By: Kay Renz
For Kesi Case, life is all about glamour and giving back. The emerging fashion guru has been impressing South Florida audiences with her big talent and big heart!
Based in Fort Lauderdale, her fashion-forward styles for women and men are garnering praise for their individual flair and attention-to-detail, while her philanthropic efforts are winning her fans who admire her dedication to community causes.
Driven by a desire to design, a young Kesi, growing up in Jamaica, received the seed money to start her first business from her mother. Her career began with a single rack of clothing and eventually grew to become Kame Collections in 1997, a clothing boutique located in the heart of Kingston. However, Kesi’s ambitions grew to be much bigger than her one store. She was determined to become a household name and she knew she needed to move the United States to pursue her dream.
After graduating from the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale, she dove into designing under a private label; designing for stores such as Cache, Nordstrom, Forever 21, Arden B among others. But working behind the scenes was not fulfilling her ambitions. She wanted to be in control of her own destiny, so she decided to branch out on her own.
Kesi formed Azuri Fashions design studio in 2002; her first collections K-Sport and Kesi Couture were launched at her own boutique and then expanded into the Bob Marley Store and Marmalade Boutique in South Beach. Azuri fashions, reflected an individual sense of style and specialized in custom designs for artist/models and others seeking a unique style.
Under Azuri fashions, Kesi hosted fashion shows for the Gilda’s Club (Cancer Society), Burger King and Decco Records. She has also designed clothing for artists under IHM and Poeboy Records. Kesi designed Miss Jamaica’s dress for the World Pageant in 2003. Following the success of the couture line, Azuri Fashions assumed the name of Kesi Couture in 2004.
Her line offers a variety of standout looks that fashionistas can wear for both casual and couture occasions many include hand painted designs, exquisite silks, lace and other embellishments. And for men, her ties are truly artistic creations with a sense of fun and whimsy.
You can view her latest looks at www.kesicase.com and her next charitable endeavor will be participating in the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation’s 25th Anniversary Gala, where her latest swim collection will be featured on “statue models.”