2 Atlanta designers promote Caribbean culture through festivals, fashion line

“We’re showing Atlanta that there are a lot of Caribbean people here that come out to have fun,” Thomas said.

The open-air festival allows guests to bring blankets and coolers filled with their favorite beverages, while immersing themselves in an afternoon filled with feel-good island rhythms. Rotating deejays spin dancehall, soca, reggae, Afrobeats and amapiano music.

Credit: Duane Numan

Credit: Duane Numan

The sound selectors are DJ Kash, Coppershot Music, Dutty Dex, Mix Master David and Mad Russian. Another highlight is dancers dressed in bright feathers performing a carnival-themed routine.

Igloo Atlanta is part of Igloo Nation, a traveling event series which originated in Jamaica in 2015. Instead of having recording artists headline the festival, the day centers on the crowd dancing to the beats and acting as their own mixologist.

“It’s a party that feels like a festival, so we didn’t want to deviate from the original core or have people distracted by performances,” Thomas told UATL.

“People are going to reunite through vibes, and we want them to bring the friends they like to turn up with. You are your own bartender, so you have to drink responsibly. The day is about letting loose, allowing people to be their true selves and transported to the islands for a couple of hours,” Thomas said.

DJ Kash, host of a weekly amapiano music party at Rock Steady Atlanta called Bamba Tuesdays, said he anticipates the crowd breaking a sweat the entire afternoon.

“Igloo has always been about having a great time, and that’s what I’m all about. The audience can expect a dope blend of genres to keep them dancing the whole time,” he said.

Credit: Olivia Bowdoin

Credit: Olivia Bowdoin

This year Graham and Thomas are introducing Bass and Waist, Igloo Atlanta’s official after party at 10 p.m. Hosted at Vybez Executive Event Center in Lithonia, the spinoff is an indoor, intimate dance function concentrating primarily on dancehall and soca music.

“When Igloo Atlanta is done, a lot of people don’t want the party to end. It’s a continuation of the vibes and gives the crowd somewhere to go after the main event” Thomas said.

Credit: Duane Numan

Credit: Duane Numan

In 2007, Graham and Thomas started RepJA, a streetwear clothing line whose name is a portmanteau for Represent Jamaica. The brand sells hoodies, T-shirts and hats featuring vibrant colors, graphics and slang words themed around Jamaican culture.

Some of the vintage T-shirts include catchphrases like “I’m So Special,” which is from the 2008 reggae song “So Special” by Mavado, in block font and “Sim Simma,” which references a lyric in Beenie Man’s 1997 single “Who Am I,” in red beside Jamaican caricatures dancing beside bright-colored speakers and palm trees.

The garments have been worn by Fabolous, Beenie Man, Shaggy and Wiz Khalifa among others. Graham, a graphic designer who moved to Atlanta from New York in 2012, said he and Thomas never planned to turn their hobby into a business.

“We were creating just to create. We were just going to make a few shirts to give to our friends and family, but we wanted to create something stylish and cool that represented us,” Graham said.

“The typical Jamaican stuff would be a tourist shirt, a Bob Marley tee with red, gold and green, and we were beyond that. We wanted to introduce other colors and designs, compared to the Rasta-type stuff that says ‘Yeah mon.’”

Credit: Daryl Lawrence

Credit: Daryl Lawrence

A place where Caribbean creatives can come

Thomas, who moved to Atlanta from New York in 2001, said RepJA’s headquarters in Atlanta allows the designers to rely on its local network and vendors like Local Screen Printer to manufacture the products.

“Atlanta has been welcoming and dope, because it’s a place where Caribbeans who are creatives can come, build, make it ours and keep our culture vibrant,” he said.

“It gives us great positioning, because there are screen printers and spots here where we can go, grab a few T-shirts if we needed to do something quick.”

Along with e-commerce, RepJA has made regular appearances at trunk shows to sell the merchandise. Graham said RepJA‘s revenues are exceeding projected sales.

“RepJA has experienced strong fiscal performance over the past year driven by consistent brand growth, increased market engagement and strategic partnerships. We’re proud of the progress and remain focused on building a globally recognizable brand that represents Jamaican culture with authenticity and pride,” Thomas said.

Graham and Thomas hope to expand into music, film, television and artificial intelligence. They also aspire to create mentorship and development workshops for up-and-coming Caribbean fashion designers and apparel brands.

“We want to set up programs where they can learn the ins and outs of design, source materials and manufacture. Jamaica has so many talented creatives, but they don’t have the proper resources or outlets to get their dreams out,” Graham said.

Thomas said he and Graham want to continue to offer authentic portrayals of the Caribbean community through creativity.

“We want to find spaces where we can contribute to that legacy, create conversations, bring information to the masses and our community,” Thomas said.

“We’re always trying to figure out the best ways to put on for Jamaica and carry that torch.”

Igloo Atlanta. 3-9 p.m. Saturday, May 3. Lithonia Park, 2501 Park Drive, Lithonia. 770-484-3058. iglooatlanta.com

Bass and Waist. 10 p.m.-3 a.m. Saturday, May 3. Vybez Executive Event Center, 7300 Stonecrest Concourse, Suite 106, Stonecrest. 678-585-4969. ticketgateway.com

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