good quality fabrics, trims, pattern making, fit and finish so that the swimwear is looked upon as an investment to the client. It is imperative that the brand makes a bold statement, differentiates itself from the rest bringing the quality and uniqueness of the brand to its clients. Beautiful, confident, classy and unique is the feeling Lanadeene will bring to women when wearing the brand.
What can you tell us about yourself?
I am just a humble woman with a love for fashion. I sew in my room (which I call my home studio) and I want to share my creativity with the world, I am also on a mission to build my fashion business which will one day support my lifestyle and family. I was born and raised in St. Lucia. I am from a loving family of eight (8), 4 brothers and one (1) sister and I have lived in Entrepot all my life. I love to travel. I love food and my favorite is shrimp. I am a carnival lover and my favorite soca artist is Machel Montano. I also love dancehall and R&B with Rihanna being my inspiration. I am a lover of Christ. He is my guide in decision making in my life and business. I am a big dreamer and a risk taker which is why in everything I take many risks to make my dreams come true.
How did you start sewing?
I watched my mom sew. I first started sewing on my mom’s foot Singer sewing machine. Back in the day when Wards the fabric store sold paper patterns, my mom used to purchase them and create most of our clothes. I remembered my grand aunt used to sew everything by hand, like bedsheets with hand embroidery. It was something that was imbedded in me. I attended the Bocage Secondary School where I studied, among others, Clothing and Textiles and Arts and Craft and upon graduation I was awarded a trophy for excellence in these subjects. After leaving school, I continued sewing with the Clothing and Textile teacher; Miss Luciana Maxell. She was one of my inspirations at the time. The way she dressed and the colours she wore. By then I had my own sewing machine that my mom bought me for my sweet 16 birthday from Singer. By the age of 19 I was designing and sewing my own clothes for work, parties, making bags and covering shoes; making party and work clothes for my friends and family. Destiny’s Child had nothing on us. I remembered my friend’s mom saying “these outfits are too sexy to leave the house.” I also sewed for Lady Lyn the calypso singer for some of her performances.
Why did you start your swim line?
Well funny to say swimwear was nowhere in the making. In addition to sewing, I was into hairdressing, weaving and braiding. Although my dream was to become a fashion designer, that dream slightly went away for some time but came back when I got a job at Sandals by sewing my work clothes because I did not like the way the company provided skirts fit me. From then I said to myself “how am I going to start a clothing line?” and it was always on my mind. Close to my fifth year working with Sandals, I decided to take a loan from the Credit Union to purchase two sewing machines and a mannequin. I did lots of research online as to where to source fabrics, trims; reading blogs and YouTube.
Fast forward to April 2015 I think I was online when I saw a bodysuit and decided that I would make a few to sell. I got the opportunity to showcase my very first collection of bodysuits at Red Unlimited carnival band launch. The unveiling of their costumes was like a fashion show at the time which included the showcase of other designers’ work. From the following day I started receiving messages via social media platforms and Whatsapp, from carnival lovers, swimwear lovers and beach lovers. From then, my bodysuits turned into swimsuits. I started ordering swimsuits online opening them up to see how they were made and sewn as a guide. I was working night shifts and used to leave work at 10 p.m. to sew and go to bed after 3:00 or 4:00 a.m. and get to work for 8:00 a.m. the next day. Sometimes I called in sick to sew up some orders. In July, I took a week off from work without pay to have a feel of what it would be like to do this full time, and this was my happiest feeling ever. I said to myself, Lana this is your chance. By December of 2015 I decided to make the big jump to start my business full time and with all the information I had gathered from searching online, I was able to attend a Trade show in New York. It’s where you have fabric manufactures, trims suppliers, fashion business mentors and designers. So I was able to learn a lot and purchase my fabrics and materials; from then my business took off. Thanks to the people of St. Lucia it did.
What are some of your challenges?
When I first started sewing swimwear, stretch fabric was a challenge and very tricky to work with. There are many techniques that are not taught in schools. Even though I pursued a course in swimwear where I learnt about the principles of stretch direction. It was through practice and experience I leant and I am still learning every day.
I wear all the hats in my business. Balancing my time can be a struggle for me at times, because it can be hard to be creative and most importantly to have a business sense at the same time which led me to work on my business plan and pursue a fashion business course. Without such knowledge I would never understand the necessity of my business being healthy. I don’t get any of my materials in St. Lucia, from fabric, needles, the right thread and trims. I source everything overseas having to deal with 2 sets of shipping rates and Customs & Excise duties. For the fabric I can understand, but materials like thread and needles, I wish I could have gotten those here. Financing is also a big challenge. With St. Lucia being the majority of my clientele at the moment, having a unique brand is a challenge in a way that the fabrics I source can’t be purchased in bulk. I mean you don’t want to be walking on the beach or at a beach party seeing 20 persons with the same swimsuit, but I am putting things in place to reach a wider clientele other than St. Lucia.
What opportunities have you received thus far as a result of designing?
I see these as small opportunities but I have been invited to participate in some events and look forward to bigger opportunities. In November 2015 I took part in a competition with Gew, (Global Entrepreneur Week) where I placed 3rd. For the past two years 2015 and 2016 it has been an honor to be asked to design a swimwear collection for Just4fun (the carnival band) for their annual beach party called Remedy held in July. October 2016 I designed a Creole swimwear line for Oktoberfest which was showcased the night of the event. I also took part in a Baywalk Mall fashion show where I showcased my Creole line. November 2016 I took part in the fashion show ‘Strut for a Cause’ for mental illness held at Sandals Grande hotel. April 2017 I was honored to have designed a swimsuit for a very well-known celebrity, a travel fitness dance instructor from Miami.
Where do you see yourself in the future?
I would love to take part in an international fashion show some day. It’s really expensive—so I have to plan and save for it. I would love to open up jobs to help and employ others. I also want to launch an ecommerce website which I am currently working on.
How do you reach your target audience?
On Instagram. Instagram is the most cost effective way to get my work out there and to really be exposed to a larger audience worldwide. It is my marketing tool virtually. I do have a Facebook account but it’s mostly Instagram.
How do you find inspiration to make your designs unique?
It’s so many things. I look at hairstyles, chairs, clothes, colours, fabric, music videos and movies. I also like to mix prints, sometimes while am working the ideas come and I make changes as I go along. It’s not one specific thing but I do put an inspiration board together and what’s cohesive I work from there.
Have you received any advice that has helped you get where you are?
I have received much. An important advice was from my next door neighbor who is an accountant, on my financials which has been a great guide. I listened to podcasts on my phone. It’s an episode series of digital audio or video files I can download and listen to. They have interviews from people all around the world like entrepreneurs, mentors and business owners who speak on their experiences and also gives advice to startups and people who are already in business. There I find likeminded people. When I start to lose confidence, it gives me the boost I need to keep going.
Contact: lanadeene@gmail.comor via Instagram/ Facebook page: Lanadeene
