Color Heritage

How an apparel company is defining not only style but defining the concept of heritage

Posted:  Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Do you know what binds us to our history?  Heritage.  Do you know what binds us to our culture?  Heritage.  Do you know what binds us to each other?  Heritage.  Our heritage is part and parcel of our cultural DNA; you can separate us from our heritage the way you can separate sand from the Sahara.  It is within this paradigm that Winston Jack decided to start COLOR HERITAGE.  Before I tell you about COLOR HERITAGE, let me tell you a little about Winston Jack and the reason he embarked on this magnificent concept.

Trinidad, considered the capital of the Caribbean has produced an assortment of sub-cultures and blends equaling the hybrids in all forms of social life. Whether it be cultural in regards to the various racial groups that has settled there, or in specific the cuisine that resulted in the mishmash of these various ethnic sections. Everyone from Chinese, to Indian, and most dominantly the African has contributed to the mosaic of diversity that is Trinidad.

Winston Jack emerges as a hyper example of this dynamic. A product of the grounded sensibilities of the folk aspect of Trinidadian life, the spiritual musings of Ethiopian Orthodoxy, and the TADOW nature of Hip Hop music. Winston Jack of Pleasantville, San-Fernando Trinidad landed as one of the Senior Designers of Rapper Jay-Z and Mogul Dame Dash’s well acclaimed and commercially successful Rocawear and State Property Apparel in New-York City. This scribe will attempt within this limited amount of space to produce the “links” between Winston Jack local Trinidadian, and Winston Jack employee in the world coveted fashion district of midtown Manhattan, and “Rocawear Apparel” in specific.

Early in Winston’s life, approximately at the age of twelve a dance troop claimed his attention and ignited a passion for performing and expression. In conjunction with the youthful endeavor came the heeding of the Honorable Marcus Mosiah Garvey that took root in Winston’s work ethic and prompted him to find ways of being self reliant and independent. The pursuit of self-reliance planted the seed which budded into the entrepreneur Winston Jack is today. Earlier in his life this same seed planting was the conduit that drove him to develop his talent for art into various painting opportunities, one of which being an airbrush T-shirt business and mural and Iconic painting responsibilities for the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, of which he is an active member and lovingly known as Amde Brhan (Pillar of Light) amongst his congregation. Winston from an early age was drawing Ethiopian Art known for its signature depiction of Angels, Saints, and unique use of colors and shapes, this served as the launching board for Winston’s designing capabilities and color structure.

As most people from the Caribbean who possess a certain aptitude for ambition and progress yet share the same underclass reality of the sons and daughters of the colonial experience, Winston sought opportunity in America. His flight to America landed him at the unofficial embassy of West Indian Transplant, East New-York, Brooklyn. Naturally, after arriving in the USA Winston went looking for work and found employment in a warehouse. Subsequently, Winston found more meaningful employment with a screen-printing company that was naturally more along the lines of his calling and affiliation of talents. At this screen-printing company he befriended two African American males who solicited his designing services resulting in four different T-shirts that the two men produced and showcased at the NAMSB menswear show, faithfully bringing Winston along to the buyers’ market event. It was precisely at this event that Winston found the inspiration to pursue the creation of his own line of clothes that he called “COLOR HERITAGE APPAREL”.

Winston’s pursuit of his own clothing line “COLOR HERITAGE APPAREL” led him to shop his concepts to various manufacturers. While lending his talents to a clothing company called “US East Sportswear”, the owner of the line brought Winston to the Magic Trade Show in Las Vegas. In the process of networking at this event (easily the most important for apparel companies), Winston found his first big opportunity. At that time, Rocawear Apparel had only been in business for 6 months. Winston met the representatives of Rocawear Apparel and was hired a couple of weeks later, solidifying him as a Senior Designer, a position he held for 7 years, until he launched Color Heritage Apparel in New-York City. “When preparedness meets opportunity it is termed as good luck, when in actuality it means that your time has come.”

The founder of Color Heritage will be interviewed LIVE on BC Radio this evening at 8:30 PM EST.  Tune in and listen to the story behind this amazing clothing apparel company.