Who? Alissa Bertrand, fashion designer behind the Jabella Fleur label

Her husband is from Dominica and she lived there for about a year, before moving to Atlanta, Georgia in 2015!

The label breakdown… Ja= Jayla and Jada (the twins)

The middle AB=Alissa Bertrand

The ending Ella= her youngest daughter

Fleur=French for flower

The more… she’s featured in the February 2021 issue of American Vogue… “Being able to work with Vogue was more than just a dream come true, it has shown me that, with hard work and dedication anything is possible when you pour pure passion and love into every piece and everything you do!”

The buzz… her designs, primarily for her three youngest girls, are made from vintage clothing and textiles.

Breaking news!!! She’s just been named one of 10 hand-picked 2021 Spoonflower Ambassadors.

Her competitive fashion advantage… she does not shy away from prints and colours… “Many people understand thrifted and/or hand-me-down clothing. I just take it to the next level and create pieces no one else has.

“I design and create clothing for my daughters from vintage and thrifted items! I started this journey to showcase beautiful black girls in a light that we’ve never really been shown in: Fashion, and fashion photography! It’s also a way for other girls to be able to see themselves, as representation matters!”

She attended the Academy of Art in San Francisco… and has been in the fashion industry for over 20 years. Her focus in the past two years has been on sewing and creating for her daughters.

The change in fashion is going the sustainable route… and not taking more than what’s required. “Everything I create came from something thrifted at one point. My ‘change’ is actually being a designer for black children, especially girls, and to show beautiful clothing, in timeless styles.

“I pay tribute to vintage silhouettes and design pieces that can be used season after season, by using prints that can always mix and match with other pieces”.

Her creative goals for 2021… to have successfully created and launched her own fashion brand and label.