First Things First…

Welcome to the new home of Haveli. The Kingston-based brand founded by Mina Robertson in 2020 has expanded to its new 3,200 sq ft location in the centre of the city at 11 Devon Road. Surrounded by a lush garden, the new retail space is housed in a charming old Jamaican home complete with classic Caribbean architecture, covered patio, original fretwork, and flooring one rarely sees today. Reflecting on the vision for the property, Robertson shares that she wanted to create a space “for dreamers, for lovers, for us.

A place for imagination, transcendence, and community. For the renovations to the interior, I wanted to strike the balance between celebrating the old while bringing new life to the space through our eye.” From the boho-chic quaintness of its previous location, this new home has an elevated refinement, paying homage to Old World glamour while still feeling like you’re stepping into your aunt’s country home.

As the brand known for its commitment to sustainable production and easy elegant styles has grown, so too, has its aesthetic evolved. It’s More Masculine line has developed to include more playful, vintage resort-inspired printed shirts, a take on the traditional men’s kurta, long-sleeved shirts in the golden trio of natural fibres – silk, linen and cotton – and the collection standout, the Nesta Jacket-Shirt, made from hand-loom cotton. For the Haveli Goddesses, Robertson was inspired by the singular, festive energy that abounds during the holiday season in Jamaica.

“I thought about the different ways we celebrate and how we want to feel in each setting, whether it be walking through the markets, hosting a family dinner, or ushering in a new year. I introduced some new techniques that my team in Jaipur and I have been working on for nearly a year and sourced new textiles that really deliver on our promise of easy elegance,” she said.

New to the Haveli collection is the silk-cotton Amma mini dress with pleated waistline, kimono-inspired sleeves and high-low skirt, the bias-cut Nina suede silk slip dress with contrasting straps and impeccable invisible stitching, the tailored linen Yara midi-dress, the near seamless silk satin Ziva Magic top paired with the effortless silk satin Kahlo pants, and a Haveli collection would not be complete without a fresh take on the kaftan seen in the Yumi Butterfly Kaftan draped to perfection.

Going into 2022, this astute entrepreneur has her eye set on more growth and expansion. Robertson shares that the “behind the scenes” parts of the property at 11 Devon Road position the company to develop more sophisticated systems, expand its team and prepare for what’s in store for the burgeoning start-up. Set to become a landmark for culture in Kingston and an impressive headquarters, Haveli at 11 Devon is a must-visit. SO looks forward to more page-turners.

Address: 11 Devon Road, Kingston 10

Instagram: @haveli

Website: www.myhaveli.com

Email: welcome@myhaveli.com

Tel: 876-672-8270

Then…

On Monday, December 13, Random House Canada announced the upcoming memoir No Bootstraps When You’re Barefoot from Jamaican-born, Canadian business leader and founder of Kingsdale Advisors and the BlackNorth Initiative Wes Hall. The entrepreneur is best known as Canada’s first black “Dragon” investor in the Canadian edition of the reality television series Dragons’ Den.

A story of drive, agency and hope, No Bootstraps When You’re Barefoot, documents Hall’s inspirational trajectory from humble and challenging beginnings to finding his faith, his focus, and his seat at the Bay Street table.

Hall shared his joy with his Instagram followers:

I am so excited to announce something that is both so personal and exciting to me…

Growing up in poverty in rural Jamaica, I didn’t think my life would turn out this way. I have learned so much throughout my life and am looking forward to finally sharing my journey.

My first ever book will be published with @penguinrandomca and @therightsfactory coming Fall 2022!

For the first time ever, I am inviting all those who THINK they know me to take a walk with me through my incredibly difficult upbringing in my tiny tin shack in Jamaica to my first ever job on Bay Street as a young Black man navigating in a world I knew absolutely nothing about.

Thank you to all who have made this possible. This is just the beginning.

— Wes Hall