At a young age, Meiling knew she wanted to be a fashion designer, so her mother taught her to sew. This introduction to tailoring sparked her passion for designing and crafting fine garments, which has evolved today into her life’s work.
With no opportunities in 1960s Trinidad to receive a formal education in fashion design, Meiling left home in her teens, bound for London, England and the Lucie Clayton School of Design. After receiving her diploma in the early 70s, she returned to Trinidad, where she set up her first studio and retail outlet in a renovated garage. The global perspective she brought to Trinidad not only spiked local sartorial interest, but also raised a sky-high bar on the staging of runway shows. These elaborate narratives would continue over the years, with people still referring today to her jungle-themed presentation of 1976 that featured live macaws.
In 1982, Meiling Limited Editions Ltd was founded—a successful corporate uniform division that outfitted employees in several companies locally and throughout the Caribbean. In 1996, Meiling began a resort line for export and later that same year, she launched Z Meiling, a clothing line named after her son Zakri, which she tailored for her clientele aged 15-30.
In 2008, Meiling received a “Grand Master of Fashion Design” award at Caribbean Fashion Week in Jamaica. In September of the same year, she was presented with the Chaconia Silver Medal—a National award given for the designer’s long and meritorious service to Trinidad and Tobago’s business sector.
The Meiling line is available in Trinidad, Barbados, Jamaica, St Lucia, St Thomas USVI and Martinique.
Contact Info:
MEILING
meiling@meilinginc.com
www.meilinginc.com
868-627-6975/ 628-6205