We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Giana ‘Regal’ Christopher. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Giana ‘Regal’ below.
Giana ‘Regal’, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.
My journey as a madras fashioner wasn’t planned; it bloomed organically. Designing was a childhood escape that grew into adulthood with me learning to sew my sketch designs. Then, madras caught my eye – its vibrant colors, bold patterns, and unspoken stories resonated as our Caribbeans identifying fabric during a time in my business when African print fashions were very popular with a culturally identifying history of its own. Having little exposure to madras history growing up I found an opportunity to bridge the gap between our cultural history and upcoming youth through fashion.
Madras, once worn for specific occasions, also became a tool for artistic expression beyond fashion with the collaborative work of local photographers in capturing madras through fashion photography telling their own individual story through their lens in combination with my designs.
My madras designs weren’t just clothes; they became conversation starters, bridging gaps between generations and cultures. Seeing a stranger’s eyes light up at the recognition of a familiar pattern, hearing stories woven into the fabric, that’s where I found my purpose. My needle connects Caribbean islands, celebrates shared heritage, and whispers tales of resilience, one beautiful stitch at a time.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I am a mother of five, self taught fashion/jewelry designer from St. Croix, US Virgin Islands. The CEO and founder of designs by Regal, a brand created to encourage an appreciation for Caribbean culture and how we can further express pride for our heritage through the use of madras fabric.
Giana Abreu-Christopher professionally known as Regal, over the past 12 years I’ve grown my small business as a designer into a brand incorporating and highlighting madras as a cultural statement piece in fashion, elevating the recognition of a traditionally cultural fabric with my madras couture fashion, signature jewelry and collaborative fashion photography.
The most exciting part of this journey has been blending traditional patterns with modern silhouettes, creating unexpected pairings, and pushing the boundaries of what madras can be.
This year the brand continues to expand offering Adult Education Clothing Construction courses at the St.Croix Vocational School, upcoming Children’s Sewing Course with Project Promise, upcoming Wrap Classes and Private Fashion Events in St.Croix and St.Thomas.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Throughout my journey as a designer the three qualities that were developed and impactful on my journey were adaptability, self motivation and a growth mindset.
Without institutional backing, I had to learn to be resourceful and adaptable, using sewing instructional books and online lessons to teach myself . I developed a persistent belief in my own potential through trail and error. Consistently having to self motivate to push through setbacks while maintaining focus during moments of self-doubt. I learned to adopt a growth mindset, embracing challenges as opportunities to learn and improve and continually stepping outside my comfort zone.
My advice for anyone embarking on a journey of learning something new would be to be patient. In all of my qualities none of them would have been learnt without patience .
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
I am currently seeking to collaborate with photographers beyond the Virgin Islands in an effort to expand the madras fashion photography portfolio and tell new stories through their photographic lens. I am open to fashion photography or culturally creative projects. I also have plans on connecting with businesses that want to incorporate madras into their branding through uniforms, product merchandise or marketing in an effort to continue the conversation of cultural identification through madras.
I have created a madras branding collaboration section under Services on www.designbyregal.com for businesses to contact or they can email designsbyregal@gmail.com .
Contact Info:
- Website: www.designsbyregal.com
- Instagram: designs.by.regal
- Facebook: designs by Regal
- Youtube: @designsbyregal
Image Credits
Image Photography Credits : Aesthete Noire
