Humble Origins
Photo: Maco People Trinidad Magazine, December 2016
A native of Trinidad and Tobago, Jessel Brizan discovered his affinity for fashion during his adolescent years browsing through the glossy pages of his friend's father's GQ magazines. His passion would later be realised in New York.
During his residence in 1997 Brooklyn, a period of despair led Jessel to embark on a soul searching journey which led him to discover and explore his innate talent.
The following year, due to financial constraints Jessel would forgo acceptance to the Menswear Design program at the renowned State University of New York (SUNY), Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT).
A dream deferred, Jessel opted for a football scholarship at American International College (AIC) in Springfield, Massachusetts. Still seeking that creative outlet his first entrée into the world of fashion design came in Spring 2000 when he designed a few women’s ensembles for the school’s annual fashion show.
While attending AIC Jessel gained experience in retail fashion as a sales associate of Gap Inc. having worked at both The Gap and Old Navy. After completing his bachelor’s degree in communication he returned to New York where he renewed his calling.
Spurred on by a 2003 Summer course at FIT in Design Room Techniques, Jessel enrolled in the Menswear Design program that Fall. While there he found work as a design assistant intern at Solo Licensing Corporation, a licensee for Betsey Johnson hosiery and Spalding menswear.
Jessel would later serve as a design assistant in the 2004 Summer internship program at Federated Merchandising Group (now Macy’s Merchandising Group), a subsidiary of Federated Department Stores (now Macy's Inc.) where he gained key exposures in design and production, and retail fashion management and merchandising.
In August 2004, Jessel returned to his homeland to find a still emerging local fashion sector which led him to seek alternative employment in advertising and telecommunications. Unfulfilled with the trappings of the corporate world he decided to venture out on his own... Jessel Brizan Design Group was conceived.
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June 2026
- 27 Jun 2026 Jessel Brizan Featured in Trinidad Guardian: A Mission to Transform Caribbean Fashion
- 24 Jun 2026 Jessel Brizan Donates Book to UTT Libraries
- 22 Jun 2026 Why Caribbean Fashion Brands Struggle to Scale Internationally
- 15 Jun 2026 Caribbean Fashion Has a Branding Problem, Not a Creativity Problem
- 10 Jun 2026 The Evolution of Jessel Brizan Design Group
- 8 Jun 2026 Fashion Is One of the Caribbean’s Most Undervalued Economic Assets
- 1 Jun 2026 Brizan Contributes to De Gruyter Handbook of Fashion Marketing
- 1 Jun 2026 The Global Fashion Industry Has Been Borrowing From the Caribbean for Decades
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May 2026
- 26 May 2026 JBDG set to launch ‘The Business of Caribbean Fashion™’ Series
- 18 May 2026 Wholesale vs Direct-to-Consumer: Which Is Right for You?
- 11 May 2026 The Follow-Up Strategy That Turns Meetings Into Orders
- 6 May 2026 Acknowledging ‘Selling Fashion Collections’
- 4 May 2026 The 7 Costly Mistakes Designers Make Before Meeting Buyers
- 1 May 2026 Brizan Awards the SFC Book Giveaway Prize to Naballah Chi
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April 2026
- 29 Apr 2026 Jessel Brizan Publishes Third Book
- 27 Apr 2026 Why I Wrote Selling Fashion Collections
- 20 Apr 2026 Total Image Projection: How to Win a Buyer Meeting
- 13 Apr 2026 The Perfect Buyer Meeting Kit
- 9 Apr 2026 How to Research Buyers Before You Pitch
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March 2026
- 30 Mar 2026 What Buyers Really Look for in a Collection
- 24 Mar 2026 How to Create a Line Plan That Appeals to Buyers
- 23 Mar 2026 Mastering Your Pricing Strategy in Fashion
- 16 Mar 2026 Understanding Design Markets: Where Does Your Brand Truly Sit?
- 3 Mar 2026 Creativity Is Not Enough: Why Fashion Designers Struggle to Sell
- February 2026
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October 2025
- 17 Oct 2025 14 Core Principles of Brand Ethos
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September 2025
- 4 Sept 2025 An Affirmation from Louis Vuitton Beauty, Pt. 2
- July 2025
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May 2025
- 7 May 2025 The Blueprint of Fashion Design
- 3 May 2025 The Five Segments of the Global Fashion Industry
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March 2025
- 20 Mar 2025 An Affirmation from Louis Vuitton Beauty
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September 2023
- 12 Sept 2023 I Heart TT™
- 3 Sept 2023 Why Companies Value Teamwork
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August 2023
- 18 Aug 2023 The Power of Purpose, Prayer and Perseverance
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June 2023
- 11 Jun 2023 The Divine Hierarchy of Life ©
- May 2023
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January 2023
- 4 Jan 2023 Made To Wear™
- September 2022
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February 2022
- 3 Feb 2022 Ethos
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May 2021
- 23 May 2021 The Art of the T
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April 2021
- 28 Apr 2021 I Heart TT™ introduces new merch
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March 2021
- 19 Mar 2021 AUX reveals redesigned logo to mark anniversary
- 11 Mar 2021 AUX introduces digital catalogue
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December 2020
- 31 Dec 2020 2020: The year that was
- October 2020
- August 2020
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July 2020
- 1 Jul 2020 Brizan Publishing issues first publication
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June 2020
- 21 Jun 2020 Brizan Publishing readies for launch
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March 2020
- 10 Mar 2020 I Heart TT gives to Cyril Ross
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September 2019
- 19 Sept 2019 Biography: Jessel Brizan
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June 2019
- 30 Jun 2019 Selling Your Collection
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May 2019
- 26 May 2019 Technical Package Development
- 19 May 2019 Developing Caribbean fashion
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March 2019
- 10 Mar 2019 Introducing AUX
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February 2019
- 24 Feb 2019 Philanthropy Through Fashion
- 1 Feb 2019 Celebrate with us!
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September 2018
- 30 Sept 2018 Island Safari Trend Inspiration
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September 2016
- 5 Sept 2016 Nautropical Trend Inspiration
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January 2016
- 1 Jan 2016 Humble Origins