Jennifer Laurent Smart - Caribbean Cultural Lead
Caribbean Cultural Lead based in Essex, UK.
Although Jennifer was born in the UK, her parents hail from Grand Bay, a coastal village in the south of Dominica. She describes this place as a significant cultural centre and an inspiration for her Madras style fashion brand, Sakafet London, which sells traditional Creole garments, headwear and a variety of accessories. Additionally, Ms Laurent-Smart has fulfilled the role of Equality and Diversity Manager at various organisations.
During her participation in Cultural Style Week, which was held from 21 to 27 May 2022, she spoke with great animation of the pride she feels in her heritage and the joy it brought her to express this through the clothes she wore. This contagious enthusiasm for culture makes her the perfect representative for the UK's Caribbean community.
A highlight of our association with Jennifer came on the 27th of October. To coincide with Black History Month, Jennifer presented a documentary film which explored the elements and meaning of traditional Creole Caribbean dress. The event was paired with a panel discussion that examined the origins and ethics surrounding the use of madras cloth. To find out more about this resource please click here: https://www.culturalfashion.art/mycaribbeanculturalstyle
She also presented a feature on the Indian connection to madras cloth at Diwali on the Square.