KIDS ROCK RETURNS WITH ‘DENIM COUTURE’ THEME FOR 14TH YEAR
The 2025 kids ROCK fashion weekEND showcased participants’ style and creativity in Recyclable Couture. More 2025 photos in slideshow below. Photo Credits: Jason Gardener.
Mr. Jason loves the kids!
Imagine setting out to create the “biggest kids fashion show in the Virgin Islands” with the only goal of giving local children “of all ethnicities, sizes and backgrounds an opportunity to shine.”
Beautiful, right?
Well, that’s exactly what Jason Gardener, USVI style and fashion pioneer, says has been his motivation for establishing the kids ROCK Fashion Show in 2013. In 2016, he would expand the brand to its current two-day affair, changing the name to kids ROCK fashion weekEND. Now, he invites the public to join him and his newest cohort of up-and-coming USVI fashion stars for the 2026 shows, slated for March 7 and 8 on St. Croix.
This year’s event kicks off with the Pink & Blue Party-themed Let’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Dudes and Dudettes fan favorite on March 7 at 6 p.m. on the grounds of the JG Management Studios in Mt. Pleasant. It will feature youngsters and adult attendees on the pink and blue carpet dressed in rock n’ roll-inspired fashions. Expect games, music, prizes and more for a fun night out.
Image Credit: Jason Gardener
The main fashion event will take place the next day, March 8, at 3 p.m. at the Alfredo Andrews Elementary School cafeteria. The theme is From Runway to Royalty, Styled to Impress…The Essence of Couture in Denim’s & Jewels Best, and Mr. Gardener says attendees are in for a big treat!
“We’ve never done a denim line, so I’m beyond excited,” he says of his plans for the big show.
To pull it off, he’s tapped the expertise of one of his BFFs—best fashion friends. “We are also bringing down celebrity stylist Khaliah Clark of Who’s Styling Who. She’ll be bringing fashions for the models to wear. It’s just another way of raising the Kids Rock brand,” he explains.
Image Credit: Jason Gardener
Young audience members will also have the chance to get in on the fun. “The fans also love when we call up kids from the audience to model on the runway,” Mr. Gardener says.
Both events are ticketed, with proceeds benefitting Mr. Gardener’s year-round training program that provides a safe space for young people to gain skills and enjoy experiences that will boost their confidence and positively impact their lives.
“[The funds] …definitely helps with our yearly events, our yearly travels and to offer full or partial scholarships to our training program,” Mr. Gardener says. “We are also hoping to obtain a minivan.”
Boys and girls ages 4-13, who reside in the USVI, on the U.S. mainland and throughout the Caribbean are encouraged to participate in kids ROCK. Mr. Gardener sees it as a tourism tool to attract children and their families to St. Croix, to both participate in and attend the annual festivities.
Even after 14 years, Mr. Gardener has never lost sight of why he does what he does at kids ROCK.
“It’s the joy on the kids’ face when I see them walk the pink and blue carpet at the party and the confidence they display at the fashion show,” he says. “The entire weekend is dedicated to them. It’s their time and their moment.”
For more information, contact Jason Gardener at info@jgmanagementusvi.com.