RepJa is building a brand rooted in culture

Jamaica has long exported culture. Its music fills venues across continents, its language has become part of global popular culture, and its influence shapes entertainment, fashion and lifestyle. As that influence grows, creatives like RepJa co-founders Prince Graham and Omar Thomas are exploring how Jamaican culture can also translate into brands and businesses that Jamaicans themselves build and own. For them, fashion is one answer.

The Jamaica-born designers are challenging the idea that clothing inspired by the island must resemble souvenir wear. Through RepJA, they create contemporary, well-crafted pieces rooted in Jamaican culture, with appeal that extends from the island to the diaspora and beyond.

That vision was reflected in a recent limited-edition collaboration with Red Stripe for Reggae Sumfest, which featured a jersey combining elements of both brands with local references, including the country’s 876 area code.

“Both RepJa and Red Stripe represent Jamaica in different ways, so the partnership felt natural,” Graham shared, noting that the collaboration builds on the founders’ goal of creating a different expression of Jamaica through fashion.

TWO CREATIVES, ONE VISION

Born in St Ann’s Bay, Graham moved to New York at a young age, growing up between two worlds that would shape his understanding of identity and creativity. The experience of navigating Jamaica and the United States exposed him to distinct cultural influences that would later inform his creative perspective.

“Where you come from should be something you wear with pride. Jamaica and New York shaped how I see everything,” he explained.

After studying graphic design and marketing at Old Dominion University, Graham worked on merchandise and creative experiences for artistes, tours and cultural events.

As for Thomas, his roots trace to Anchovy, Montego Bay, before he later moved to Mount Vernon, New York. A graphic designer drawn to understated yet intentional design, he brings a more unconventional approach to his work.

“I don’t really watch the rules still,” he said, noting, “Once you’re comfortable and own whatever you put on, ah you dat.”

The differences between them are also evident in their creative approaches. Graham gravitates towards clean, fashion-forward looks that mix timeless pieces with streetwear, while Thomas favours minimalism with impact. Yet, their shared appreciation for Jamaica’s culture brings their visions together, as they draw inspiration from the language, music, memories and everyday experiences that connect Jamaicans at home and abroad, reinterpreting familiar references through contemporary design.

Behind the growing visibility, however, are the less glamorous realities of building a business from the ground up.

Both founders speak openly about financial pressures, production setbacks, and the uncertainty that comes with entrepreneurship.

“There are times I’ve wanted to quit,” Thomas admitted. “I’ve learned to pause, reset and keep going by focusing on the signs that show progress.”

For Graham, those signs often come from the people who wear the brand.

“Every time someone tells me they finally feel represented wearing RepJa, that reminds me why we started,” he shared.

Thomas finds meaning in something even more ordinary, seeing Jamaicans deliberately choose to take the brand with them when they travel.

“When someone is packing for vacation or travelling, and out of all the clothes in their closet they intentionally choose to bring and wear their RepJa tee, that hits different,” he said. “It means they’re proud to represent Jamaica wherever they go.”

The brand has also attracted high-profile supporters, with its designs worn by Jamaican entertainers including Shenseea, Vybz Kartel, Masicka and Aidonia, as well as international music personality DJ Khaled.

BIG PICTURE

For Graham and Thomas, putting Jamaican design on a global stage is only one part of the vision. Graham hopes RepJa can eventually create pathways for other Caribbean creatives to reach international audiences, while Thomas wants to use their experience to support skills development within Jamaica’s creative industries.

“If I can help open doors for the next generation while changing how the world sees Jamaican creativity, then I’ve accomplished something bigger than fashion,” Graham said.

It is an ambition that takes RepJa beyond the garments they create and towards the larger opportunity they see for the island’s creativity.

Asked what it means to represent Jamaica, Graham describes it as “carrying resilience, creativity and pride wherever you go”.

Thomas puts it more simply: “We different. We set it.”

lifestyle@gleanerjm.com