The new shop on Main Street is member of Creative Hub and sells uniquely designed clothing which includes everything from t-shirts, hoodies, jerseys and hats to wedding gowns, prom dresses, streetwear, tailored suits and leather and bomber jackets
WORCESTER—“Very colorful, couture and outstanding” is the way fashion designer Emmanuel “Q” Qlynton Carboo describes the clothing he creates and sells at Wavvz Concepts.
The shop, opened at 651 Main St. last November, is a residence of Creative Hub Worcester. It is the latest component of WavvzNewage, a creative educational organization Carboo founded in 2017 and spearheads with his wife Jaribel.
He opened the shop in response to people asking where they could buy his custom designs—everything from t-shirts, hoodies, jerseys, and hats to wedding gowns, prom dresses, streetwear, tailored suits, and leather and bomber jackets.
Carboo noted he has even designed upholstery for car seats and continues to explore new artistic realms.
“The best part is I have the freedom to create whatever I want and also teach it to older and younger generations,” Carboo said. “That’s what drives me.”
The self-taught designer grew up in Ghana and remembers his mother stitching and selling clothes to tourists. Carboo moved to the U.S. in 2012. A few years later, he was trying to figure out what to do at college when he tried his hand at using a WalMart sewing machine in his apartment.
He made a few long-sleeve shirts that were “bought on the spot,” by friends, setting him on a path of “pushing boundaries and trying new things.”
Eight years ago, he relocated from the Bronx, New York, to Worcester and one of his goals is to introduce his brand of higher-end, innovative fashions to the city and start a movement.
Carboo said the response to the shop is “really amazing,” with many fashion enthusiasts traveling from other states or passing through Providence or Boston and shopping with intent to buy.
The price points are the biggest challenge for Worcester residents although Carboo said he is willing to work with the community. He cited an example of a college student getting a custom outfit for her birthday and paying a deposit and three installments.
He currently has interns from Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Clark University and North High School working with him. The North High connection occurred when the school committee contacted him, creating the first fashion internship in the city.
Carboo said he reaches out to Black Student Unions at local colleges to find students interested in internships at the shop or with WavvzNewage.
In addition, he has three adult professional tailors volunteering and is seeking ways to compensate them for their work.
“One of my goals is to help immigrants with skills be able to pursue their passions,” Carboo said.
Giving back to the community is high on his “to-do” list.
Grants, sponsorships, and donations have made it possible for WavvzNewage to offer workshops, programs, and events on topics like music, visual arts, DTF printing, modeling, painting, embroidery, stitching, and tufting (rug making).
Carboo noted they taught sewing to kids from Jubilee Career Center and work with city organizations such as the YMCA. They have conducted photo shoots on the streets and generated attention through streaming and social media.
“There is no negative feedback,” Carboo said. “When people see what we’re doing, they realize Worcester has more than just the cliché stuff. The public is supportive and has a lot of questions: `How are you doing it? How is it possible?’”
Carboo explained that all the creative areas tie together and inspire his fashions.
While showcasing the outfits for a fashion show, models are walking down the runway with original music accompanying them.
“We put a theme to music—to translate all we are saying on the garment and with colors,” Carboo said. “Models are highlighting the clothes, may hold paintings that correspond with their fabric and music we orchestrated is playing… It all goes together with the collection.”
Carboo said music is an integral part of Wavvz Concepts as well. He described the style as Afro beats and Hip Hop combined to create a new age sound.
“It is a timeless soundtrack that you can play to soothe yourself and feel confident,” he noted. “There is no harsh instrumentation so there is a colorful, dreamy kind of vibe when you come in the shop.”
He added, “We play joyful music so (customers) understand what is basically going on. They say, `It’s so lively, like a safe haven to be ourselves.’”
Carboo is all about encouraging people to be themselves and try something new, whether in fashion or in life.
“The only way to get out of a rough place is when you have confidence,” he said. “We’re all colorful beings—not just grey, black and white. We all have joy emotions.”
Getting out of a comfort zone allows people to discover the creative aspects of themselves, he said.
“Never be scared to take a leap of faith,” he added. “We are not here just for the sake of business but because we love what we do. Our jobs as creatives are to help people out.”
In five years, Carboo wants to convert the shop into a manufacturing business, restoring a bit of Worcester’s past as a `garment city.’ He hopes to hire more tailors and keep making clothes—“opening up more avenues.”
With his wife alongside him, as “right hand and chief operating officer,” Carboo urges people to stop by the shop and see what it is all about. “We paint an image for them…Here is a place you can do all these things. Step through and have a conversation with us. Our doors are open.”
Wavvz Concepts hours of operation are Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturdays, noon to 5 p.m.
Susan Gonsalves is currently editor-in-chief of a mental health trade journal and a freelance writer/editor specializing in education, medical/health and business. She previously worked at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth and has contributed to publications at Worcester Polytechnic Institute and College of the Holy Cross. At the Worcester Telegram, she covered the town of Leicester and wrote for Business Matters. She can be reached at smgedit@comcast.net
