ROBERT YOUNG, MAN OF THE CLOTH
Thirty-five years of style ascendency is a herculean effort of excellence for any fashion designer. It requires consistency, collaboration and congruence to tell and sell a story of Caribbean beauty beyond borders — to reach the eyes, minds and hearts of a global audience ready to consume the next eclectic brand on the fashion radar. Yet, for Robert Anthony George Young, fashion is more than in his blood: it’s in the bone marrow of every collection that he instructs, designs, envisions and produces as the Founder and Creative Director of The Cloth. A staple brand that boasts multiple generations of devout customers, The Cloth weaves complex tales of Caribbean history with an unapologetic advocacy for the environment, by using natural fibres, appliqué embellishments and minimalist designs that are safe, sustainable and timeless wardrobe options. To describe The Cloth as the total antithesis to the fleeting nature of “fast-fashion” that has swept through the global sector particularly in the last five years is, in sum, an understatement. This Trinbagonian designer has been a constant presence and a voice of reason that has long guided conversations on how our layered historical dynamism has coloured our worldview not just as consumers, but as reverent thought leaders from a region often overlooked and understated for our influence in the international fashion scene.
In this Style Observer (SO) exclusive, Tenille Clarke speaks with Robert Young about working on a “CLEAN SLATE” by ushering in a new era for the long-standing brand, the harsh industry realities brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and persevering through adversity, the community it serves and how The Cloth plans to measure its purpose and longevity with its current and future trajectory.
Tenille Clarke (TC): You’ve been such a constant presence and a voice of reason for the voiceless on the Caribbean fashion scene for over 30 years. What three words would you use to describe that journey, and why those choices?
Robert Young (RY): Persistence, stubborn, and committed. Persistence because I just lead in that direction to show that this work is possible. We can do trade with each other; we should be able to make beautiful things for people — even in a period like now where you question why people would want beautiful things in a time like this. A long time ago, people used to have seven pieces of clothing to last them a lifetime.
So it’s about creating meaningful things. “Stubborn”, well, a lot of people would have given up due to the difficulties. I see this as more than a career — I see it as a commitment to seeing that this kind of enterprise and operation being a lifelong connection to clients and customers who become friends. There is a resistance and opposing to the anticolonial and un-colonising by wearing these kinds of cotton clothes in certain classes and spaces that were not designed to accommodate this type of expression. And I choose “committed” because there is comfort here.
What is the current point of view of The Cloth as an anchored brand?
Our main purpose now is to create clothing that is grown and made in the Caribbean. That is our singular function for the next 20 years.
And if we’re talking chronology, within the last five years I think you’ve been able to really reach newer heights of your style expression. What was the motivation behind The Cloth’s brand overhaul in 2017? Has it been worth it?
I built a relationship with a family who felt what I was doing was important work.
So, with that the revamp began: We developed a new company, re-hired the permanent staff — built a whole team which includes pattern makers, handling the website and other things. Creating a method-oriented, systemthinking approach to doing something that was so impulsive for me was hard but necessary for this to