Fashion brand grows with a Hilarian at the helm!

“BAHS encouraged me to appreciate individuality and creativity, to be independent; a go-getter”, said Jhodi Archer-Royer. Her brand, De Lujo Things TT currently specializes in handcrafted handbags, which are reflective of Jhodi’s aesthetic – her eye for color and prints.

As a BAHS student, she was unable to select Art as a CXC subject, since she had chosen the Business track of subjects, but Jhodi maintains, “Art was always a part of my life”. During her undergraduate study of Economics at a US university, she was able to take a drawing course, which she enjoyed so much that it prompted her to pursue studies in art and fashion.

Jhodi graduated from the affectionately dubbed ‘guinea pig’ class of UTT’s Caribbean Academy of Fashion and Design. Jhodi took her first handbag design course and like the go-getter Jhodi is, she persisted to develop her craftsmanship. She graduated from UTT with a Diploma in Fashion Design and a Diploma in Fashion Management Jhodi’s thirst for knowledge hasn’t ended with UTT’s CAFD. She is currently pursuing a Marketing degree at COSTAAT, with the aim to become equally competent in art and business of fashion, with an eye toward developing the Caribbean fashion industry.   

Jhodi shares a sneak peek at her design process for Carnival bags.

As a mom of 2, student, designer and businesswoman, Jhodi can relate to the lifestyle of an active woman, who likes to travel and wants to have a bag that fits every aspect of her life. The De Lujo product offering includes travel bags, makeup sets, along with daytime and evening clutches. Del Lujo also offers personalized bags for masqueraders at Carnival time for parties and to complement their costumes. Jhodi admits, “My Carnival bags are one of my biggest attractions”.

The DeLujo brand began as a collaboration of friends who designed t-shirts for sale. After the team disbanded, Jhodi took the mantle of the brand and began designing handbags. DeLujo’s handbags have been featured in Newsday’s Art & Soul and the brand has since been steadily building recognition. 

This year, Jhodi plans to expand the DeLujo product offering to include summer hats! Applying her Marketing education, Jhodi hopes to pursue market expansion by distributing her accessories internationally in the future.

You can follow Jhodi’s De Lujo Things TT journey on Facebook and Instagram!