Prajje Jean-Baptiste, the life-force designer behind Prajje 1983 left his native Haiti at the age of thirteen. He soaked up the curriculum at Mass College of Art in Boston, but never truly left behind the majestic and artistic milieu of his birthplace which continues to inspire each of his collections. This past December, he ventured back to his birthplace from his base in New York, for the first time since leaving.
A major fashion exhibition in December held in Petion-Ville, Haiti highlighted Prajje 1983 past and present creations and documented the designer’s creativity and contemporary spirit. It was also the occasion for Prajje to rediscover his reverence for the country’s majestic beauty and to fall in love again, with its dynamic culture.
When travel plans changed on the last day of his visit, with a small entourage in tow, he decided to embark on an impromptu photo shoot. The group headed up to the mountains of Fermathe, home to Prajje’s grandmother, also with the hidden agenda of seeking out his favorite Grio (fried pork) from his childhood. They stopped at the Jane Barbancourt Castle in Thomassin, and later, at the colorful market behind Eglise Saint Pierre De Pétion-Ville, in Petion-Ville Haiti where Prajje sang in the choir as a boy. The sumptuous photos here document that spontaneous day and speak to the talents of this gifted designer.
The shoot happened in a matter of hours, but the concept has a much longer-term vision where Prajje plans to collaborate with the Haitian artists and creative people that he met on this trip to build a business that benefits and enriches his native country. We hope that you can feature any of our photographs in your current issue, please see our attached contact sheet. Prajje 1983 greatly appreciates your time in advance.
Prajje 1983 has just launched a Go Fund Me campaign to further the dream of a fruitful luxury fashion industry in his home land. (http://gofundme.com/Prajje-1983-Haiti).I hope you will consider supporting our work and efforts to keep the Haitian culture vibrant. For more information about Prajje1983, please visit us at www.prajje1983.com
PHOTO GALLERY
(Click on thumbnails to enlarge pictures)
