We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Annette Walter a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Annette, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Going back to the beginning – how did you come up with the idea in the first place?
UrbanKinksNCurls was first started as a creative outlet after working 9-5 in an office on a computer all day in NYC for a small e-com luxury fashion company. I’ve always been a fashion creative and felt like I needed an outlet to create so I started UrbankinksNCurls to do just that. I started showcasing my styling abilities by creating different looks and posting them on social media. After the first wave of creativity flowed another started and I started making African Printed Handbags and headbands and selling them online. I learned how to sew in high school at Fashion Industries high school in Manhattan, so I first made them by hand. Unfortunately, my handbag and accessory business didn’t last too long so I went back to my first love of fashion styling. That’s when small brands started to reach out to me asking me to create content with their items and I loved it. I then started to take my style content creator position more seriously and stared to work with a lot of small brands and even some well known ones. My social media account started to grow over the years into a community of all like minded ladies who all loved fashion and creating looks on a budget and with what you already have in the closet. It’s been 5 years and we are still here creating and growing. I’m planning on expanding UrbanKinksNCurls into a small boutique within the next year starting with accessories, so be on the lookout for that.
Annette, 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?
As of right now I’m focusing on style content creation for fashion and accessory brands. I want to be able to show my followers how to style pieces more than once and get the most bang for their bucks.
I think people are more reluctant to buy more quality and unique pieces when they know they will be able to restyle it season after season. I’m also trying to show my followers how important it is to thrift before buying retail for certain items. Especially from the men’s section. I’m a big fan of mens thrifted blazers and shirts for a timeless oversized fit.
Overall I want my brand UrbanKinksNCurls to be known for uplifting women through fashion. When you look good you feel good and do good. It just has a way for bringing out the confidence of a woman when she feels and looks her best. It doesn’t take much to do when you buy pieces that are beautiful to you and make you feel excited about wearing them.
I want to be able to correlate that same feeling when I style pieces for brands.
Eventually I want to focus on my own boutique that focuses on bold statement pieces and accessories some of which I design myself. I want to then branch off into interior and event design as well. Even though my background is in fashion and I want to be able to help people make everything around them beautiful with styling their homes as well as special events.
I’m so proud of the following I’ve built on social media and the connections I’ve made. I’ve met some amazing women that truly inspire me to keep going and follow my dreams. They see my potential and it makes me show up even when I don’t feel like it sometimes.
I just want to grow into my full potential and work for myself in the long run.
How did you build your audience on social media?
I built my following on social media by just being myself on the platforms. I’m truly authentic with my followers. I interact with them through my content and with theirs as well. My community is with women who generally share a similar interest of fashion and styling. I comment and share my thoughts with them. I share quotes that inspire me and make me feel good inside with my followers, all while giving them a daily dose of fashion Inspo with my content. I would advise anyone who is starting out to be consistent with sharing your content so that your followers don’t forget you easily. I think that’s so important. Even if it’s a couple of times a week so you don’t get creator burn out as well. If it starts to feel like a job and not something you’re happy to do, take a break. That always helps me. Breaks are needed as a creative. It helps you feel refreshed and you become back with even better content.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect about being a creative is not caring about what anyone thinks about my work or what I create through self expression. It’s my piece of freedom. I create what I want and if someone doesn’t like it, that’s okay with me. It’s my interpretation not anyone else. I love everything I create and that’s exactly why if a brand reaches out to me and their products or services don’t feel authentic to me or my brand I turn it down.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.UrbanKinksNCurls.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/urbankinksncurls?igsh=YjBoMTg5Z2hyd2g2&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100079572916815&mibextid=LQQJ4d
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@annettewalter9189?si=eHuFC7IZ2_C1p_z-
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@urbankinksncurls?_t=8k552XHeBHm&_r=1