We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Alexis Graham a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Alexis thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

I’ve always been unique in my own way. Growing up, I was active. I played soccer and basketball and as a hobby, I drew from time to time. Never really took drawing too seriously as basketball became my main interest going into High School to eventually playing AAU ( Amateur Athletic Union). Starting in middle school, everyone thought I did cheerleading because of the way I carried myself and would dress. I was girlie but with a splash of toughness or I would just say male tendencies. Everyone was so surprised I played aggressive sports and would clown me saying” Are good?” Especially with basketball. But Overall, I would always put a fit together. I was even in my high school newspaper of 2012 for being the most well-dressed. In 2014, Senior year. Now by this time, I had pretty much figured out what I wanted to do, which was to play collegiate basketball. I was traveling, playing in front of thousands of people, and putting on for college coaches. Fast forwarding, the tables slowly turned and I decided to not take a specific offer for a D2 college and to be a regular average American and go to college. Two years went by, I came back home realizing that the major that I chose was not the path I wanted. So I went to a local community college and took on a different major and welp! realize that neither was my calling. After doing some searching within myself and speaking with friends, I realized I should just go back to my old stomping grounds. A place where I felt the freest and that was drawing and the love I had for clothes. So I ended up moving to Charlotte where I received my Bachelor’s Degree in Fashion Merchandising & Retailing at Johnson & Wales University.

Alexis , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

In 2019, my life changed unexpectedly. I had to undergo brain surgery. This was the lowest, most pivotal moment of my life. But It was a special moment where it was just me and God. No one else. Just me and him. This was the moment when he tested me. He tested my faith. The crazy thing was, All my family and friends were so moved by how calm I was during the whole experience. But, I just knew that I would be okay because my faith was so HIGH. Every person will encounter a test with god. And the test is your faith. How strong is your faith? You have to have crazy faith to get through dark times. And that led me to my brand called Créatif Dépt. As a child of God, I am using my testimony to impact others and their ability to innovate. and most of all to use what god instilled in them. From a young age, having a ” girlie” persona but male tendencies molded me into a distinct female. Which led me to expressing myself through clothes. Créatif Dépt is a contemporary menswear line integrated with streetwear, art & photography. Créatif is interpreted and pronounced as “Creative” in French, used as the masculine version. Creativity to me doesn’t just mean involving quirky ideas. It’s a fundamental way of expressing one’s ability of thinking that others may not perceive. I want to use my creativity as a vehicle of storytelling and fuel those in doing the same. Creativity is in every single one of us. The best part is, you just have to find it. As a brand, we want to capture inspiration to create timeless pieces with demonstrating aesthetics of our own.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being creative is finding who you really are. In today’s age, we are surrounded by so much technology and enhancement of it. From social media to what is being shown on television. We often lose sight of who we are or who we ought to be. This world can be very dark or very bright but it’s how you make it. That’s the beauty of life, you have the power to control your own destiny. Once you find yourself and your purpose on this earth, No one can take that from you.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

Yes! my brand Créatif Dépt. It’s my baby in spiritual form. Our mission is to inspire others to Use What God Instilled in them. To find their purpose in their life. It may take weeks, months, or even years. But everyone, I mean everyone has a reason on being on this earth. You just have to take baby steps its no rush. From 2017-2019, I was rushing. Rushing trying to graduate early, rushing trying to move, etc. One thing, god would do is stop you. And that is what he did, he stopped me, and although it wasn’t the kind of stop I wanted. But I realized, it was for that very moment he birthed Créatif Dépt. in me to use my testimony to inspire others to just simply innovate.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.creatifdept.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/creatifdept/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100069147793545
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexisngraham32
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcGq55MAo-XUzqMDBK8l84Q

Image Credits
@Underratedviews And @Flazemshotz