In Healing Steps: With BaKari IfaSegun Lindsay

BaKari IfaSegun Lindsay is a renowned fashion and costume designer with over four decades of experience,  and celebrated for his profound contributions to Black and Caribbean artistic traditions. He began sewing at age 19 in his native Trinidad and Tobago, and by 1985 his talent was nationally recognized when he won Best Designer at the Prime Minister’s Best Village Trophy Competition. In the years since, Lindsay has honed an artistry that bridges continents and generations, establishing himself as a visionary who fuses cultural heritage with contemporary design in the world of performance and fashion.

Over his prolific career, Lindsay has produced more than 75 original costume and fashion designs for dance, film, and television, both locally and internationally. His work has been featured in productions by the Collective of Black Artists (COBA), Ballet Creole, Omo Dance Company, OYA Films, Artcho Danse Répertoire (Haiti), Trinidad and Tobago’s Les Enfants Dance Company, and among many others. From vibrant stage productions to screen projects, his costumes are known for their vibrant storytelling and meticulous craftsmanship, each piece elevating the narrative while celebrating the rich aesthetics of the African and Caribbean diaspora.

In addition to his design accomplishments, Lindsay is a seasoned dancer and choreographer with over 40 years of performance experience. This multidisciplinary background gives him a uniquely holistic perspective on artistry. He understands how garments move with the body and how design can enhance a performer’s expression. As a result, his costumes are more than visual spectacle – they are integral to the choreography and emotional resonance of the performances, seamlessly supporting movement while adding layers of meaning. His expert understanding of contemporary fashion trends, combined with a deep reverence for traditional forms, allows him to create designs that feel both timeless and boldly modern.

Deeply rooted in cultural expression, Lindsay’s work exemplifies innovation through tradition. He skillfully blends traditional Caribbean and African aesthetics with modern design techniques, using each to amplify the other in his creations. As a co-founder of COBA (Collective of Black Artists) and a long-time artistic leader, he has nurtured generations of Black artists and ensured that ancestral legacies thrive on the modern stage. Through every costume and choreography, he channels folklore, history, and spirituality into present-day art, making cultural heritage vividly relevant to contemporary audiences. With an illustrious career spanning over forty years, BaKari IfaSegun Lindsay continues to inspire and influence – his legacy firmly established even as he remains a vital, ever-evolving force in contemporary performance and fashion.