Elli Michaela Young

"I am Elli Michaela Young, a researcher, independent curator, and creative practitioner with a specialisation in Jamaican fashion and textile history (1950-1970). As a Lecturer in  Fashion Visual Cultures at Middlesex University, my work explores the intersections of identity, cultural heritage, and design history, with a particular focus on the under-researched histories of Caribbean fashion and textiles. I am not only interested in uncovering this stories, but also considering how these stories can change the ways that we understand fashion and design history.

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My PhD research, 'Inna Style and Fashion: Fashion, Identity and Jamaica, 1950-1970', directly addressed a significant gap in fashion and textile history. It examined how fashion and dress designed and made in Jamaica were central to constructing Jamaican identities during the pivotal transition from colonial rule to independence. This research quickly revealed a critical challenge: the scarcity of Caribbean fashion and textile materials within traditional archives. Rather than being deterred, this necessity led me down an unexpected path, transforming me into an 'accidental archivist' and collector. I began building a unique collection encompassing garments, textiles, photographs, and oral histories – vital resources for reconstructing the story of Jamaican fashion and textiles between 1950 and 1970. This personal collection is particularly rich in rare primary sources, such as photographs from my father's personal archive in 1954, vividly illustrating the complex interplay of fashion, migration, and identity formation within the Caribbean diaspora. It also includes significant examples from the Jamaica Fashion Guild Ltd. and works by individual Caribbean makers.

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Expanding on this foundational research, I co-founded the Caribbean Fashion and Design Research Network (CFDRN). Here, my work focuses on actively integrating Caribbean perspectives into global design histories and fostering a more inclusive understanding of fashion's past and present. This commitment extends directly into my teaching practice. As a Lecturer in Fashion and Visual Cultures, I weave these narratives into the curriculum, enacting a decolonial approach to fashion education that challenges Eurocentric narratives and actively expands the canon of fashion and textile history.

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This website serves as a dynamic platform to share my ongoing research and creative projects. It is designed to invite a wider audience to engage directly with the rich, often-untold design histories of the Caribbean. Here, through careful analysis of textiles, photography, and design practices, I aim to reconstruct, reframe, and bring to life the vibrant narratives of Caribbean fashion history.