A woman made this…
I would like to title my memoir “She Fucking Did It.”
I think I loved fashion before I knew what it was. Any young 90’s girl will tell you the hold gel edges, air brush tees, and velour track suits had on us. I wanted every outfit Raven Baxter wore so I demanded a sewing machine by the time I was 13.
I was only seven or eight sitting on the floor as my grandmother moved the hot comb through my hair and taking deep breaths as she got closer to my scalp, it got hard to concentrate on the hand stitching drills she was walking me through. “Don’t pull the thread too tight” she instructed while blowing smoke away from the sizzling hot comb.
My grandma, Helen, was a self taught and 50+ year seamstress. Her three-bedroom house was filled from floor to ceiling with clothes, sewing notions, antiques, furniture, art, fabric, family photos and couches covered in thick plastic. She was a south side grandma. She supported every part of my love for sewing.
When you’re raised by a woman who would fight for whatever and whoever you learn a lot about life fast. To say my mom was a brave woman is an understatement. She was a tiny wrecking ball full of ideas and love. “Go look it up yourself.” she would remark when my twin brother and I would bombard her with our kid questions. Let me tell you that back then we didn’t have Google, we had Webster’s Dictionary and a Thesaurus. Finding the answers was harder back then and my mom made sure we knew how learning on our own is difficult and endless.
Art is subjective but talent can skip some people. My mom couldn’t draw a straight line with a ruler, she had a taste for clothes that I can appreciate now as a mom myself. She wanted to look nice but it was hard to do as a construction worker and mother of four. Leggings and loose tops were her everyday look. I loved when she got dressed for court or a meeting because she’d wear her best dresses.
Listen to my first podcast interview with host Kutloano. Hear about how my passion for fashion began at a young age, inspired by her grandmother's love of fashion. My mother's work ethic and education also played a significant role in shaping my entrepreneurial journey.
As the fashion industry moves towards more sustainable practices, my desire and love for the process of designing keeps me determined to expand my brand possibilities and to educate the younger generations how to do the same.
On this podcast, I talk about the challenges of implementing ethical business practices in the fashion industry. I also share my personal story and the importance of following your gut instincts. Tune in on Apple Podcast, Spotify Podcasts or where ever you like to listen.