Kerby Jean-Raymond is a Haitian American fashion designer who is the founder of the menswear label Pyer Moss.
Kerby Jean-Raymond | |
|---|---|
| Born | New York City, U.S. |
| Nationality | Haitian-American |
| Education | Hofstra University |
| Label | Pyer Moss |
Career
Kerby Jean-Raymond first came into the spotlight for his presentation of Pyer Moss' Spring 2016 Menswear Collection during New York Fashion Week.The show highlighted police brutality, referencing the Black Lives Matter movement through videos, street art, and fashion. Jean-Raymond has publicly commented about his experience as a teenage victim of driving while black.[1] Kerby Jean-Raymond collaborated with R&B singer and activist Erykah Badu, who styled Jean-Raymond's Pyer Moss AW16 line for the 2016 New York Fashion Week show.[2] The featured collection was titled "Double Bind."
His brand, Pyer Moss, won the FGI Rising Star Award in the menswear category in 2014. That same year, he was a finalist in the DHL Exported Prize presented by IMG Worldwide. He was recognized by the Forbes "30 Under 30" list in 2015. Jean-Raymond was featured on Cultured Magazine's fashion issue cover in April 2019.[3]
During Paris Fashion Week in February 2019, Odell Beckham Jr. wore a Pyer Moss Collection 2 hoodie. Others seen in Pyer Moss include producer Swizz Beatz, Kiandra Layne, Gabrielle Union-Wade, Colin Kaepernick[4] and First Lady Michelle Obama.[5][6]
In September 2020, Jean-Raymond was named Global Creative Director of Reebok[7] sportswear brand. His label Pyer Moss was also awarded the top prize at the fifteenth CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund awards that same month.[8] In March 2022, he departed Reebok.[9]
Background
Listed in Forbes 2015 "30 Under 30" in Art And Style,[10] Jean-Raymond began designing at a young age. He landed his first apprenticeship at 14 while still attending The High School of Fashion Industries in Manhattan. He started his first fashion label, Mary's Jungle at the age of 15.[11] Taught by Kay Unger, Jean-Raymond worked on Unger's first women's evening collection.[12]
He launched Pyer Moss in 2013.[13] Jean-Raymond uses his brand to address racial tensions in the United States and intertwine social issues with the fashion world. He describes his brand, Pyer Moss, as an "art project" or "a timely social experiment" at times.[14]
References
Further reading
- Friedman, Vanessa (June 6, 2020). "Beyond the Instagram Black Square". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331.