Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jamia Fields. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Jamia, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

I started Stoic Los Angeles (STOLA) in 2020. I had this idea for years of creating a business and I knew I wanted to start with high fashion streetwear. Fashion has always been my creative outlet off the soccer field, so I knew I wanted to create something in this space, but I also knew I wanted the brand to have a strong message. I grew up loving fashion with my mom as my fashion icon. I have always loved putting outfits together, bargain shopping, as well as designer bags. My passion for fashion led me to commit to my designer/styling aspirations.
The meaning behind the name Stoic Los Angeles (STOLA), is enduring pain and hardship. Every collection has a relatable message, so when wearing the pieces, they can really remind the consumer of what they have and will continue to overcome in the future. I knew this was going to be a worthwhile endeavor; not only do I love fashion, but I knew that I was going to use the trials in my journey to create messages that would inspire people on their personal journey, messages that I could have used as inspiration years ago. On the business side of things, I have always had an entrepreneurial spirit. I did my research for a couple years, networked, but at the end day I knew I had to face my fears and launch this God given idea.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My name is Jamia Fields, I grew up in Alta Loma, CA just outside of Los Angeles. I was inspired to be competitive and play sports by my parents who played sports collegiately and my older brother Arby who was a dual sport collegiate D1 athlete as well as a professional baseball player. I learned discipline and hard work at an early age playing soccer and tennis as my main sports but also did swimming, dance, BMX racing, horseback riding, and snowboarding. I proceeded to pursue soccer as my main sport and knew I wanted to play professionally one day. I played collegiately at Florida State University with a Bachelor’s in Psychology, Minor in Biology also winning 3 ACC titles and 1 National Championship. I was drafted in the National Women’s Soccer League in 2015, and proceeded to play in the NWSL until 2017, Europe 2018, NWSL 2019-2022, then back overseas in 2023. I have been playing professional soccer for 9 years and am excited to continue this journey that has birthed many of the messages I have used in my brand.

I believe the discipline instilled in me at a young age from my parents and from sports has given me a relentless mindset that you need when starting a business. I also received my Masters in Business Administration in 2017 which inspired me even further to pursue my business aspirations. I am most proud of following my dreams and passions without allowing the fear of failure prohibit me from going for my goals. From sports to building this business, I continue to always believe in myself, my vision, and my business plan. It is impossible to have it all figured out but clinging to patience and staying eager to learn is how I know I will continue to be successful.

The first collections I have released mainly consist of simple/ high quality sweat suit sets, and high-quality tees with powerful messages such as ‘Endure Beyond Your Control’ and ‘Fueled by Rejection.’ My most recent collection ‘What Would the World be Without Your Story?,’ consisted of a sweater that I had an amazing time selecting every detail from the yarn to the exact dimensions of each piece, allowing my oversized high quality material visions come into fruition, accompanied by baggy cargo pants. Each collection has a blog that is released that allows the consumer to feel in more detail where the messaging of the collection that they are wearing came from. I wanted to create something where high-quality materials and a strong message could coexist.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

A lesson I have had to unlearn on my journey is comparing. Although unlearning certain habits is a lifelong journey, I knew if I wanted to be a Professional Athlete and a Business Owner/ Entrepreneur, I had to truly stop comparing the timing of my life with those around me. The moments in my life when I have been the most discouraged and doubtful is when I was trying to match my life’s timeline with someone else’s. I believe creating STOLA allows me to really speak to those who have had their lives detoured by unfair unforeseen events, but had to continue creating, believing, and living despite the unknown. I have learned that when you loosen your grip on your plans, and let God lead, beautiful, unexpected blessings come along the way that would never fit in the timeline that I could have created for myself.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Growing up in a predominately white neighborhood and playing a predominately white sport has taught me to be resilient at an early age. I have learned to thrive in places where I am the only black person. I have faced stereotyping and discrimination since I can remember and it continues today in my current profession and life in general. I believe these challenges have truly made me who I am on and off the field. In addition, barriers and hurdles of being woman, black business owner/ designer create new challenges in life, but persevering has become the theme of my journey and I am determined to continue breaking barriers. One of my goals has been to continuously put myself in rooms and positions giving myself a seat at the table regardless of being a woman or the color of my skin. I truly believe if I stay confident within, keep pursuing my dreams, stay resilient, God is going to continue taking me places.

Contact Info:

• Website: stoiclosangeles.com
• Instagram: @jamiafields
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JamiaFieldsSoccer
• Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/jamiafields
• Twitter: @jamiafields4
• Other: TikTok: @jamiafields