Claudia Pegus Reimagines Couture
work and her worth were much more difficult assignments — particularly in a foreign space where Caribbean fashion is often reduced to a perception of grass skirts and Hawaiian shirts. “If you come to me and you say that ‘I want something exquisite’, then you need to be comfortable that I can understand what your definition of ‘exquisite’ is, and I need to give you the confidence to believe in me. Those are lessons that I learned during my time there, and I think the reason why Europe means so much to me is because I had to prove my work in that European space.”
In turn, it therefore became an arduous yet necessary step to edify the region’s purchasing public on investing in the quality and value of her designs when she returned to Trinidad and Tobago to open her atelier, which was once quietly nestled in the Woodbrook community but since relocated after the passing of her mother. “It’s not that you can’t afford the clothing — that thinking has to change. I always challenge people to reconsider the way in which they think about investing in themselves.”
It is this insatiable desire for growth, refinery, longevity and renewal that has anchored the inimitable Claudia Pegus brand for over 40 years — with lifelong mantras that she willingly shares with the next generation of designers and fashion professionals who often seek her advice and mentorship. At O2N Style Panel Discussion at the Hyatt Regency Trinidad in 2020, Pegus emphasised that success is transient and “you always have to be better than your last best.”
Today, that definition of best is an evolving model of self-discovery during the current pandemic. Her penultimate collection offering in 2020, “Abertina”, was one of those seminal moments in Caribbean fashion, indeed remembered for the pause it afforded — but too for the resurrection and reset afforded by Pegus when she sent her models down the aisle daring the pandemic to quintessential Caribbean sass. Her follow-up collection, which debuted in mid-february 2021, is a true test of her versatility as a couture designer and renewing the love for her craft. Dictated by the mood and feel of her clientele, the new capsule offering is a style exhalation and a breath of fresh air during a period that has thrusted isolation as a new normal. Lavishness reigns supreme as a signature CP stamp in her cutting-edge designs, generously serving silk chiffons, silk organza, and quality sequinnedbacked materials in delicate, feminine silhouettes. “People want an outlet, even momentarily, especially during this time — and we saw a rise of it during the Christmas 2020 season. A glass of wine, fabulous dinner, light interactions and beautiful moments. I want this new offering to represent a preview of what is to come when we can all reunite and celebrate,” she imaginatively expressed.
Looking past the pandemic period, Claudia Pegus’s message to the Caribbean fashion community is one of hope. With a clear fashion ethos, she stands consistent in her style sermon: Quality trumps all.
“So often we see beautiful work, but poor quality on closer examination. Fit and finish is so important to your standard of expectations, and I think for us as a Caribbean fashion community to make a mark on the international scene, we definitely need to understand the importance of quality,” she underscored, while encouraging others to push for excellence. “When the lights and the music of the runway are turned off and the ambiance changes to intimacy during your quiet moments with clients, always remember that you are competing to sell Caribbean fashion as a quality experience with a global standard.”
Tenille Clarke is an avid storyteller, seasoned publicist and cultural enthusiast who often pens about her ongoing love affair with travel, entertainment and culture through a Caribbean lens. Follow her digital journey @tenilleclarke1 on Instagram and Twitter.