​ABENAH ADELAIDE

Abenah Adelaide 


Abenah Adelaide Gonzalez (born on April 30th 1991) is a Jamaican fashion designer and aspiring singer. Abenah became involved in the arts from a tender age, encouraged by her parents the late Christopher Francis Gonzalez, OD, a world renown fine artist and Lurleen “Champayne” Clarke-Gonzalez, art & craft enthusiast and fitness expert. The many classes and competitions she participated in proved to be a solid foundation as today she is not only a fashion designer, but has a long list of artistic involvement attached to her name. Gonzalez perhaps fell in love with performance from the very first time she stepped on stage with the CANA Kiddies Showcase. “CANA Kiddies Showcase” (CANA- Christina, Asha, Nailah, Abenah) was a cabaret dance group formed by her mother. The group consisting of her siblings Asha, Christina and Nailah Gonzalez created the perfect foundation for a life in the arts for the then very young Abenah. The “CANA Kiddies Showcase” was soon cancelled as her parents decided to put education as a priority in their children’s lives.

Abenah attended the Columbus Preparatory School, the Kiddies’ Arts Centre, the Discovery Bay
Preparatory School, ORPAC Visual and Performing Arts Centre and the St. Hilda’s Diocesan High School where her youthful exuberance and artistic talents were swiftly recognized by her teachers/directors and schoolmates resulting in her placement of many roles, not expected during her teenage years. Among them were the Art Club President, Cheer Leading Captain, Drama Club Public Relations Officer and Events Coordinator. Gonzalez was awarded by the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC) gold and silver medals for her participation in musical and dance performances. She also partook in activities outside of school including the Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church choir and youth dance group. In 2004, she entered the Jamaican National AIDs poster competition and was awarded a bronze medal.
 

 

As a fashion enthusiast, Abenah first emerged into the fashion industry as a model at local events. She then entered the Pulse Caribbean Model Search ’08 and was placed in the top 5 petite finalists. She later entered the Sandals Encore Model Search and was awarded 1st place winner at the regional finals. She continued modeling part time in her career, pursuing both runway and catalog modeling and can be seen on modeling stints such as popular TV series, Mission Catwalk Season II.
 

 At age 18, Gonzalez created “Abenah Adelaide”, inspired by her names “Abenah” and “Adelaide”, as a small women’s tank top clothing line with colourful screen printed art. Gonzalez has always found great pleasure and interest in using bold colour combinations and detail in her work. Possibly because of being exposed to the striking and vivid colour use in her father’s work all her life. The name "ABENAH" was derived from the West African name "Abena" which means "born on Tuesday" in Akan and is the day of birth of the Jamaican born designer. On the other hand, “ADELAIDE” was borne in the 10th century by German born queen, Saint Adelaide, for whom the city of Adelaide in Australia was named and the wife of the Holy Roman Emperor Otto the Great, hence, the inspiration for the enterprise’s tagline, “For the royalty in you”. As well as her belief that God, the “King of kings” is within each individual. “Abenah Adelaide” was soon put on hold when she became a full time dancer at the Hah-R-Mony dance company in Montego Bay, where she played leads and background roles in Broadway-inspired acts. In 2010 Abenah was accepted into the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts (EMCVPA) where she studied fashion design and textile art. When she enrolled into Edna Manley College, her love for fashion had reignited. She managed to maintain “Abenah Adelaide” on campus by selling hand made jewellery to her school mates, lecturers and local and international faculty workers. Since 2012, Gonzalez restarted “Abenah Adelaide” and today, Abenah Adelaide is a brand of exquisitely handmade Jamaican fashion; clothing, jewelry and textiles, targeted at women ages 20 – 50. The key look is of her brand is not only bold Afrocentricity, but classy, upscale, expensive and classic. Her taste is eclectic and she is vividly enamored by the exotic.


Abenah Adelaide designs are available at Reve Jewellery and Accessories, Devon House Courtyard and shop.jusbeef.com, an online shop based in Nairobi, Kenya. Abenah Adelaide designs have been featured in print in Cultural Voice E-Zine, the Jamaica Observer, the Gleaner, Youthlink and Nirvanna Magazine. Abenah Adelaide has provided fashion in film for the likes of Jamaican singer, Alaine, as well as created textile designs for Savvie Classics, New York. Abenah Adelaide has participated in local shows/ fairs such as, the University of the West Indies Uber Fashion Show, Soroptimist Club of St. Ann Fashion Show, Edna Manley College Alternative Fashion Show, Grosvenor Gallery Christmas Fair and the Jamaica Seafood Festival.

Gonzalez is also a lover of theology and is currently works on strengthening her brand as well as her musical talents while aspiring to become a pop/ reggae music singer.