meet the artist: Andre Constantine
Not sure when it started, but I've been an artist my entire life. moving fluidly from whispering lines of poetry to the quiet focus of drawing, from the tactile rhythm of screen printing to the precise patience of sewing; each medium taught me a different way to listen, to translate feeling into form, and to refine the raw into something intentional.
fashion design and sewing came natural to me, i instinctively saw shapes, drapes, & rhythm. my hands translated those visions into garments before my mind knew the right names; it felt like knowing how to play music but unable to read sheet. i could sense when a seam needed to curve and how texture would change the mood of a piece, even though terms like bias, placket or basting were foreign. that gap between instinct and vocabulary was the very thing that made my learning deliberate
To bridge that gap, I returned to school in 2020, enrolling at Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles to further refine my craft. there; I expanded and deepened my technical skills in patternmaking and sustainable fabrication while studying the systemic issues in the fashion industry. wasteful supply chains, labor inequities, and the profound environmental cost of fast fashion fundamentally reshaped my approach to design and propelled me toward creating responsible, long-lasting streetwear solutions.
My childhood in Trinidad and the majority of my adult life in Brooklyn, NY, combine to shape a design perspective that's intentionally elusive, so the work resists easy classification. Brooklyn shaped an appreciation for functional pockets, palettes that favor muted neutrals and layered depth over loud statements. The city’s grit and pragmatism demand clothing thats wearable, adaptable and without sacrificing refinement.
My time in Trinidad gave me a fundamental appreciation for the beauty in imperfection. I learned to value the subtle textures of weathered wood, the unpredictable melodies of street calypso, and the way people greeted flaws with warmth; those moments taught me that authenticity often lives in irregularity, that true elegance can be found in objects and lives that bear the marks of use and care
Bringing these influences together means designing for tension and balance. A shirt might pair hand-stitched panels and raw-hem finishes with a structured shoulder and hidden utility pocket. A jacket can read like workwear at first glance but reveal refined tailoring and thoughtfully placed seams. They invite curiosity without demanding labels, pieces you can reach for when you want comfort, confidence, and a look that resists easy classification.