Tropical Blooms

Fashion Designer/Wardrobe Stylist/Creative Director/Producer: Jia Eastman

1)  What significant life experiences or events have influenced and shaped your artistic vision?

I'd say my upbringing in general has shaped the way I create and approach my work. My inspirations are rooted in my Afro-Guyanese culture and all things fantasy and mythology. Growing up I was an avid reader and I think that centered me as I was experiencing so much change with moving between countries frequently as a child. Being a bookworm took me to different worlds when mine wasn't the most comfortable or interesting. That love for fantasy books also extended into fantasy shows, cartoons, and anime. The bright and colourful worlds of shows and movies like Winx Club, W.I.T.C.H, and Monster High were my escape. That being said, I was also surrounded by a vibrant culture and environment at a young age that I came to miss in my time in the UK.

I gained a much greater appreciation for my homeland after visiting again for the first time in seven years in 2023. COVID restrictions and personal reluctance had delayed a return trip until I was in my final year of university and at that point I was fairly lost in my creative vision. That trip sort of shook me awake and made me realise the sheer amount of cultural wealth I was born into. Not that I didn't appreciate my Guyanese heritage before, but being able to study it and take in my home with adult eyes allowed me to gain perspective that I could apply to my creative work.

So apply it I did, I returned to my Textile Design course with fresh eyes and it's been a wrap ever since. I strive to incorporate both aspects of my loves in everything I create, the whimsical and magical, and the bright, loud, warmth of my Caribbean heritage. My Guyanese upbringing also informs my spirituality and studying the precolonial aspects of my culture really inspired my graduate collection “Tropical Pilgrimage” which a few pieces for this editorial came from.

2)  Collaboration often sparks fresh creativity. Can you share an example of a collaboration that led to an unexpected and exciting artistic outcome?

To be honest I've had a lot of help on my creative journey via friends and peers. I couldn't have gotten to where I am today without the help of other people. Friends have poured into me in numerous ways, particularly on my Textile Design undergraduate. I had a close group of friends that all had a shared love for not only our course but academic study. We were textile nerds and we loved it! I could always trust that if I had a technical problem or a creative roadblock we could figure it out together. The smallest suggestions or advice could sometimes make massive impacts to the way I approached my work.

Outside of my course I also made other creative friends in my time at university, which has opened so many doors for me. Specifically last year when I was invited by Endre Crusninschi to use one of my textile pieces in his graduate shoot. On the shoot I ended up stepping up to help in styling the models and made great friends with Aaliyah Celeste, the lead stylist and someone I have so much respect for. With her guidance and support I assisted her throughout the shoot and she encouraged me to explore styling as a creative pursuit. That encouragement led me to produce and style “Tropical Blooms”, which I never would have thought to do without her encouragement and insight.

Through that series of instances where we relied on one another in smaller ways it led to great outcomes for all of us. I really believe in the power of collaboration and how working with others can produce incredible outcomes.

3)  Walk us through a specific project that challenged your creative boundaries. How did you approach it, and what did you learn from the experience?

Well for “Tropical Blooms” I created another piece especially for the shoot. I had to relearn how to use my house as my studio space. I'd gotten so used to having a dedicated space to create at university that working from in my bedroom again was surprisingly a challenge.

I'd done so before because of lockdown restrictions when I was on my foundation course in college. COVID had forced my course to hybridise and we ended up doing a lot of work whilst isolating. There was a point where I was dyeing metres of fabric in different buckets in my kitchen. But coming back from university, I'd gotten used to a level of access to resources that I just didn't have at home.

I had to figure out how to block my knit without access to an easy steamer setup and I had to go very lofi with a spare duvet, a blanket, and good old patience. The process taught me that I really value the time it takes to create something and to embrace the slow fashion mentality. Slowing down lets us appreciate the effort and process of creation, and I think that in turn helps us appreciate the end product even more.

4)  In the ever-evolving art world, what do you believe sets your work apart and makes it unique or groundbreaking?

The authenticity of my work. I bring myself to everything I create and I embrace all aspects of my childlike curiosity and interests that fuel my creativity. I find that embracing the things that keep art fun and interesting for me usually helps me to stick out from the crowd.

My love of colour and texture, the fantastical and whimsical, my queerness, my cultural heritage, are all things that inform who I am as an individual. When they come together within my work I find that they often create a unique experience every time. There's always a silhouette I haven't explored, a topic I haven't researched, or some aspect of nature that's fascinating me at the moment that could inform the next piece I decide to make.

Staying rooted in the energy of play and exploration really allows me to stand out in my authenticity. If I wasn't having fun I don't think my art would be as evocative as it is. I'm always going to strive for the ability to have fun whilst make art, because it wouldn't be authentic to me otherwise.

5)  As you reflect on your journey, are there any specific goals or milestones you've set for your artistic career in the coming years?

I have a good few actually, for starters being able to travel for or with my work. I would love the chance to explore the world some more and be able to see how my work would change and evolve with more experiences under my belt. Being able to work alongside similarly minded creatives from other cultures would be so cool to me. Especially seeing what could be created with possible collaborations on different creative projects.

I would also love to be able to make this work my full-time pursuit. At the moment it's something I'm having to invest all of my spare time and energy into. But if this was my full-time, pursuing creative work on the daily would be so fulfilling to me. This is all I've ever wanted to do, make art and create amazing work that means something to me. I would love to do it everyday for the rest of my life!

• STORY/Description

  “Tropical Blooms” is an editorial shoot that takes the viewer to a place where the lines between reality and fantasy blur. Inspired by my graduate textile collection “Chromatic Pilgrimage”, I styled pieces from the collection to elevate the ideas that inspired it.

  My Guyanese culture and the flora and fauna of my homeland, my queerness and spirituality, and translating emotions through colour and texture to create a sense of intimacy and closeness.

  In picking the models for the shoot, I tried to reflect the diversity of my Caribbean heritage and chose my trans sisters to narrate this story of connection.

• Team Credits

  Model: Alia Ramna

  Makeup Artist: Mariella Tardio

  Fashion Designer/Wardrobe Stylist/Creative Director/Producer: Jia Eastman

  Photographer: Hayden Wetherell

  Model: Rosy Bopp

  Model: Philip Ou

  Assistant: Gabriela De Oliveria

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