Today we’d like to introduce you to Denise Katz.
Hi Denise, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Swimwear and Active Wear designer/manufacturer and actress. Hi, my name is Denise Katz, (nee Heffes). I’ve been designing swimwear, Active Wear, and Resort Wear ever since leaving school. My first brand and line were under the “Spunk” label.
Spunk became the forerunner in Jamaica and the Caribbean in a very short time and the line sold in top hotel stores such as the Sandals Group, The Issa hotels, and the St James Club in Antigua. It was then off to Europe where we sold to stores in countries such as Greece, Italy, Spain, and France. My love of theater translated into my designs giving a trendy look. The styles were unique and coupled with my insistence on having a great fit on all body types, as well as having the best fabrics available, made The Spunk line sought after by our clientele. I love to listen to what our customers have to say, and to make sure we offer the best service possible.
I was honored to be selected to design and make the swimsuits for many Miss Jamaica World and Miss Jamaica Universe pageants as well as working with the esteemed Kingsley Cooper and his world-renowned Pulse modeling agency designing and making swimsuits and activewear for the competitions.
Spunk designs have graced the catwalks of the Pret-A-Porter in Paris, and the Igedo in Dusseldorf, and was highly mentioned in the German press. Lisa Hanna, Miss World 1994, wore several of the Spunk designs during the contest in South Africa and was featured in her Spunk Swimwear in several of the South African newspapers. Halle Berry, the beautiful American actress also wore one of my designs in a Miss World Fashion show held in Jamaica W.I.
From a very early age, I became involved in the arts, taking to the stage at age 3, and designing clothing with my Great aunt. Throughout the years, I’ve taken part in several stage productions, television films, and television soap operas. My passion for “creating”, translates into my designs. Since moving full-time to Florida, I took a break from designing and focused on family… In the past couple of years, I have begun designing again under the Escala label. I now have a line of swim and activewear as well as a brand-new pet line that coordinates with many of our activewear designs.
The pet line will be launched this year, 2024.
In 2022, I designed and made the outfits for the Jamaica Bobsled team when they competed in The Winter Olympics in China. I enjoy playing the piano, reading, cooking/baking, dancing, and doing projects with my son and husband.
Recently, I joined The Jamaican Women of Florida, (as the chairperson for The Charity and Giving committee), an organization, which “gives back”, helping many who are in need. Animals have a very soft spot in my life, and I have a deep passion for the prevention of abuse to these harmless beings who depend on us so much for their welfare.
Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The struggles have been many but overcoming them makes one stronger… even though when you’re going through them, it’s a very agonizing time. When I first started Spunk, I had no money and walked into the bank one day and asked for a loan. The bank manager said that I had a lot of Spunk to take on such a project with no money or collateral.
The thing is, after leaving school, I planned to do medicine but that got derailed when I designed and made outfits for my dance troupe’s fashion show which was strictly for entertainment…. but then folks asked me for the designs on the show… I borrowed a machine from my dad’s factory and the rest is history.
With faith and hard work, my business began to do well… but after a few years the government and the banks took a stance in increasing the interest rates on loans and compounding interest daily… this action took down many businesses and during this time it was a severe struggle to keep my staff employed and the doors open.
I am now focused on my Escala brand here in the USA and am truly excited to see where it takes me.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Dance and theater are my loves…… The creativity of developing a character for a play, of creating a dance routine… comes from deep within… therefore designing a physical piece is a natural next step. Dance wear was therefore a natural step, as I wanted to be comfortable in what I wear and also have an interesting and unique design.
My self-expression comes through in my designs and I think people see this and many folks tell me that they can spot a Spunk or Escala design when they see it.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
The most important lessons are as follows…… to listen to what your clientele has to say. And never get carried away by your success…one never knows what the next day will bring…stay focused and ALWAYS be on top of and in control of your finances…KNOW what is going on and ALWAYS have checks and balances in place.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.escalaactivewear.com
- Instagram: @escala_activewear
- Facebook: Escala Swim and Activewear
Image Credits
Michael Hursey
