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<span style="font-style: italic">interesting comments on jamaicans' buyin habits. What oonu tink? dis mentality still left over from the old days when people used to receive tings from relatives a farrin? 
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Ready-to-wear clothing such as T-shirts, denim pants and tank tops are also seen as viable products in Jamaica, hence the market would seem ready made for the successful Cooyah. However, not all casual wear lines are created equal. Cooyah Rootz Wear was begun by Homer Bair, Wayne Bair and Susan Kristman in New York. Cooyah has a distinct Jamaican feel, with designs in red, green and gold and a direct reference to musical legends such as Bob Marley and Peter Tosh.
Though Cooyah is heavily influenced by Jamaican culture, Gary Codner, designer and marketing manager, says that he has had to go overseas to get some sort of recognition for his product. <span style="font-weight: bold">According to him "seven out of 10 Jamaicans can only associate themselves with things that are overseas inclined. That is how they feel they look good."
This attitude, he said, comes from the mindset of not rating Jamaican products as highly as those made overseas.</span> As a result, Codner has had to look to musicians and entertainers overseas to market the product. Cooyah has been endorsed through music videos by Limp Bizkit, Method Man and Lenny Kravitz, as well as locally by Elephant Man, and will soon be seen on MTV.
Besides the quality of the designs and the Jamaican appeal, Codner says that Cooyah's success rests partly on an established market. Not only is ready-to-wear clothing more popular in Jamaica, but the Cooyah line capitalises on "brand Jamaica".
"Jamaica is the biggest brand name", says Codner. "We must capitalise on who we are and stop allowing foreign investors to do that." It is with this knowledge that Cooyah markets its designs.
"When you tap into a market that already exists marketing becomes easier for you," he said. A Cooyah T-shirt can cost as little as $700, with prices going up to $2,800 for a button-down shirt.
But if ready-to-wear is the most commercially viable clothing product, how does one account for the success of brands such as Uzuri which has been around since 1988?
Mark McDermott, one of the two Uzuri designers, says it has to do with capitalising on a niche in the fashion industry. Uzuri does special occasion garments for weddings, graduations and balls and is credited with outfitting both the Miss Jamaica Universe and the Miss Jamaica World Competitions, with gowns for both contestants and winners to the international competition.
</span>Ready-to-wear clothing such as T-shirts, denim pants and tank tops are also seen as viable products in Jamaica, hence the market would seem ready made for the successful Cooyah. However, not all casual wear lines are created equal. Cooyah Rootz Wear was begun by Homer Bair, Wayne Bair and Susan Kristman in New York. Cooyah has a distinct Jamaican feel, with designs in red, green and gold and a direct reference to musical legends such as Bob Marley and Peter Tosh.
Though Cooyah is heavily influenced by Jamaican culture, Gary Codner, designer and marketing manager, says that he has had to go overseas to get some sort of recognition for his product. <span style="font-weight: bold">According to him "seven out of 10 Jamaicans can only associate themselves with things that are overseas inclined. That is how they feel they look good."
This attitude, he said, comes from the mindset of not rating Jamaican products as highly as those made overseas.</span> As a result, Codner has had to look to musicians and entertainers overseas to market the product. Cooyah has been endorsed through music videos by Limp Bizkit, Method Man and Lenny Kravitz, as well as locally by Elephant Man, and will soon be seen on MTV.
Besides the quality of the designs and the Jamaican appeal, Codner says that Cooyah's success rests partly on an established market. Not only is ready-to-wear clothing more popular in Jamaica, but the Cooyah line capitalises on "brand Jamaica".
"Jamaica is the biggest brand name", says Codner. "We must capitalise on who we are and stop allowing foreign investors to do that." It is with this knowledge that Cooyah markets its designs.
"When you tap into a market that already exists marketing becomes easier for you," he said. A Cooyah T-shirt can cost as little as $700, with prices going up to $2,800 for a button-down shirt.
But if ready-to-wear is the most commercially viable clothing product, how does one account for the success of brands such as Uzuri which has been around since 1988?
Mark McDermott, one of the two Uzuri designers, says it has to do with capitalising on a niche in the fashion industry. Uzuri does special occasion garments for weddings, graduations and balls and is credited with outfitting both the Miss Jamaica Universe and the Miss Jamaica World Competitions, with gowns for both contestants and winners to the international competition.
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