By: Staff Writer
September 2, 2022
This Jamaican designer is Reve-ing it up in the Caribbean with a collective that boasts 35 artisans along with the launch of their own personal care brand.
Teasea Bennett, co-founder of Reve Jewelry, Jamaica, told Caribbean Magazine Plus before she makes her way to the United Kingdom for the Autumn Fair this September 4-7 that there were a lot of talented Jamaican designers that didn’t have a platform and she decided to help them with branding their work. From there, it sprung into an entire collective with not only Jamaican designers but also designers from throughout the Caribbean.
Teasea, who also shares the company with her brother Duane Bennett, who she describes as the artiste of the duo, added: “I have people, Barbados, people from Trinidad and from all over the Caribbean. Right now we have over 35 Different artisans strong in our store. In addition to our own brand. So we’ve really become like the go to place for quality jewelry, and accessories and the services to go with it.”
Teasea also said: “We have grown and we’ve doubled up things based on our mission. With that we raise money and give back to our community, showing people that no matter your size or what industry you’re in you can have a positive impact on people.”
A positive impact is what Teasea will hope to make on this upcoming UK Autumn Fair this coming September with the help of the Caribbean Export Development Agency (CEDA).
She said: “With our brand, from scratch, we design and manufacture and bring to market unique pieces made from precious, non-precious and semi-precious material and all natural material as well.
“This includes the typical things in the jewelry categories like earrings, necklaces, bracelets, anklets. But we also have an exciting line of leather sandals and we also have a unique accessories line for the hair; it’s like a turban which is already for you that you can just put on it you don’t need to know how to do an intricate wrap because it is already made for you.
“Those things are really successful already among our customers but we’re excited to bring it to the international market.”
What won’t be making the UK trip will be the lifestyle brands that Reve is developing. “We also have a lifestyle brand -but we’re not focused on that- and lifestyle in the sense that we have a natural skin and haircare brand that is really in high demand. I actually made it myself. It’s called a ReggaeShea and I have another one called Carnival to keep the names very Caribbean inspired.”
The ReggaeShea massage oil is a non-greasy blend of pure natural oils; sunflower, avocado, shea butter, sweet almond and coconut. It is a moisturizer made of whipped shea-butter for hair and skincare. “It was created to alleviate my eczema. I tried the shea butter, but I didn’t like the experience of the shea butter itself. So I wanted to try something that was curious and something you can indulge in and make you feel good, like you are in a mini-spa experience. Since it has been working for me and my friends and family, I brought it to the store and it has been doing exceptionally well,” Teasea said.
With the wind at Reve’s back they are ready to share the Caribbean with the world along with the other regional fashion brands set to exhibit at the upcoming Fair under the Caribbean Fashion Showroom booth. Reve Jewelry (Jamaica) will be joined by Theodore Elyett (Bahamas), Catori’s (Barbados), Gisselle Mancebo (Dominican Republic), Sandilou (Haiti), Designs by Nadia (Saint Lucia), FETE-ish (Saint Lucia), Kimmysticclo (St. Vincent and the Grenadines), LOUD by Afiya (Trinidad & Tobago) and Aya Styler (Trinidad & Tobago). “CEDA is one of the heroes, even though they are in Barbados, that has been tremendously supportive to us,” Teasea said.