Cool Girls & Fashion: Montreal Creative Tatiana Poblah's Style Illustrations

Tatiana Poblah is a multidisciplinary artist born in Montreal to a Haitian mother and a Beninese father. From landscape architecture to illustration and now fashion design, Poblah has developed a unique style that says feminine and strong. With her new clothing line, TATI P., set for an August release, we caught up with the Montreal-based artist to talk about her creative approach.

Samantha Etane for Okayafrica: Did you always know you wanted to be an illustrator?

Tatiana Poblah: Yes I did! I attended a Leonardo da Vinci exhibit when I was 6 and decided that I would be an architect and artist at that exact moment. I received my Bachelors and Masters in Landscape Architecture, both while perfecting my skills as a fashion illustrator.

OKA: How has your work evolved over the years?

TP: I think I keep getting better as an artist because I trust myself more. My Mom gave me a quote from Hans Urs von Balthasar [the Swiss theologian and Catholic priest] a few years ago that says “What your are is God’s gift to you, what you become is your gift to God”. It has become my motto. Every day I keep developing my strengths as well as working on accepting my weaknesses.

OKA: What made you decide to add "fashion designer" to your list of achievements?

TP: I’ve been wanting to launch a line for a while now and every time I would come up with excuses to convince myself that I wasn't ready. This year I didn't want to waste one more second of my life doing something else. I also decided to launch TATI P. because I am a curvaceous woman with a small waist and curvy hips AND a voluptuous butt and I am constantly having problems finding skirts, pants, and dresses that fit properly; they often leave a waist gap, are tight at the hips, or fit on top and not on the bottom, or vice versa. I wanted to look good without having to wear clothes with stretch all the time; instead I wanted to wear polished garments made of quality natural fabrics like linen, wool, and silk that would last a long time as well as accentuate my curves. After doing my research I saw that there weren’t many lines dedicated to this market and chose to market the line for this niche.

OKA: Was the creative process different this time around?

TP: Yes! Drawing the clothes is one thing but drawing them and executing is another level of creativity. Add that to the fact that I am launching the business as a sole proprietor! It’s been a crazy and an extremely lovely year so far.

OKA: How would you describe the woman who wears Tati P. clothes?

TP: The woman who wears TATI P. knows herself and what expresses herself through her personal style; she is a professional, an entrepreneur, a hustler. She grinds and constantly strives to better herself and the world around her.

OKA: How would you describe your style?

TP: Home girls in Paris! Solids colors and classics mixed with bright colors and custom patterns that show off my customers' swag.

OKA: What's next for you and your work?

TP: Right now I can only think of one thing - launching the website on August 23, 2015 and creating pieces that my clients love and buy!

Samantha Etane is a lover of images and words. Follow her on Twitter @samanthaetane and her lifestyle and design blog Tam + Sam.