About Me
Hi there,
I'm Nickay (Ruth Headlam), the creator of this website and the brand identity XAKÁNI. I'm a designer and author who enjoys reading, writing, illustrating, and doing anything creative.
Currently, my portfolio consists of fashion illustrations, the projects I'm working on, and a few things I've made over the course of being a designer. I was born in Jamaica, but grew up in the BVI, which serves as an inspiration for many of my designs.
I believe in sustainability, ethics, accountability, and diversity, so all my designs are vegan-friendly, inclusive, and sustainable (as best as I can) without losing design quality.
About XAKÁNI
XAKÁNI is the brand identity Nickay created in 2018 to reflect her identity as an Afro-Caribbean woman.
This brand is all about creating garments that empower, emancipate, and encourage women of all backgrounds to stay true to themselves.
XAKÁNI is an inclusive brand whose goal is to bring diverse fashion to the rigid market.
Etymology
The name ‘XAKÁNI’ derives from a play on words; combining the my middle name (Nickay) with the word ‘Sekani’ or ‘Sakani’.
‘Sekani’ is of South African origin and is used to mean ‘joy’ or ‘gift of joy’. XAKÁNI adopts this meaning as it rings true to the etymology of the brand.
XAKÁNI seeks to empower women through fashion, aesthetics, and overall appreciation and celebration of ethnic roots and culture.
BVI Love
Raised in the BVI, I learned that not everyone has the same advantages in life when it comes to a successful career.
I've struggled a lot with accepting my creative side and being from a small archipelago of islands, though filled with wonder, wasn't very welcoming to young creators like me.
However, the BVI is chock filled with creative outlets and serve as an inspiration for many of my creative concepts from my designs to my novels. I want to use this portfolio as a way to pay homage to the BVI and help young BVI designers just like myself.
Portfolio
What you'll find here are tons of goodies as it relates to my work process, designs, photoshoots, and illustrations. I've made this website a place for all to view my most up-to-date works.
I'm currently available for a full-time position in a wonderful fashion company. If you're interested in hiring me to be a part of your team, you can contact me below (via email) or download and take a look at my resume on my contact page.
