Why I Wrote Selling Fashion Collections

by Jessel Brizan | VALSAYN, Trinidad and Tobago | 27 April 2026

 

Blue Basin storefront

This article is part of an ongoing fashion business series, 'Selling Fashion Collections'.

As I alluded to in my article The Deep-rooted Issues With Local Fashion, published on LinkedIn in 2022 amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Trinidad and Tobago remains absent from a well-established fashion industry. This, purely on the fact that it lacks all of the components that would identify it as such—a sustainable, globally-competitive, supportive fashion ecosystem with clearly defined selling seasons, market segments and design markets, highly-qualified personnel, and infrastructure rooted in the spirit of open transparency, creativity, collaboration, community, diversity, inclusion, sustainability, innovation, research, and global connectivity.

As part of my mission to contribute to the sustainable development of the local fashion ‘industry’, I set out to address three of its major challenges:

  1. The industry is fragmented and lacks proper infrastructure and leadership.

  2. A key barrier to trade is a lack of access to quality B2B and B2C local, regional and international markets.

  3. Stakeholders lack proper business acumen, training and development.

In 2012, I registered Blue Basin Department Stores Ltd. (Blue Basin) with a mission to provide an omni-channel retail fashion platform that connects Caribbean designers and artisans with their customers globally. Additionally, my goals were to provide an economic support tool to:

  • Mobilise the fashion community

  • Promote entrepreneurship

  • Boost and foster the growth and development of small businesses

  • Assess the feasibility and sustainability of the concept

With an investment of personal savings and a line of credit, I leased a small retail space strategically located at the Cruise Ship Complex in Port of Spain, Trinidad, and outfitted it to accommodate fashion apparel and accessories, as well as other lifestyle products. In the spirit of creativity, collaboration and connectivity, I mobilised several local designers and artisans through leveraging the community of fashion stakeholders.

Miscellaneous VM at Blue Basin

I launched Blue Basin in August 2014 with an initial cadre of ten local designers and artisans, setting a precedent as the first local retail concept devoted to Caribbean fashion and design. That December, I resigned from full-time teaching at the Caribbean Academy of Fashion and Design (CAFD) to pursue this venture full-time.

What I learned changed everything.

Within the first year of operation, one thing became distinctly clear: there exists a prevailing gap between creativity and commercial viability. The biggest issue was not talent. It was market readiness. Designers struggled with:

  • Professionalism

  • Consistency

  • Pricing

  • Delivery timelines

  • Production capacity

  • Quality and craftsmanship

And this is the short list.

Blue Basin was merely a microcosm of the larger issues pervading local fashion. I further explored the challenges (and opportunities) of local and Caribbean fashion in the chapter ‘Caribbean Fashion Marketing: Defining Caribbean fashion’ in the forthcoming De Gruyter Handbook of Fashion Marketing, edited by Olga Mitterfellner, © 2026 (De Gruyter Brill).

It would be remiss of me not to acknowledge my oversight of the local fashion ‘industry’. In Trinidad and Tobago, there is an unfortunate tendency to place the proverbial “cart before the horse”. And with Blue Basin, I was guilty of doing the same.

After a roughly 18-month hiatus, I decided to resume my role as an educator part-time at CAFD. My first mode of business was to advance the curriculum I previously developed for the course ‘Fashion Presentations’. I introduced a new segment, ‘Selling Your Collection’, designed to address the issues I encountered with Blue Basin.

In April 2017, I was approached by the Trinidad and Tobago Fashion Company Limited (FashionTT) to propose and facilitate capacity-building workshops for their ‘Business of Fashion’ workshop series. I subsequently developed and conducted the workshops ‘Fit for Retail’ and ‘Preparing for the Buyers Meeting’, which were presented to local fashion stakeholders in July.

In my ongoing mission to help establish a sustainable, globally competitive fashion ecosystem, I hosted the learning and development workshop ‘Selling Your Collection’ at Blue Basin in June 2019. Subsequently, I began laying the foundations for the book ‘Selling Your Collection: Preparing for the Buyer Meeting’.

