Havitowah brothers debut madras collection at New York Fashion Week

A decade after discovering his passion in a high school sewing class, Tariq Molloy brought his St. Croix fashion brand Havitowah back to New York Fashion Week last weekend. The label presented five designs rooted in madras patterns at Runway 7 in Sony Hall in Times Square, with the brothers making their second appearance at the event since their 2025 debut.

The collection's standout piece was a fringed coat constructed from madras fabric, worn by Markeymah Cargile, Miss St. Croix 2024-25. Cargile also modeled a matching madras bathing suit and face mask. While the brothers brought one local model from the island, they recruited additional runway talent through auditions held in New York.

Tariq, who leads the creative direction, collaborated with his brother on the coat. "I believe we got more than we thought we were going to get when we got there, exposure-wise and just meeting people," Tariq reflected on the experience. Dante, who joined the venture two years ago after completing his Clothing Construction studies at CTEC at St. Croix Educational Complex with second honours, called the event "kind of surreal" and noted that it served as "motivational just to go forward and continue to build the brand."

The floral designs adorning the swimsuit and coverall draw inspiration from artwork by their mother, Christa Ann Davis Molloy, who operates Christa's Art Gallery in Christiansted. While the brothers personally design each piece, fabric production happens overseas due to limited manufacturing capacity on the island.

Havitowah emerged in 2016 when Tariq, initially reluctant about his sewing coursework, discovered an unexpected talent. He soon transformed a basic T-shirt into a hoodie and exhibited his work in his first show. The brand's name derives from a local Virgin Islands phrase: "Have it or what?"

Looking ahead, the brothers are preparing their second annual Fashion Experience for December 20. They are inviting both emerging and established designers to participate. Interested creatives can reach out via Instagram and Facebook at @havitowah, through havitowah.com, or by emailing [email protected].