We recently connected with Elizha Colquit and have shared our conversation below.
Elizha, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?
As a kid, I always felt there wasn’t any real space for men to express themselves through style/fashion. It was always met with ridicule or judgement, and my main area of focus goes far beyond that of self expression, but rather that of self love, self discovery, and living in your own truth. What we wear or how we present ourselves to the world, is often a message about who we are within. Embracing personal style and expressing yourself through clothing is an effective way on communicating this message.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
My names Elizha Colquitt and I am a men’s fashion/personal style content creator. At 12 years old, This journey started when my uncle left a GQ magazine at my grandmother’s house and I found it. The imagery and clothing within always fascinated me, and caused me to question why the people in the magazines didn’t look like people we typically see in real life. Already being interested in art, due to being raised by my artist/musician father, I quickly began looking at style as an art form rather than an everyday task of putting on clothes. Fast forward and today I am styling unique pieces from smaller independent brands or larger brands that need new life breathed into them. My unique take on personal style and avoidance of hyper trends has always given me the ability to stand apart, and thus bring value in a unique way that stands out from my peers.
I’m most proud of my development in this industry, because I didn’t build it from following the masses or doing what’s trendy. I stuck to my own personal self expression and carved out my own piece of the industry that I have been able to dominate in.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
Many don’t know this about me, but in the beginning stages of my creative career the financial aspect was rough. I was homeless a few times in the first year and somehow made it out of the worst part of my life. Many would have given up during this time frame, but I chose to stick with what I believed in, which is myself. The perseverance has since paid off in a huge way. I definitely owe it to God for helping me get through the rough times.
We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?
The two things that set me apart were consistency and authenticity. Posting consistently and being sure that my social media accurately represented my style were key in building my page. If your goal is to build an audience, it has to be brick by brick and likely won’t come from a viral moment. You want a group of people that support you consistently and that takes time. Stay the course, experiment, and more than anything don’t lose yourself.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @elizhacolquitt
