Fashion designer Denzel Parris has found a niche with his modern, minimalistic designs. The self-taught designer is all about dressing the modern lady, and his designs, which fuse fashion with functionality, have found favour with many.

Parris, the Saint Lucian-born son of a diplomat and a business executive, has travelled the world but fondly references St Lucia, his childhood home.

Design was not top of mind when he left the Eastern Caribbean island to pursue a tertiary education at Johnson & Wales University (JWU) North Miami campus in the United States. It was business; however, this quickly changed to fashion merchandising & retailing when the degree became an option.

During his time at JWU Parris’s participation in a fashion-based competition on campus caught the eye of Cuban-born, Miami-based fashion blogger Kelly Saks. He started designing custom pieces and Saks was featured in Cosmopolitan wearing a Denzel Parris design.

The year 2016 saw the birth of his first line. Two years later he teamed up with fellow JWU North Miami alum Kamaria McCall for a designer showcase during Art Basel in Miami. His biggest moment would come a year later in November 2019 when he appeared as “Designer of the Day” on The Tamron Hall Show.

The show, created by the award-winning journalist and former Today show host Tamron Hall, featured a week of up-and-coming fashion designers. Parris was one of the five designers to style Hall for the show, plus, got the opportunity to showcase a few more pieces from his collection.

In a pre-interview for the show, Parris said: “My collection is for a lady. That lady is the highest form of herself, feminine, strong, and versatile, that’s who I cater to — the modern-day woman.”

The popular Asymmetrical Cone Dress and other featured designs are available for purchase at Parris’s e-boutique, denzelparris.co .