When Jamaica’s fashion industry began to develop in the 1960s with the aim of becoming the region's first fashion capital, this ambition that did not emerge out of thin air. Jamaicans have a long and complex relationship with fashion and textiles, stretching from the island’s involvement in the 18th century as a supplier of raw materials like cotton and dye-producing trees and plants for the British textile industry (18th century), to the thousands of small-scale tailoring, dressmaking, and artisanal crafts who were catering specifically to the needs and tastes of people within Jamaica.

 

Jamaica's fashion and textile industry contributed significantly to the island's development. Yet, despite the garment and apparel industry being an important for employment sector for Jamaica, particularly for women in urban areas like Kingston, as the island sought to diversify its economy as it transited from colony to independent nation, many of the key pioneers and early companies that emerged during this period, such as the Jamaica Fashion Guild Ltd have not been properly documented, nor have the designs they produced been sufficiently preserved.

 

It is possible that the strong connection between Jamaica's fashion and textile industry and tourism may have contributed to limited historical interest in this area by narratives that prioritise non-commercial design. When I began my research, I believed that this connection encouraged Jamaican designers to produce products that reflected not ‘Jamaica’, but an imagined ‘Jamaica’ that reflected the desires of tourists. I was disappointed that former Prime Minister Norman Manley’s plea for Jamaican to find ways to tell their own stories: “refusing to take the fatally easy road of imitation, but with courage and cunning blazing our own trails through the wilderness” was disregarded. But as my research continued, I began to realise that in some respects, the appeal to tourists might have constrained the creativity of some designers. But for many others, it provided a space for experimentation, allowing them to explore their personal understandings of ‘Jamaica’ and ‘Jamaicanness’ and it is a connection that offered the opportunity for all Jamaicans to engage in creativity, whether through personal action or collaboration – a dynamic that allowed anyone to work with designers and makers to articulate a vision of Jamaica that may have spoken to tourists but also reflected the complex ways that Jamaicans engaged with design.

 

When exploring the designs of the period (1950 -1980s), there are symbols and motifs used by many designers and makers that suggest they might have been drawing on colonial imagery, highlighting what tourists might expect of a colonial paradise. However, it was also a space for experimentation, allowing designers and makers to draw on a wide range of inspiration and latest technologies available to explore what it might mean to use design to construct a vision of Jamaica.

 

An example of both collaboration and exploration can be seen in this shirt that I recently added to my Caribbean Fashion Archive. The shirt was purchased from an online vintage clothes seller in Pittsburgh, Turtle Island, the shirt bears the label states “Mr. James M. Marzouca, Golden Square House, Montego Bay, Ja. B.W.I.”. Aside from the information on the label there is no other identifying information, such as the name of the designer of the fabric or the maker. This makes it extremely difficult to build a full and accurate story about a producer or maker. What I have been able to uncover is that Marzouca might have been a was a dry goods merchant who would go on to purchase the Ethelhart Hotel (1945) in Montego Bay (on Jamaican’s north coast). I also found a brief description of him online: “Mr. Marzouca was known as "Papa Jim" around town. He was always recognizable in downtown - he wore white from top to toe. White hat, suit, shirt, tie, socks and shoes”. After purchasing the Ethelhart hotel and turning it into a private residence, he would later sell the property, but repurchased it sometime after 1957. It is unclear from the Jamaica hotel history website what Marzouca's operational relationship was with the hotel as well as dates of ownership. It is clear from the shirt’s fabric which features the names of Jamaican hotels, that his connection to the property inspired this shirt. While further information about Marzouca's background would be beneficial, it is likely that he collaborated with a designer to produce this shirt, perhaps as a marketing tool for his hotel or for the island's tourism sector related to his property. It is also possible that he was one of many hoteliers who commissioned designs like this, but so far, I have only identified this single shirt bearing the Marzouca label that features this particular design.

 

The Shirt

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According to the online seller the shirt was made in the 1970s. However, this might not be accurate because of the use of the term British West Indies (B.W.I.), which began to decline in the 1960s as Jamaica became independent (1962). At which point it would no longer be accurate to describe the island as part of the "British West Indies. While there was not official decree that I have identified that ended the use of the term, it was phased out significantly after in the 1960s as Caribbean islands gained independence. This timeframe combined with Marzouca's ownership periods suggests the shirt was likely produced during either his first period of ownership (1945-1948) or his second (beginning in 1957 - 58), specifically before the term B.W.I. significantly phased out in the early 1960s. Therefore, while the seller suggested the 1970s, the shirt could have been produced as early as 1945 or in the the early 1960s.

The base colour of the fabric is a solid white. There are no variations in colour within the base fabric itself. The pattern consists of a blue repeated pattern as the foundation of the design which reminds me of a topographic map. Overlaying the blue repeated pattern are the names of different hotels on the island, large and small, in different fonts and colours (red, black and blue) from Tower Isle, Harbour Guest House and Arawak Hotel. The shirt design reads not only has the ways Jamaicans engaged with design, but a history of the island’s hotels, reinforcing design’s relationship with tourism.

 

Conclusion

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Jamaica's fashion and textile history, while often overlooked in traditional narratives, is a rich and vital part of the island's cultural and economic development. From centuries-old craft traditions to the ambitious emergence of a modern industry in the 1960s, Jamaican designers and makers have consistently engaged with both local identity and global influences, including the complex relationship with tourism. As the case of the Marzouca shirt vividly demonstrates, uncovering these stories presents research challenges due to limited documentation, yet the objects themselves offer compelling insights into the creative ingenuity and historical context of the period. By actively researching, preserving, and making accessible these tangible pieces of history, initiatives like my Caribbean Fashion Archive are essential. They not only help to build a more accurate and comprehensive account of Jamaica's contributions to fashion and textiles but also play a crucial role in challenging the Western-centric biases of dominant fashion history narratives, ensuring that the island's vibrant design heritage is recognised and celebrated on a global stage.