That experience shaped my work today. Fashion does not fail on the runway. It fails in the backend.

Selling Fashion Collections: Navigating the Buying Process as a Fashion Entrepreneur was born from that insight. This book is my way of bridging the gap between creativity and commerce, guiding designers through one of the most crucial yet often overlooked aspects of their careers: selling.

Designers pour their heart and soul into every garment, but many struggle to translate that passion into a commercially viable business. I wrote this book to simplify the sales process. Selling is not separate from design; it is an extension of your creative vision. Mastering the art of the buyer meeting, understanding your market, and presenting your collection strategically are essential skills that can elevate your brand and ensure your creative efforts reach their full potential.

The book is structured around three pivotal phases: Before the Buyer Meeting, The Buyer Meeting, and After the Buyer Meeting. Each phase addresses a critical component of selling:

  • Before the Buyer Meeting: I guide designers through understanding market dynamics, evaluating their brand, and preparing a collection that aligns with both creative vision and commercial expectations.

  • The Buyer Meeting: I break down what buyers look for, how to research them, and how to present your collection with confidence, professionalism, and impact.

  • After the Buyer Meeting: I emphasise the importance of follow-up, relationship building, and alternative sales channels to capture long-term value and sustain your brand’s growth.

Writing this book was also a deeply personal endeavour. I wanted to create a resource that empowers fashion entrepreneurs to confidently navigate the complexities of selling, without losing sight of their creative identity. It is a practical guide rooted in real-world strategies, expert insights, and actionable advice. This book is designed to help designers confidently approach buyers, secure orders, and build lasting industry relationships.

Fashion involves more than creating beautiful garments. It is about expressing your vision, reaching the right audience, and developing a sustainable business. Selling Fashion Collections is my contribution to helping designers achieve that balance and ultimately commercial success.

Selling Fashion Collections: Navigating the Buying Process as a Fashion Entrepreneur, published by Routledge and Taylor & Francis Group, is available for pre-order now at a 20% discount. The book will ship after the publication date, April 29, 2026.

A native of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Jessel Brizan is a fashion entrepreneur, educator and author with over two decades of experience in the creative industries, tertiary education, and the global fashion industry. He began his career in New York, working with Macy’s Merchandising Group and Solo Licensing Corporation on brands such as Alfani, Betsey Johnson, and Spalding. A graduate of American International College in Massachusetts, he distinguished himself academically, graduating summa cum laude as class valedictorian. He later pursued formal training in menswear design at the Fashion Institute of Technology, New York, where he deepened his expertise in design, production and merchandising. Jessel pioneered several firsts in the Caribbean fashion landscape. As founder of Jessel Brizan Design Group Ltd., he established the first local fashion e‑commerce platform, enabling global sales and fulfilment. In 2012, he launched Blue Basin Department Stores Ltd., the first local retail concept connecting Caribbean designers and artisans with international markets. He also played a key role in forming The Fashion Exchange Co‑operative Society Limited, the region’s first fashion co‑operative. An educator at heart, he served a decade at the University of Trinidad and Tobago’s Caribbean Academy of Fashion and Design, where he developed and taught courses in digital fashion design, technical illustration, creative fashion presentations and portfolio development. His work introduced the region’s first curricula in digital fashion design and technical package creation. Jessel’s expertise has been sought by FashionTT, the Caribbean Export Development Agency, the National Training Agency and the Trinidad and Tobago Bureau of Standards, where he has contributed to the national standard for sustainable garment manufacturing. In 2023, he was awarded a prestigious Chevening Scholarship and earned a Master’s in Fashion Business Management from the University of Westminster. He continues to advocate for a globally competitive, sustainable Caribbean fashion ecosystem, presenting thought leadership at regional forums such as the Caribbean Investment Forum 2025. As an author, he has published Costing for Fashion and Technical Package Development for Excel, practical guides that support designers and entrepreneurs in navigating the global fashion landscape. Guided by his philosophy of “philanthropy through fashion”, he remains committed to education, industry development and mentoring at‑risk youth.

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