Before Pyer Moss, there was Kerby Jean-Raymond. The lauded fashion designer was born in pre-gentrified East Flatbush Brooklyn, New York to Jean-Claude Jean-Raymond, who emigrated to the United States from Haiti in 1980 along with his wife, Vania Moss Pierre. His father was strict in the ways Caribbean immigrant parents often are – stern and protective, determined to give their children all they never had. “I never sold drugs,” Kerby Jean-Raymond explained to the Times. “There were times when gangs would approach me, but my father was way stronger than them. They would come make threats and stuff, and I was like: ‘You don’t know the opposition I’ve got upstairs. I’m not scared of you.’”
Road to Fashion
Fashion probably wasn’t on the career board for his father, but Jean-Raymond had an affinity for the space from an early age. At just 13, he worked his first job – lying about his age – at a local sneaker store called Ragga Muffin. He remembers his father taking him and his stepbrother to the Dr Jay’s store to buy clothes for school. His stepbrother, like many other kids, gravitated towards the popular, approachable brands – Phat Farm, FUBU etc. Not Jean-Raymond. He always found himself among the foreign offerings. “Anything that was made in Italy,” he recalled.
Haitian Heritage
His Haitian heritage via his father can be found throughout a few of his collections. “My fFather as I remember, 1980-1999” is his spin on his father’s wardrobe staples – oversized suits, faux fur coats, and a t-shirt bearing his father’s green card photo. The name, Pyer Moss (Moss Pierre), is a tribute to his late mother. Through his work, Jean-Raymond has immortalized both of his parents.
Jean-Raymond attended the High School of Fashion Industries in Manhattan and later earned a degree in business law and entrepreneurship from Hofstra University. He would freelance for legendary designers including Marc Jacobs and Kenneth Cole.
Breaking Barriers
It wasn’t until 2015 that Jean-Raymond made his real splash in the fashion industry. This was at the debut of Pyer Moss’ spring collection at the prestigious New York Fashion Week. It was during this time that the Black Lives Matter movement continued to pick up steam as more and more Black people were murdered by the police who were sworn to protect all Americans equally. Jean-Raymond had already had too many brush-ins with officers; he grew up in the ‘stop-and-frisk’ era and was frisked over a dozen times by the time he was just 18. Through his show, he channeled the simmering frustration into fashion.
The show began with a 12-minute video about anti-Black racism. He showed footage ripped from body cameras and dashboard cams showing Black people abused by the law. He showed Eric Garner’s murder. He interspersed this horrifying footage with interviews of the victims’ families.
The models took the runway after the footage, wearing sneakers smeared with fake blood and jackets with the print “CAN’T BREATHE” on the back. To this day it remains a one-of-a-kind event.
According to the designer, it was a risky move that nearly financially ruined Pyer Moss. He was blacklisted by some editors and a few retailers. He received his share of death threats. But, the show resonated. It’s still one of the first things that comes up when anyone mentions the name Pyer Moss.
While Kerby Jean-Raymond cuts a controversial figure these days, his designs have been enjoyed by celebrity clientele including NFL star Odell Beckham Jr., hall of fame hip hop producer Swizz Beatz, veteran actress Gabrielle Union-Wade, and former First Lady Michelle Obama.
