PROFILE
BERNY MARTIN
Hailing for the success of his first Midwest Show in South
Africa, and showing his every so elegant Catou Wear; Berny Martin is a ball of fresh air. A Fashion designer, entrepreneur, and philanthropist who is ever so smiling and full of
laughter and stories of his upbringing that one sees in movies made in New York. His energy
radiates, positivity and contentedness, even through the phone as we both apologise for continuously postponing the
interview countless times. A son of Black Haitian immigrants, Berny speaks of
the culture that was so effortless imbedded him and all the cultural differences
he was exposed to at a very young age that waded him into the fashion guru that
we see today.
Berny Martin
As we begin to take the interview, he tells me about another
show that he is underway to outside South Africa, and with it being the season,
it comes as no surprise that he has to fly off to another city that reigns
supreme of fashion. He speaks of the Haitian Polo movement that changed his
life and pretty much inspired who he is to this very day. How they made Ralph
Lauren’s polo shirts a thing; encouraging me to watch a documentary a friend of
his did about this movement; called Haitian Polo. (Haitian Polo Movement)
Why Fashion, I asked?
Fashion was a natural fit for me. I grew up in New York, we
were a melting pot of culture, by parents who were immigrants. We didn’t have a
culture, so in turn, we created our own culture. Clothes were the only way we
could express ourselves. In 1999, Flat Bush Church Avenue was the mecca of
music and art. Writers, painters, street artists, you name it everyone was
there and we created a movement and culture of our own.
Talking about his childhood, one hears the passion in which
he speaks in…’’Every Sunday, we would all religiously make our way down to this
one park and everyone who had a drum would bring one. They would start drumming
and until everyone eventually started sounding the same’’.
The manner in which he visits memory lane, gives one a will
to wish that they were a part of particular energy of creativity.
Was fashion your first choice?
No; I was actually studying for a tech/engineering degree, when my friend
convinced me to do a fashion show, while in Indianapolis, Indiana. I must say
though that that fashion show was the worst fashion show of my life, bad
lighting, music and everything that could go wrong went to wrong… (chuckles).
However, we kept showing up…I even remember the lady who helped me, Debbie, I
will never forget her.
What did your parents say about your choice of career?
Well, my dad was not convinced and you know parents have
their own idea of success. Being a doctor or a lawyer is much more appealing
and stable than fashion, but I told my dad; ‘’if you wanted me to be a doctor,
you should have put me in a community full of doctors, not artists and
entertainers.’’
Speaking of college and school, I see you went to Fashion School, even after you got your engineering degree, would you suggest that aspiring designers go to school too?
Listen no one can teach you how to be creative, no can
teach you creativity, but there are other things that school can help you with;
if you can sketch, you can sketch and no one can take that from you, but school
can teach you the business side of things, pricing, where and which direction
to look at in order to register yourself as a brand and a business and also it
is a place where many designers have their first fashion show. Some of the
things that I studied at the Fashion Institute of Technology, I learned during
my tech degree at Purdue University. So, I wouldn’t force school on any
creative but I would highly recommend it.
You brought the Midwest to South Africa; is there another African country you would love to take the fashion show to?
Well, before I came to South Africa, Muna Beauty Makeup
Artistry and myself (Berny Martin Foundation) started a project called; The
Julie Marie Award Scholarship Program in Somaliland, which started in the year
2020. The project ‘’ enables the promotion of sustainable community-based
reintegration and access to employment among migrant and vulnerable women in
Somaliland.’’
The aim of the scholarship program is to help increase the
visibility of established independent fashion beauty artists and
entrepreneurs. We are looking to promote racial equity within Somaliland and
internationally.
Are you mentoring anyone right now?
I have been mentoring people, I just choose to not talk
about it because I believe in helping people in silence; hence it took me such
a long while to open my foundation.
Is there a pinnacle that you have reached?
No, I don’t think there is. I want to keep going up, work
with people and in spaces I have never worked in before.
Is there a country you would like to take the Midwest Fashion week to?
What a good question, well; (chuckles) ‘’no I am open to any
country, I don’t want to limit myself and the possibilities that might come
with it.
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