Making a name for herself in the world of fashion is Anya Swapp. The edgy Stylist, Creative Director and mastermind behind SwappStyle perfects mixing classic looks with grittier street nuances as she gains experience locally and abroad, all while studying Fashion Business Management at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. Most recently, worldwide protesting against violence towards Black Community members has led her to embark on her first Creative Direction project: ‘Next Of Kin’. Carib Voxx interviewed Anya to learn more about her work and story.
With the COVID-19 pandemic restricting much of the world to their homes, creatives especially have experienced an involuntary stop in many of the projects they had been working towards. Anya however, has kept the ball rolling. She described the freelance opportunities she has since taken advantage of including producing style guides for a luxury hoop earring brand and the prospective styling of the Miss Atlanta pageant. Anya showed no apparent desire to rush into another original project stating how “major” of a deal ‘Next of Kin’ was to her.
“It was my first project that I launched this way. I’ve done small projects before but this is the launch of my website. My portfolio as a stylist”.
‘Next Of Kin’ was named as a nod to the reach of the Black community across the world in the hopes that now more than ever they understand the importance of supporting each other. Describing her conceptualizing process, Anya named scrolling through her Instagram feed as integral in the project’s ideation.
“I knew I wanted to do a project and I knew I wanted to make it meaningful to something that’s currently happening. So when the Black Lives Matter movement started and the death of George Floyd happened, it really affected me because I was in New York at that time, and just hearing the news and hearing what was going on…the rage just hit me. So I knew I wanted to join that conversation and offer my views…and offer a motivational piece in support”.
Kelly Rowland’s music video for her song ‘Coffee’ served as a strong source of aesthetic inspiration to ‘Next Of Kin’.
“Just the power that came out of the women in the video. I got inspired by that”, Anya explained.
Music, Anya says, inspires her as well, naming artists such as Alicia Keys and Beyonce as sources. The latter artist’s newest single ‘Black Parade’ she says is “so on point” with her vision.
“I’m always inspired by music…I feel like sometimes when you don’t know what to say or how to say it, the artist really touches on it and it really hits you…I feel like music moves a group of people and it’s the easiest way to do so…to make the project more engaging and inspiring, I definitely wanted to have a playlist to really show what the movement is about”, Anya muses as she explains Next Of Kin’s accompanying playlist, available on Apple Music.
As Swapp Style continues to gain momentum as a brand within the fashion space, the woman behind it finds herself having to juggle academic responsibilities as well as that of her career. Anya talks about how she maintains the balance saying there is no method to the madness. She just tries to be “as organized as possible”.
“FIT promotes an environment that really wants you to do the theory in the classroom and then practice it outside”.
Anya talks about how being an international student doesn’t guarantee her the same opportunities in New York where she studies as her US native classmates. Despite this, gaining experience in New York is the first step to conquering the fashion industry back home.
“I do want to gain as much experience in New York as possible to be equipped to come to my island and really stir that fashion/business energy here”.
She recounts the importance of developing her skills in the industry at large before tackling the local scene and gratitude for having support while she does so.
“Eventually, I want to come back to my island and give what I can. So I think it’s important for me to, at the side, develop myself slowly. So being a student it’s easier because I get to do the process slowly and not have to rush it because I have the support of my parents”.
The future of the local industry Anya sees herself being a part of is all about sustainability. She discusses the importance of a wardrobe of fewer quality pieces rather than a larger one of items that have a shorter life.
“I feel like people want to retain things in their closet…anyone would save their money to [invest in] something that they would keep for years”.
While somewhat neglected in comparison to that abroad, the local fashion scene boasts some of the most diverse talent and interesting trends in the world. Anya notes this as she talks about how she deals with the differences between the fashion industry at home versus abroad. She also discusses the importance of having indigenous content relevant to current affairs, and the effect it has on the society. Pointing out her opinion that Jamaica’s contribution to fashion globally generally comes in the form of models, she expresses hope that her home country can elevate its local fashion experience.
“Even with ‘Next of Kin’ and how it goes into Black Pride in Jamaica, the country really has to celebrate itself for being so proud as a nation. I think that’s our biggest strength but we still need to work on areas. Like with what came up the other day. It was kind of disappointing to see that set back with how the education system is still trying to groom students and not understanding the importance of them getting an education and leaving school with the tools needed to change our problems and be active citizens in our communities. It really hasn’t changed anything when it comes to crime and other problems that we face. I feel like that comes in with my project [in promoting] Black Pride and Excellence and feeling comfortable in our skin”.
“We have the creatives and the talents here [and] I know production can be a problem but we can create a retail experience that people will more want to shop here than abroad…so eventually, I want to see that happen and I want to be a part of that”.
Moving to the topic of Industry Influences, Anya was quick to name Misa Hylton, Fashion Image Architect behind some of the American rapper Lil Kim’s most famous looks, as someone she continuously looks up to.
“She is a major influencer when it comes to being a stylist and creating monochromatic looks. She really inspires me [with] her creative process”.
Misa Hylton appears in Netflix’s ‘The Remix: Hip Hop X Fashion’, a documentary profiling Black visionaries in fashion who rewrote narratives on the runway and turned hip-hop style into a global phenomenon which also influences Anya’s work.
As she works on her career abroad, she simultaneously builds her brand on home turf. Anya’s local credits include styling the dancehall fusion duo Friday Night Cru, a partnership that began through styling singer Tesselated’s ‘I Just Learned Some Jazz’ music video.
“From that, when they saw my work [Friday Night Cru] said ‘Yo Anya, we definitely want you to help us with this visualizer that we’re going to launch for ‘Follow My Lead’. It was great working with them”.
These collaborations Anya hopes are the first of many, as she hopes to style more artists in the future.
“I would love to kind of make my way into the entertainment industry through fashion! I really do want to enter the Jamaican industry through what we’re known for: music”.
When asked about her dream clients in the Jamaican musical space, she names reggae revolutionist Protoje and praises him for his style and how “in tuned he is with the creative process”. She adds that within the dancehall space she would love to style Shenseea and Masicka.
The interview ended with Anya contemplating life after graduation. She hopes to lock down opportunities in New York before ultimately returning to her island home. Incidentally, while she loves being a stylist and all that the life entails, she has dreams of becoming a professional buyer, a career which sees her buying for major retail brands and planning seasons customers look forward to.
“Studying Fashion Business Management at FIT, that’s really where it makes ‘money sense’ but I still want to develop through my creative field in being a stylist…I would want to do performance looks, music video looks and paparazzi looks [for artists]. Just always have [them] looking ready for the public.”
