How can we help forge a gender-equal world? 

This could be a topic for an essay, but I think one of the most important (and personally helpful) ways is to help each other.

Brooke’s background

Brooke Harrison, CEO and creative director of B Design House is here to prove that women can do anything, even if it means switching from medicine to a creative field. Brooke began honing her calligraphy, fine art, and design skills as early as her high school years. Eventually, what started as a creative outlet while in medical school turned into a business.

Today, B Design House is a luxury stationery design house specialising in wedding invitations and calligraphy for the classic, elegant couple. They are proud to have worked with some of Jamaica’s most-renowned wedding planners. B Design House offers a wide array of wedding stationery, ranging from custom fine art invitation suites to day-of-stationery and signage, for the couples who desire an extra touch of elegance on their special day.  

What industry are you a part of, and would you say it is inclusive to women? 

I’m proud to be a part of the wedding industry, and I’m quite confident that it may be one of the few woman-dominated industries not just in Jamaica but in the world! 

What inspired you to start your business? 

It first started with my love for weddings, paper and all things fine art and calligraphy, which I had also learned in high school. In my free time, I found myself looking at beautiful destination weddings and the events’ fine details such as stationery and calligraphy. I eventually realised that with my background in fine art and calligraphy, I could try this too. And how does the saying go? It was all uphill from there! 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CahjRwDOpI2/ 

How do you #BreaktheBias? 

I #BreaktheBias by calling out conscious and subconscious biases held by both women and men in day-to-day life and encouraging other women to do the same. 

How can one show support for women? 

By listening to women, believing women who voice their grievances with biases experienced and always calling out these biases. 

How can we help forge a gender-equal world? 

This could be a topic for an essay, but I think one of the most important (and personally helpful) ways is to help each other. Women helping other women to grow, by sharing knowledge, including us in male-dominated spaces and being fully transparent in all facets of life can be so beneficial. My business wouldn’t be even half of what it is today if it wasn’t for the women I worked with at the very beginning.  

What are some gender biases – both conscious and unconscious – that you would say are engrained in Jamaican society and culture? 

There really are too many to count. One that stands out to me (because it happens so often) is the insistence of Jamaican patients to refer to medical doctors who are women as their nurses, even though the doctor introduces themselves as a doctor and corrects the patient multiple times. While a lot of it is ignorance (especially in the elderly), some of it is blatant sexism. Not only do they view nursing as less prestigious than being a medical doctor, but they refuse to believe a woman could achieve such “prestige”. 

What’s your advice to any woman interested in tapping into your industry? 

Just start! The US will have the most weddings ever since 1984, and there’s no doubt it’s translating over to Jamaica. There is demand all around, and the pandemic has shown that the wedding industry is certainly not a dying one. Whether you’re interested in planning, décor, photography, or fine art of any form, figure out what you’d like to offer and don’t be afraid to be unique. Know your ideal client to a “T” and build your portfolio around that. Don’t forget to pitch! 

To find out more about B Design House, follow them on Instagram @bdesignhouse.