We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful KB Vega. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with KB below.

KB, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Do you wish you had started sooner?

I guess to answer your question, I have to give you the backstory of becoming a creative in the fashion world. When I was younger, I always dreamed of being a model. I was never one to be shy in front of a camera, and even at a young age people would say I was very photogenic.

I grew up in a mansion with 13+ family members at one time, so you can only imagine how fun but chaotic our house was. My dad was a serial entrepreneur in the restaurant industry, so he was rarely around because he was always working. Many nights it was just me, my mom, and my two older sisters.

Because we lived in this big house with my dad’s family, there were times that my aunts and uncles would host dinner parties for their friends that we weren’t really a part of. During those nights, me, my mom and my sisters would stay in our parents’ wing of the house. We’d watch T.V., have dinner together, and just spend time with each other.

Sometimes we’d play ‘Pretty Pretty Princess’ where I would dress up in my mom’s furs, hats and beautiful couture pieces and put on a runway show for her and my sisters. They would rate me and give me scores, just like a real runway show. I cherished those moments because it was just the four of us, in our own world, our own little sanctuary, away from the hustle and bustle of the house. It was our own little escape. Looking back, I truly believe that’s where my love for modeling began.

My love for fashion was already there before that. Ever since I was born, my mom dressed me in beautiful, one-of-a-kind pieces. I was always a well-dressed little girl in petticoats, frilly socks, and shiny patent leather shoes. Fashion had always been part of my life. The love for modeling just came a little later during those special moments with my mom and sisters.

Growing up, I loved experimenting with style. I never had just one look. One day I might be in Adidas shell-toes with baggy Dickies cargo jeans and a hoodie, and the next day I’d be in bell-bottom jeans, platforms, and a colorful sweater. I loved putting outfits together and creating my own unique style. I remember flipping through magazines and looking at the cover girls, imagining what it would be like to be one of them someday.

Since I had a love for fashion already, I wanted to take a stab at my modeling dreams. When I was a teenager, around 15-16 years old, I walked into a well-known modeling agency in Boston. I remember being excited but super nervous, not knowing what to expect, but ready to live out a dream of mine. Well, that excitement quickly turned into feelings of inadequacy when I was told that I had a pretty face but I was too overweight to be a model. Ironically, at the time, I was struggling with anorexia and bulimia and I was at my thinnest weight. Hearing those words crushed me, and it became one of the things that led me down a dark path of self-hate and low self-esteem.

To answer your question if I wish I started earlier or done things differently, my answer is no. As painful as that time in my life was, I wouldn’t change it because it helped shape me into the strong woman I am today. It also became one of the main reasons I started my brand inspiher empire clothing, which is all about empowering women to embrace self-love, body positivity, and confidence.

The modeling industry was very different back then. It was extremely limited on what they considered ‘model material’…you know super tall, super thin, blonde or brunette. All the things I wasn’t. Today, the industry is evolving and more inclusive. Now, they’re embracing me as I am. Plus-size, tattooed, short, and beautifully aging (IMO lol).

Back then I had to try to fit into their expectations. Now, they’re fitting into mine. And I’m beyond grateful that I’ve been given a second chance to fulfill my dream.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Hi! My name is KB Vega and I’m a designer, entrepreneur and model based in the Boston area. I’m the founder of inspiher empire, a feel-good clothing and lifestyle brand that’s all about confidence, empowerment, and encouraging women to step into their power. But the truth is, my brand didn’t initially start with clothing. It started with my story.

For years I struggled with feeling like I wasn’t good enough, worthy enough, or deserving enough. I went through a lot growing up and carried those experiences into adulthood. When I began my own healing and self-love journey, I started opening up on IG about things I went through that I had kept quiet about for so long. Things like trauma, addiction, abuse, loss and the struggle to rebuild my confidence and love myself again. What I didn’t expect was how many people would reach out and say my honesty helped them feel less alone. That’s when I realized that sharing my story wasn’t just helping me heal, it was helping others too. That realization is what led me to create inspiher empire.

Fashion has always been a huge part of who I am, so I decided to combine my love for style with my passion for empowering others. The brand grew into a clothing line with bold designs, fun colors, and uplifting messages to remind women that they are powerful, capable, and more than enough exactly as they are.

After starting my brand, I decided to go after another dream of mine that was put on hold for three decades, yes….you read that right, THREE DECADES. It was modeling.

When I was younger , I was told I was too overweight to be a model. That comment alone stuck with me for many years and made me believe that dream just wasn’t for me. Eight months ago, I said eff it and decided to go after my sought after dream once and for all. What’s the worst that could happen, right? Well, I was hoping not a repeat of what happened thirty years ago. And thankfully, it wasn’t.

In the past year alone, I have been blessed with the incredible opportunity to walk in New York Fashion Week (twice!! as a model and first time ever as a designer!), New Hampshire Fashion Week, and I’m about to step on the stage in May for Massachusetts Fashion Week! To once know that I was shunned from a world that seemed so out of reach, to now being able to walk on some of the biggest stages in the fashion world, I am literally speechless. Little KB would be so proud just as much as I am now.

What sets my brand apart from the rest? Well, we’re not just a clothing company to make you feel cute, comfy and confident, but we are a community to uplift, support and empower. A movement. Like a sisterhood of total badasses that are stepping fully into who they were meant to be.

One thing I want people to know about me and my brand is that dreams do not, I repeat, DO NOT have an expiration date. Go after what you want, at any time, at any age, at any size. If I could live out my dreams at 44 years old, then hell, so can you. It’s never too late to show the world what you’re made of.

This is why I do what I do. So women know their potential and go after everything they ever dreamed of.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

The mission behind everything I do is simple….I love helping people realize they are more powerful than they think. For most of my life, I felt like I always had something to prove. No matter what I did it never felt like it was enough, and over time that left me feeling completely worthless. It took a lot of healing and self-work for me to finally find a level of self-love and confidence. Because of that, I never want others to feel like they have to go through what I went through just to realize their worth.

I always said that if I can inspire at least one person a day, then I am doing something right with my life.

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

For me, one of the biggest moments of resilience in my journey has been going after a dream I had put on pause for over thirty years; becoming a model. When I was younger, I was told I didn’t have the ‘right’ body type for the industry, and at that age you tend to believe what people tell you. So I shut that dream down before it even really had a chance.

Years later, after doing a lot of growing, healing, and rebuilding my confidence, that dream started creeping back into my mind. I remember thinking to myself, why not now? Why not at least try?

So I decided to go for it.

I’m really proud of myself for having the courage to take that leap after all these years. It wasn’t easy putting myself out there again, but it felt like I was reclaiming something that was always meant to be part of my story. I’m also incredibly grateful for the people who believed in me and encouraged me along the way. Sometimes all it takes is a little support and someone reminding you that you’re capable of more than you think.

That experience taught me that resilience isn’t always about pushing through the hard moments. Sometimes it’s about having the courage to circle back to a dream you once let go of and finally giving yourself the chance to go after it.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://kbvega.kavyar.site/
• Instagram: @vega.in.vogue
• Facebook: KB Vega
• Other: TikTok: @vega.in.vogue

Image Credits

Reggie Humphrey
Sabrina Deaver
Shawn Nelson
Steve Vinson