BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - Growing up in Fiennes Avenue St. Kitts, Sannie Bowry, the lady in focus, spent her days as a child with her mom, who seemingly sewed every day, as it was the means by which she provided for her family.
Often, Sannie and her sister were responsible for picking up the fabric scraps and cutting thread whenever their mom called upon them for help. But Sannie had no interest in doing as her mom did; she only did as she was told.
Early into her teens, Sannie most naturally picked up the art of sewing and would as she says, “Fix things, but never created anything.”
She recalled the time when her friend Sandra Wallace had a special event to attend and had asked her to make an outfit that she could wear.
She told Sandra, "I can't do it." But her friend insisted that she could, noting that she couldn't understand how Sannie could not make it when her mom was a seamstress.
Sannie said she went ahead and created an outfit and Sandra really loved it. The word spread like wildfire and encouragement came her way which she enjoyed. But still she said, “I had no passion for the art.”
In 2000 Sannie was approached by Wanda Connor and Jacinth Henry-Martin with an invitation to showcase a clothing line for the Carifesta Fashion Shows. She embraced their encouragement and took to the sewing machine and created her first line of clothing.
Sannie’s first showing was alongside the likes of Antiguan top designer Calvin S, Rastafarian Shaki Heath of St. Kitts and many other Caribbean designers.
“People said my stuff was off the hook,” she excitingly said.
Thereafter, a host of professionals in the fashion industry and models she worked with expressed great appreciation for her work and they all wanted her to further pursue the art of Fashion Design.
In 2004, fashion showcases were hosted at Sunshine’s Beach Bar, Chevy’s Bar and Grill including the breathtaking Mount Nevis Hotel, where a special tribute was paid with Sannie’s designs to one of Canada’s renowned designers, John Warden, who passed in 2007.
Eventually, another of Sannie’s friends told her it was time to give her line a name.......
With the French influence upon her due to residing in St. Martin for a number of years, Sannie spoke of a department store on that island called Forum Caribe, thought about her line and ultimately came up with the name 'Fashion Caribe'.
Fashion Caribe labels were printed in Trinidad and new inspirations arose that made her see fashion in a whole new light.
Passion for the art, was now a part of Sannie Bowry.
In 2012 she produced her line - Reyne.
Why? “So you are struggling and things just start to happen to you. Yes, things get better and you’re getting past the struggles, so this is your latter…Reyne. Think about blessings falling on you, think of rain. I just changed the spelling to be different!” Sannie shared.
This Kittitian fashion designer enjoys working with Indian Cotton for its light, sheer, breezy feel and colours that uplift. This combination is always her favorite pick when choosing fabrics.
Currently employed as an Arts and Craft teacher at the Violette O Jeffers Nicholas Primary and the St. James Primary School in Nevis, Sannie teaches students how to make bags, chains and earrings, to name a few, whilst making great use of natural resources to create these artistic pieces amongst the youth.
Well known locally for designing evening gowns and swimsuits for pageant delegates in St. Kitts-Nevis, she is very proud of her accomplishments of capturing best designs in competitions such as Miss Culturama, Miss Culture Swimsuit, Talented Teen and Miss Village O Rama.
Now 48 years young, Sannie’s dream is to one day attract regional and international buyers of Fashion Caribe’s designs, as she says seeing people in her clothing is most pleasing after all the creative process and sewing is complete.
