24-year-old designer making strides

Twenty-four-year-old Sha-Fari Hackett is the owner of Fari Made which is a company that specializes in making clothing for women and children.

The company, which is located in Eden Lodge, St Michael, also offers throw cushion covers, bags, curtains to adorn hallway arches as well as tie-dye services. Hackett said that her business started in 2015 when she decided to purchase a sewing machine.

“Fari Made started out initially as a hobby as I wanted to make my own clothes and show others. In 2015 I bought a sewing machine, and my journey began. After persons heard I had a sewing machine, family members would ask me to make shirts for them.

“I decided to learn a lot more about designing clothes from watching hours of YouTube. In 2016 I did a short internship with local designer Janice King where I learned the basics of pattern drafting. It was after that internship that I started making swimwear for others outside of my family as they liked the way I made mine. I took a brief hiatus in August 2017 to May 2020 but resumed later in the year due to the pandemic. Since then, I have been receiving an increase in orders to make items for my clients,” she said.

The former student of Christ Church Foundation School who holds an Associate Degree in Accounting and Economics from the Barbados Community College and is currently on a leave of absence from pursuing a degree in Accounts and Finance at The University of The West Indies said that she enjoys seeing a garment go from idea to reality.

“It is super exciting to watch a garment go from idea to block, to pattern, to sewing to the final garment. As a child and even now I enjoy playing dress-up,” she said. The owner of Fari Made which can be found on Instagram @fari_made said that entrepreneurship has taught her persistence.

“Becoming an entrepreneur has taught me persistence that although everything may not have gone how I have planned or wanted it to go, to still keep at it,” she said. The young entrepreneur who described herself as selfless, talented and loving, said that she would like to see the local fashion design industry be supported more by locals.

“I would love to see further support from locals. It is so easy to walk into a store and pick out a piece of clothing and never think of the hard work that went into making that particular garment. The fast fashion industry has taken over tremendously.

Therefore, I encourage persons to support local fashion makers who put their blood, sweat and tears into creating stunning pieces of work for the public to enjoy,” she said. Hackett who is an avid football fan and supporter of Liverpool, said her advice for businessmen and women was to never give up and keep working towards their goals.

“I know it may sound cliché but never give up. It may be hard but keep working towards that goal. Keep investing time into improving yourself and it would all work out,” she said.

(Write Right PR Services)