We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Nyla Handy a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Nyla , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you recount a story of an unexpected problem you’ve faced along the way?
They say always be prepared for the worst, but what happens when the worst makes you want to quit? What do you do when your thrive for life is gone? I have the answer for you. You keep strutting; but in order to strut you must continue to take one step at a time. Sometimes life situations breaks us down so low that we feel like we are crawling…and guess what that is ok. Why? because you must learn how to crawl before you can stand. Its just like a baby, they have to build up the strength to get their footing and their balance to reach an equilibrium to propel. The same concept applies to us when unexpected problems and issues hit us- we may fall down, but you don’t stay down. You examine your surroundings (the things that life left you to work with i.e your creativity) and you find your balance (your lane, your niche) to reach your equilibrium to excel again. Remember, not every down fall is a failure because when you get up you will be stronger than you were before the fall.
Nyla , 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?
When I was a little girl, I never wanted my mother to dress me- I wanted to do it on my own- and she let me do just that! My mother knew that I was a fashion force to be reckoned with when I was 5 years old. I never followed the school uniform rules. I always pushed the limits to the tip, but all of my teachers knew my purpose so I never got sent to the office for pushing the style on school uniforms. You know the dull khaki bottoms with a navy or white button down shirt or polo. My uniform had to have color- the knee length printed colorful socks; the flashy belt to match and don’t forget the accessories- bangles, earrings and the kicks always stayed fresh. I was blessed to have a family and community that supported my stylish shenanigans during my years in school. After graduating top of my senior class as the Valedictorian at University Academy in 2008- I attended a fashion college, Stephens College, Columbia, MO. I graduated with my Bachelor of Fine Arts in Fashion Design & Product Development in 2012. Go figure! This fashion career is not just a portion of my purpose, but it is legacy. My grandmother planted this in me during my toddler and elementary years. We would take trips to Hancock Fabrics and pick out fabrics for her prom and bridal clients – we visited Hancock Fabrics so much that the employees knew my name as a 5 year old little girl. Now watch how legacy and purpose collide in a full circle. Guess where my first job was fresh out of college…Hancock Fabrics. I was the store manager of Hancock Fabrics as soon as I graduated college at the age of 21. This is where I managed a staff of 8 people, processed payroll and so many other things that comes with being a store manager. During this phase of life, I solved the problems of many customers who came in and did not know how to sew or have the sewing background that I had – I was the creative problem solver of the company. A few years later, the company closed its doors all across the board and I was left with only my creativity and all my sewing machines. So I began my own apparel business Undomesticated Couture, which is now known as NYLA Couture. I grew connections and clientele from all the customers problems I was solving that I met at Hancock Fabrics. The brand went through many changes… and today NYLA Couture stands as an international brand that has been published in Fashion United UK | Fashion Magazine 24 | Elle Italia | 24 Fashion Television| Marie Claire | The Impression | Madame Figaro Spanish | Hollywood Times | Weekly Style Magazine | Shoutout Houston | Voyage KC | VonRouge Magazine and counting.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
Now, lets go back to when I was talking about when life throws you unexpected situations and you have to learn to crawl before you can walk. In 2019, I was broke and broken hearted. My corporate title as product development was terminated and my engagement was called off – we all know how love goes. I was so depressed and unmotivated about life because everything that I praised and deemed high in my life had left my life. So what did I do – I stopped creating, not knowing that shutting down my creativity was the very thing holding me back from reaching my liberty, my freedom, my healing through my situation that life had thrown me. I had a very supportive family and circle of friends that kept me sane during this very low point in my life. Let alone my love for Jesus Christ grew stronger because I had to learn who I was in Him all over again because I felt like I lost everything, when in reality I gained everything, I just had t tap into my full potential for it to blossom. I had to crawl and figure out who Nyla was to the world and once I got my balance, I could stand and know what I had to offer the world through my creativity. That is how my book “STRUT: Unapologetically Living in Your Own Shoes” was birth. It is a 365 day devotional catered to women that feel like they have been knocked down in life and have to crawl again in order to walk and then strut in their purpose. My book can be purchased online at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Walmart. Resilience is not easy, but I promise you that you wont regret taking those steps once you get up and STRUT!
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
There are so many hurting people that smile to the world, but are hurting on the inside. I was one of them. I had to be strong for the people that were watching me to show them that no matter what comes or what goes, you got to keep strutting and stay focused. My goal is to deal with the interior before reconstructing the exterior with my fashion business because how can we feel good on the outside if we don’t feel good on the inside first…That is why I exist.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.nyla-couture.com
- Instagram: @nyla.couture
- Facebook: NYLA Couture
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqM_0HGOYwy3tc2GP9cSYiw
- TikTok: @nylacouture
Image Credits
Photograpy: Geneava Wilson Photography Production: Peoria Fashion Week 2023