Artist Profile: Jamielle Rankine

Jamielle Rankine is a Jamaican born Fashion Designer, Motivational Speaker and Poet. Born in the

ghetto of Kingston, Jamielle learned from an early age that life was not always a bed of roses. Her family

shortly moved to a middle class neighborhood which allowed her the privilege to attend prestigious

elementary and secondary schools, where her love for writing began, and living in a household of mostly

women, she learned of heartache, beauty and the power and strength of a woman.

Jamielle and her family moved to the United States in 2008 and settled in New York. A city filled with

so many creative individuals, and lovers of fashion. This move sparked her always existing passion for

fashion and beauty and she, after failing an attempt as a Marketing Major at Broome Community

College, began working as a stylist. This grew to wanting a career in Fashion Design, and after starting

her family Jamielle, then moved to California and later earned an Associate of Arts Degree in fashion

design at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM).

After figuring out what she loved to do, Jamielle ventured into volunteering and now teaches at the

Precious Life Shelter a class called “Finding Fashion and Yourself”, for women who are homeless and

pregnant along with mentoring some of the women there. She began to seek God after her calling, and

that lead her to writing her experiences in the form of poetry. Each gift gifted was being used. Using her

pain, misfortune, happiness, and overcoming sprit, to inspire the people around her. Jamielle now does

freelance designing and is working on her own collection of clothing called “MUMA”. She continues to

motivate others and hopes to become an author of a book of poetry, and an auto biography, in hopes of

allowing God to use her to inspire others with her story.

Meet Jamielle Saturday April 30th at JamXchange!