Yard Mas creative director Anna-Lisa Guthrie promises ‘high level artistry’
Published:Sunday | October 12, 2025 | 12:10 AM
Known for her multidisciplinary approach to design – spanning fashion, costume, and art – Anna-Lisa Guthrie is bringing a distinct creative vision to Yard Mas as the carnival brand’s creative director for the 2026 season.
For Guthrie, the role represents more than a professional milestone – it’s a full-circle moment that connects her lifelong passion for creativity with one of the Caribbean’s most dynamic cultural movements: carnival. Sharing that art has always been her language for communication, Guthrie is more than ready to have the presentation speak for itself.
“I’m hoping to communicate a high level of artistry, creativity and intention. I want to communicate the innovation and vibrancy of Caribbean designers and artists. Our masqueraders will feel like art in human form,” she told The Sunday Gleaner.
That deep sense of purpose has been evident since her earliest days as a designer, when Guthrie started her journey making custom carnival costumes for friends during university.
Now, as she prepares to unveil the 2026 collection, Guthrie wants to elicit more than admiration – she wants emotion.
“I want them to be in awe, of course, but I want them to feel like they are a part of something that transcends likes or trends. I want them to feel like they are living, breathing pieces of art when they put on our costumes,” she said.
As for her process, Guthrie admits she’s fully immersed once inspiration strikes. Her creative quirk? A laser-like focus once inspiration strikes.
“Oh, I have many [quirks], my main one being [my] tunnel vision once I start something. I have to see it through right ’til it’s done, and I rarely ever pause in between,” she said.
If her design aesthetic had a soundtrack, she says it would blend grit with rhythm with redrum by 21 Savage and Jamtown by Coutain and Tano.
Inclusivity is another pillar of her creative philosophy – one that aligns perfectly with Yard Mas’ ethos. She is eager to have those values come to life in what masqueraders wear and feel on the road.
“Yard Mas has inclusivity at its core. Since its first launch, they have shown that all bodies in all sizes belong on the road. They have also embraced everything that is Jamaican. My role this year is to amplify that by guiding the designers as they tap into their own design aesthetic to bring the theme alive. I think all will be aligned and the masqueraders will feel valued, sexy, luxurious, but still comfortable enough to have the best vibes all day on the road,” she said.
For Guthrie, carnival is as much about emotion as it is about spectacle. Her most memorable moment on the road easily comes to mind.
“This year I got on the road with Yard Mas pretty late, and by time I got there, it started raining briefly, and I just remember feeling really liberated and free in that moment. I saw the beauty of my hard work, I felt the rain, I felt the music, and everything was OK in that moment,” she shared.
The theme for 2026 remains a closely guarded secret, but when asked to give one hint, Guthrie replied only with a smile, holding her card (or feathers) close to her chest.
The Yard Mas official band launch is set for late November 2025.