Virgin Islands-born fashion designer Igdalyah Pickering has announced a new collaboration with GAP and Harlem’s Fashion Row, marking a significant milestone in her emerging career. The denim collection, which draws directly from Pickering’s Caribbean heritage, will launch internationally across seven countries.
The collection represents a partnership between Pickering, GAP, and Harlem’s Fashion Row, an organization dedicated to supporting designers of color. Pickering previously received HFR’s Bob Marley One Love Grant, which helped facilitate this opportunity. The collection will be available in seven countries: the United States, Japan, the Middle East, the Czech Republic, Türkiye, and the United Kingdom.
Pickering is a fashion designer originally from the Virgin Islands, now based in the United States. Her design approach is rooted in her Caribbean upbringing, with particular influences from the Virgin Islands and St. Lucia, where her grandmother sewed school uniforms.
According to Pickering, her creative process begins with personal memory and emotional connection to place. She draws from her experiences in the Virgin Islands and St. Lucia, specifically citing color, texture, light, and movement as foundational elements. “Fashion runs in the family, with my mother sewing and altering clothes throughout my childhood. I would reconstruct denim pieces from brands like Old Navy, experimenting with fabric and form before I eventually pursued fashion design,” Pickering said.
Pickering notes that sustainability informs her design choices. She cites the fashion industry’s impact on the Caribbean region, particularly as climate change adversely affects island communities, as motivation for intentional material use. Her approach involves reworking and reimagining fabrics rather than creating waste.
Pickering identified color as her primary creative requirement for the collaboration. Working within denim’s traditional blue palette, she introduced a washed turquoise-teal shade inspired by Caribbean water. GAP supported this direction during the initial meetings. The collection also incorporates green thread, which Pickering describes as referencing the color shifts visible beneath the ocean’s surface.
When asked about working with a major brand while maintaining her design identity, Pickering emphasized that established creative grounding makes collaboration possible without compromising vision. “The key is knowing who you are before you walk into the room. Once you are grounded in your voice, collaboration becomes expansion instead of compromise,” Pickering said.
HFR provided infrastructure and support throughout the partnership process. Pickering credits the organization with creating access for designers of color and facilitating connections with global brands like GAP.
This collection’s international launch means Pickering’s work will reach consumers across multiple regions and continents. “For young designers back home, I hope they see that where you come from is not a limitation, it’s our advantage. Our culture is powerful,” Pickering said.
Pickering’s earlier work includes “A Walk Through My Island,” a collection exploring Caribbean identity through fashion. Her collaboration with GAP represents her highest-profile partnership to date and one of the organization’s most notable brand collaborations supporting emerging designers.
