Meet Jamaica’s Bobsleigh “Victory Suit” Designer

She is soft-spoken and deliberate in her choice of words as she speaks with assurance.  Halle Berry has worn her designs, and she created the swimsuit worn by former Miss World Lisa Hanna in 1993.  Now Denise Katz hopes that her designs will inspire the Jamaican Bobsleigh team to victory at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China.

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Apart from creating designs, cutting fabrics, and fitting her swimsuits and activewear to her clients, Denise has done quite well in her first love, acting.  She played ‘Salome’ in Salome with Bobby Ghisays, was in Royal Palm Estate as the ex-wife of Assistant Commissioner McLaren (Winston Bell), and appeared in Eight O Clock Jamaican Time.  She also did a few plays with Cathy Levy, Miss Jamaica World 1993, who founded Cathi Levy Little People and Teen Players Club.  Denise also put her beautiful voice to work, creating voiceovers for radio and television commercials.

Denise wanted to be a doctor

When Denise Katz left Queens High School in Kingston, Jamaica, designing clothes was not on the cards.  She was supposed to be in medicine, donning her white overcoat with Dr. Denise Katz embroidered on it.  But sometimes, life has a way of changing the fortunes and direction of your life before you recognize what is happening.  Ironically, while Denise was set on becoming a doctor, life directed her closer to her family’s business built around fabrics.

“I got into fashion designing through my love for the theater.  I was in drama and dance.  I was doing a fashion show for my dance group to raise funds.  I designed and made some of the outfits, and after the show, people started saying I would love one of these and one of those.  I called my dad.  Our family has been in the fabric business for years. I asked him if he could send some of the ladies to help.  We got a few machines, and we whipped up a few things.  That was the beginning of it.  That was the end of my dream of being a doctor.  Instead of slicing up cadavers, I was cutting fabrics.”

How designing bobsleigh suits started

With her skills and inspiration from others, Denise started her business in 1986.  One year later, her friend Denise Stokes (wife of Dudley) came to her with a proposal.  “She said my husband was planning to lead a team in the Bobsleigh competition, and I wanted to know if you could make their suits.”  Of course, not being one to turn down a glorious opportunity, Denise went to work.  She created the first set of suits worn by the Jamaican bobsleigh team in their qualification races for the Calgary Olympics in 1988.

That relationship ended when the major sports companies came on board with the team and supplied their designs.

“But in the last few years, we reconnected, and I offered some designs for feedback, and one thing led to the next.  I then designed their qualification suit for this Olympics, which was themed ‘Flight of the Hummingbird.’”  The chest was fashioned with the beautiful feathers of the national bird.  The bird’s wings were placed on the arms giving a sense of speed similar to the incredible movements we see in the bird.  And lastly, the suit had an ironman look on the legs for strength.  “So, with beauty, speed and strength, the hope was that the athletes would use the suit as motivation to achieve their goal.”

That was precisely what the team did.  Jamaica qualified for three bobsleigh events for the first time in history and just missed out on a fourth.

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With the qualification out of the way, Denise then focused on the real deal, which was to dress the team for the official Olympic competition.

“I am honored to be the one tasked with this responsibility, and I treasure the opportunity to have a hand in our team’s participation at the Olympics.  Jamaica is a blessed country, and I feel privileged to have contributed to its history,” she told CNW.

About Jamaica’s “Victory” Olympic suit

The inspiration for this suit came out of Jamaica’s 60^th year of celebration as an independent nation.  “We are celebrating our Diamond Jubilee anniversary of independence, and so I wanted something symbolic of that victory,” she said of the design. 

The legs of the suit have diamonds, one of the toughest and strongest natural materials on earth.    The middle portion with the Jamaican flag colors symbolizes our strength, beauty, and hope. And then, the track represents the course and an event that Jamaica has been a superpower in the world.

Lastly, and perhaps one of the most important symbols on the suits is the ‘V’ sign which stands for victory and is the theme of the design.

Denise feels that the way you dress helps significantly decide how you feel.  She got this from her uncle, who often told her that “the suit maketh the man.”    He would say to me that “once you are dressed properly, you’ll feel better.”

“I hope that if they are dressed properly, then it gives them motivation. The theme of the suit is victory.  And subliminally, I’m hoping that the word will provide some inspiration as they put their skills on display.  The mind is a powerful thing, and our thoughts have allowed us as humans to achieve some incredible feats.  I’m hoping that the Jamaican team will fall into that mindset at this Olympics.”

Jamaica’s Winter Olympics Schedule

Women’s Monobob  Training Heat 1 – Sat. Feb. 12 – 8:30 PM EST

Women’s Monobob Training Heat 2 – Sat. Feb. 12 – 10 PM EST

Women’s Monobob Training Heat 3 – Sun. Feb. 13 – 8:30 PM EST

Women’s Monobob Training Heat 4 – Sun. Feb. 13 – 10 PM EST

Jamaica’s two-man bobsled team – Heat 1 – Feb. 14 – 7:05 AM

Jamaica’s two-man bobsled team – Heat 2 – Feb. 14 – 8:40 AM

Jamaica’s two-man bobsled team – Heat 3 – Feb. 15 – 7:15 AM

Jamaica’s two-man bobsled team – Heat 4 – Feb. 15 – 8:50 AM

Jamaica’s four-man bobsled team – Heat 1 – Feb. 18- 8:30 AM

Jamaica’s four-man bobsled team – Heat 2 – Feb. 18- 10:05 AM

Jamaica’s four-man bobsled team – Heat 3 – Feb. 19 – 8:30 PM

Jamaica’s four-man bobsled team – Heat 4 – Feb. 19 – 10:20 PM

Best places to see Jamaica at the Winter Olympics

Peacock

NBC’s Peacock app has one of the most comprehensive deliveries of Winter Olympics content. The premium version for $4.99 has ads, while you can watch ad-free for $9.99.

Comcast cable

If you are a Cable customer of NBCUniversal’s parent company, Comcast,  stream the Games online at no additional cost with their Xfinity TV box.

YouTube TV

FREE is good!  Get YouTube TV two-week free trial, which will give you access to NBC’s coverage of the Olympics. Just remember to end the subscription before you are charged.

Television Jamaica

If you can get TVJ on your streaming setup, then this is definitely one of the best places to be