If you’ve been to local craft markets, you’ve likely seen fashion and jewelry designer Johann Mohammed. His eclectic sense of style and use of African fabrics make him stand out. Mohammed said his style draws from many different influences, including the need to reinvent himself after recovering from homelessness and drug addiction.
One of his first influences was his Coast Guard officer father, who, in addition to uniforms, also liked European styles. Mohammed was fascinated by Italian and other European men’s styles in the 1800s and America in the 1960s.
Mohammed spent time in New York where, he said, he was amazed by the people in the Village. He was also a Rastafarian for a while, another influence he incorporated into his designs.
Mohammed began designing jewelry five years ago after choosing to no longer be addicted to drugs. He made the distinction that it was a choice for him, as he had also chosen to experiment with substances after leaving school.
He ended up homeless and living on the streets in New York and then Trinidad, and decided to clean himself up permanently after being chopped, stabbed and having his jaw and nose broken.
The main reason for his decision was his family, who had stood by him through everything. Mohammed said he wanted to be a good role model to his son, and he couldn’t stand seeing the pain in his father’s eyes.
He said that now whenever he feels tempted to go back to drugs, he remembers the pain he went through instead of the fleeting moments of pleasure. The designer advised youth not to become substance abusers and said he wants to set up a charity organisation to help troubled teens and older people who are struggling with addiction, as a way of giving back.
Mohammed did a two-year jewelry-making course at Metal Industries Co, which he said was one of the greatest things he has ever done for himself. He began selling his jewelry at craft fairs around Trinidad under the name African Ark Jewellery and amended the techniques he learned to include mixed media such as leather and wood. He works with silver, brass, bronze, leather and wood, and is currently pursuing a course in precious metal clay jewelry.
His jewelry designs, as well as his clothes, are heavily influenced by African patterns and indigenous cultures and jewelry from Nepal, Thailand and Bali. He tries to use local materials as much as possible, but says they can be difficult to source.
Two years ago, Mohammed expanded into fashion because people were constantly asking him about the clothes he was wearing. He began in men’s fashion, doing tailored trousers in African fabrics, and then introduced a female line in his second year, doing casual and stylish dresses with African fabric accents.
In early April, he had a showing of a mini-collection at San Fernando Fashion Week, which was well received.
His fabrics are traditional wax prints imported from Ghana, which he uses to create modern, trendy garments. “I don’t want to be pigeonholed into the fact that I use Afrocentric fabrics now. I would like to grow my line into (other) fabrics to express that same sense of style and that modern fresh look. I’d say my aesthetic is trendy, it’s fresh, it’s classic and it’s timeless.”
Mohammed said the major problem he has is production, as there is a shortage of skilled people who can produce a quality product. He thanked his sister, Carla, for her help as she currently does all his production.
“We want a quality product because if we want to compete with the foreign international markets we have to have a standard that could go out there on the world stage and stand up on its own. So that’s one thing that I have to thank my sister for that, she’s big on that and her finish is very good.”
Mohammed advises youth who want to work in the fashion industry to make sure that it’s something they are passionate about, and to remember there are different aspects of the industry, so not everyone has to be a designer. He’s willing to take on an apprentice who is serious and willing to learn.
Mohammed can be found selling his products at the gourmet, art and craft fair UpMarket on the first Saturday of every month at the Woodbrook Youth Facility. In addition, The Shoppe at The Normandie carries his jewelry and men’s clothing, while in San Fernando, orders can be placed at the Design Show Space.
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Search on Facebook for African Ark Jewellery.