Theophilio brings Jamaican flair to New York fashion. In our latest issue, designer Edvin Thompson discusses honoring his roots through fashion and the friends who have supported him on his journey.
“I chose the name Theophilio for my brand to pay homage to my family,” says designer Edvin Thompson, who is known for his carefree, Caribbean-infused aesthetic. “It was my grandfather’s name, and it means ‘to be loved by God.’ ” Thompson moved to the United States from Jamaica in 2002, at the age of 9, with his mother and siblings; his father followed shortly thereafter. “I’ve always wanted to celebrate Jamaica’s past, present, and future through my clothes,” he adds.
Thompson held his first fashion show in 2016 with his friend Bobby Day, a fellow designer, in a garage on Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn. The show, filled with upcycled pieces including denim, leather, and oversize cotton shirts that alluded to fun in the sun—core pieces he has refined and evolved over the years—was explicit in its island references.
Edvin Thompson with his team: Antoine “Bibby” Gregory, Jessica Trombatore, Barrington Smith, Doquan Hines, Christian Cody, Daesha Cano, Ah-Niyah Gold; Thompson wears a Black Fashion Fair x Theophilio Family tee, Theophilio custom pants, his own jewelry and boots; his entourage wears Theophilio T-shirts.
The day after the previous year’s Met Gala, Thompson had found out about his CFDA nomination for the American Emerging Designer of the Year. “I had lost my voice. I was in shock. It was just crazy,” he says. Two months later, he won the award. “They said my name, and my soul left my body.” As he made his way to the stage to read a short speech written on his phone, he looked around. Staring back at him from the audience were Tom Ford and Anna Wintour, “like proud grandparents.
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