On any day of the week, walk into any one of the five hundred and fifty Marshalls department stores in the United States and chances are you’ll see Pat Tracey. Not shopping - but larger than life, blown-up, in full colour, ultra-glossy and on display.

Her billboard-size posters with her all decked off in the latest ready-to-wear fashions is a staple when it comes to in-house advertising for the Marshalls chain.

One of the most popular faces in American advertising for women of colour, this Trinidad-native has graced the pages of just about all the major magazines in the United States.

Her face is featured regularly in Essence and Italian Vogue. More, a magazine for women over 40; has a love affair with her features and youthful good looks.

She has also appeared in some of the most memorable print and television advertising campaigns; Avon, Black Radiance, Clairol, Revlon; you name it. The fight against breast cancer, in America, a major million-dollar social awareness campaign, also uses her image.

Her prowess for capturing editorial work runs second to her ability to dominate the runway which she did for several years. She has worked across the globe, in every continent, and has travelled to most countries more than once.

Represented for decades by the world famous Wilhelmina Model Agency, she has been editorialised in the work of Yves St Laurent, Fendi, Issey Miyaki, Patrick Kelly and many other designers.

As it stands, her portfolio as an American model is magnificent but now she wants to mix it up at bit. She doesn’t intend to stop modelling since her ’ageless beauty keeps her forever current on magazine pages’’ she just plans to add designer to her dossier.

On making the transition from international model to fashion designer, she says, ’It’s only natural. I was around so many designers and so much clothing, inadvertently, I learned the tricks of the trade, the nuts and bolts, the whole construction element.’ In essence, she says. ’t’s just another form of my artistic expression.’

It wasn’t planned. It happened purely by accident, five years ago, on a fashion shoot in Jamaica. ’I was doing a job for a resort and everybody on the job, from the make-up artist, to the hairstylist, all wanted one of what I was wearing. I had simply dyed these pieces for myself.’ Before she knew it; she was in her suitcase selling off her personal pieces. ’They were insistent, so interested, and so enthusiastic, I couldn’t believe it. People really wanted my clothing so I started designing in earnest.’

’Mayaro, the clothing line was born.’

’Mayaro holds special childhood memories for me,’ she says. Growing up, she spent a lot of time in Mayaro with her family; particularly during the August holidays. ’The colours, the beach, the air, were all so beautiful. It was a happy carefree time.’ It is the mystique of Mayaro and the memories that she attempts to capture on fabric. ’I feel the same way about the clothing design. It is colourful and carefree.’

The year after she sold just about every hand-dye piece she had in her suitcase; she returned to Jamaica for fashion week and to test the waters. ’I showed a lot of dyes, reworked vintage,’ she says. But the line has developed since then. ’Its easy to wear, lots of silks, silk chiffon, silk lamé, relaxed, high quality clothing for women of any size not just skinny women.’

Her clothing has been aptly described as a ’medley of Caribbean hues, golden sunsets, brilliant sunrises, azure seas, verdant fields and forests.’ She is known for flirty pieces; lacy camisoles, soft flowing skirts, sexy slip dresses, silk surplus wraps, stunning scarves and playful ponchos; pieces that are ’equally at home at a poolside or a penthouse party.’ Each piece, she explains, ’is as special as the woman who wears it.’

She will launch her clothing, next Sunday, at Long Circular Mall, St. James. She is very excited because it is collaboration with her childhood friend, designer Claudia Pegus. She was six years old when she met Pegus; they were both students at St. Joseph Girls RC School’ She is a longstanding friend,’ she says. ’Claudia saw the pieces, about two months ago, and insisted I launch them in Trinidad.’

For Tracey, who migrated to the United States 27 years ago, this is a coming home party of a lifetime. A graduate of Bishop Anstey High School, she left for Washington DC as soon as she finished her A’ Levels. She enrolled at the University of Maryland and began studies in Behavioural Psychology. But her life changed dramatically when she became a flight attendant with American Airlines. She met the mother-in-law of a photographer, on a flight, and became famous soon afterward. ’It was purely serendipity. Two months after I met her, I was on my way to Paris, then Japan, South Africa, Australia, Italy, France, and Germany.’

She will also use her coming home as an opportunity to scout for young models as a part of major international deal she has signed. She will translate her love for youth into an interactive website modelsmarts.com where she will ’turn knowledge gained from her years as an international model into relevant life lessons for young adults.’ 

Ten years ago, she touched down in New York City and made Harlem her home. She is at home whereever she is; on the runway or behind the scenes. Her clothing line reflects her confidence as a woman and as a designer. ’I want women to be comfortable in my clothing. A comfortable woman is a confident woman.’

To ease the discomfort, she had decided to limit extra accents on the garments. ’I wanted the clothing to be flattering to all body types, the fabric is very soft, and there are no buckles or zips; no hardware.’ Her pieces will be available at Claudia Pegus’ store to begin with but she hopes to have them available nationwide soon. ’I hope people will be enthusiastic and interested in wearing it,’ she ends.