The Tribune

By JEFFARAH GIBSON

Tribune Features Writer

jgibson@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMIAN author Kendia Larramore has embarked on another creative venture and is now designing a new line of jeans for curvy women.

Kendia has always been fascinated with everything to do with design. However, her favourite pair of DKNY jeans were what ultimately inspired her to launch her own collection of denim.

“Through the years I’ve gained some pounds, so finding jeans to fit my shape is a cumbersome task. I got tired of looking for jeans that would fit my thighs and hips, but not my waist. So I decided to have my jeans customised and sewn to fit me, from there my desire to own my own line of jeans was resurrected. Branded jeans provide the most comfort and are easily dressed up or down based on occasion,” she told Tribune Woman.

Kendia’s Klamor jeans line is designed specifically for curvy women and those with a “wider torso”.

“My vision for my jeans was to focus on actuality. Fact is, all women are shaped differently. So that’s why when I had the jeans made I used real women from whom measurements were taken and the jeans tailored accordingly, and I focused specifically on the cut,” she said.

In designing the line, Kendia said, she paid special attention to what she knows women who have a little bit more hip, thighs and mid section look for when they go shopping for a pair of jeans.

“If I share the same denim concern with the masses, then cut and comfort is always what I look for in a pair of jeans. Yes, my jeans offer the right cut and comfort. When you put on a pair of Klamor jeans it’s like second skin. The material was specifically hand-picked by myself to accentuate the softness of a woman’s skin, with a little bit of elasticity,” she said.

“What makes us different is that we are 100 per cent Bahamian owned, designed and branded. Klamor jeans is a line of jeans where the designer listens to the actual demands of the Bahamian woman. Style is subjective to interest and current fashion. I’m that designer that will go back to the 1940s, take something from there transport it to the 80s, and take something from that era of style to bring back to the present and integrate it,” she said.

Getting into the saturated jeans market is challenging, Kendia said incorporating creative marketing measures is one of the quickest ways for people to become aware of a new brand.

“The design aspect is a matter of innovation and creativity. If you have it in you then that’s the easy part. However, being able to infiltrate the global market is what can be challenging if you do not have the resources to properly market your product and you don’t have the network to get your product out there. There are so many jean lines out there, and what I’ve found with the clothing industry as a whole is that celebrity endorsement is the fastest way to get your product attention, unless you’re one of the industry giants, like Levi’s or Hollister,” she said.

Following the launch of her first jeans collection, Kendia is also looking to design other clothing, launch new two new jean designs and a baby denim line.

“While the line is authentically Bahamian, it is my intent and the company’s vision to go international with my brand, so to do that I must be innovative and artistically creative and competitive if I want to be relevant,” she said.

Klamor jeans are not yet sold in local stores, but interested persons can visit Klamor on Facebook and Instagram, or call 421-7503.