Talent takes you so far and no more, so without hard work your talent has no value. Carcell Fransiva recognized his own gift and decided to put it to good use. Born Carcell Campbell in Montego Bay, Jamaica but grew outside Spanish Town, he lived on a farm with his large family. Surrounded by violence and crime, his parents created a barrier for him and his siblings giving them a chance to strive amidst the chaos. So, Carcell used this opportunity and created his own brand through fashion and design.

Growing up with older siblings who kept up with the latest fashion trends, Carcell was exposed to fashion at an early age. Likewise, watching his siblings’ style patterns, he developed a love for fashion which fed his desire to create. Carcell Fransivo always considered himself a creative individual and he expressed through his clothes. Always coordinating outfits from a young age and discovering new trends.

Carcell didn’t start making his own designs until he was around 14 and made an outfit from a red handkerchief and a white button-down. All his friends loved his outfit. Though he didn’t tell most of them he was the one who made the outfit, the ones who knew wanted their own Carcell designed outfits. He started making designs for his friends and using a tailor to make them. His designs were doing well. So much that he even did work for local designers before he went off to college.

Carcell Fransiva Making His Own Mark

Carcell didn’t put the seal on designing until 2014 when he migrated to New York. Seeing the use of social media for self-marketing, he took the next step with his craft. He started with making bathing suits for party-goers for Dream Weekend, a popular event in Jamaica. The swimsuits were a hit, so he moved on to making his own logo and t-shirt line. Carcell remembers comparing the success of those t-shirts to his setback in 2007 when he made t-shirts that barely sold.  

Looking back, remembering major fashion show events like Caribbean Fashion Week and Faces of The Summer that provided huge opportunities for local designers, he sees the impact of social media. Seeing as upcoming designers can use the internet to market themselves from the comfort of their homes or get the materials they need to work. He knows how hard it is to find the resources needed to carry out designs. Especially since he tries to avoid using synthetics, basing his brand off 100% cotton materials. He’s big environmental responsibility and states this along with environmental projects as his way of contributing to taking care of the planet.

When he isn’t designing or being earth’s good Samaritan, he’s on US Airforce duty, farming, marketing artistes or spending time with his daughter. Carcell labels his daughter as his inspiration and states that everything that he does is for her. So, he’s always making steps to grow and build his brand.

Big Things Ahead

Carcell Fransiva is all about gratitude. He speaks about his appreciation for big names who he has worked with, but stresses his designs are for everyone. His aim is to build a brand tabled for people from all backgrounds. Describing his style as simple but elegant. He tries to appeal to people from all imaginable backgrounds, giving them his own spin on casual wear.

Carcell thinks Jamaica is the perfect place for himself and upcoming designers, as Jamaicans are always supportive of country-born brands. He loves creating. He loves finding opportunities for growth and improvement. Vowing that 2020 should be a good year for him looking to do fashion shows and introducing new designs, he’s excited and recommends we look out for him.

We Learn From Our Challenges

-Carcell Fransiva