Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Quiana Brown. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Quiana , appreciate you joining us today. Let’s start with the decision of whether to donate a percentage of sales to an organization or cause – we’d love to hear the backstory of how you thought through this.
Once we entered one of the most detrimental moments in our lives. I was asked to make mask for the for the pandemic. I wasn’t sure if this was something I was interested to do (if I was, I would have to do research to make sure the product would be effective) I then dove in to making mask from scratch. With 2 1/2 months I made and shipped 450 masks (from east to west coast and oversees) for every mask I donated $1 dollar to America Feed. Hunger. Totally $450. I’m so blessed to be able to express my gift and try my best to protect what needed to be protected, our family, friends, our community!
Quiana , 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 a kid, I always had an eye for making my own clothes. By the age of seven, I started painting on shirts from templates that you can buy from the arts and craft store. I was making bracelets and selling them for a dollar at school. Also, I was able to sketch people by the age of nine.
As a teen, I was back and forth with designing t-shirts and destroying my own clothes on purpose as my own statement. Through the years, I decided to put fashion aside and work on a career. Went to college. Received a BA degree in Computer Science Concentration Network Security. I went to become a Video Engineer. By 2014, I decided to get back into what I loved so much, what felt good inside. Fashion, clothes, and art. In 2015, I started my own brand name LAYOL.
That’s LOYAL backward. A great Mentor Demeta Petterbark (Lady D Fashion LLC), guided me step in learning the basics of sewing. This developed me to creatively think always outside the box. I use contrast textured fabric. I started to recreate the style in an eclectic way. This is who I am… and I LOVE IT!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I don’t want to call this a struggle, but there have been some slow processes. Growing pains. The brand took off at a great pace. I started with certain pieces (shirts only). Then got into sewing, finding my niche.
From here, I was venturing into the fashion show industry. I Started going to countless pop-up shops. I believe the growing pain started. I started to question if I was doing the right thing.
Due to sale. It was not flowing the way I was expecting. For about a year there were some setbacks, but I stuck it through.
’m a fashion designer. I specialize in bringing Sheek to the street.
I use a lot of contrast creatively within my brand. I’m most proud of how my mind works. I love abstract. I say your fabric is the blank canvas for what you are about to create and that is what sets me apart from other designers. It is a psychological way of thinking.
Driving in traffic, taking trips inside your mind. Daydreaming how the fabric will come to life. I honestly don’t have an ecstatic. I love making things that excite and challenge me at times.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
It will get harder, but that’s amazing about your journey. Keep going when it gets tough. To not following what is trending. Be yourself. Finding what keeps you at peace. Im so thankful…
Where do you think you get most of your clients from?
Fashion shows, my amazing LAYOL family that put my brand out to the public ( that keeps me inspired)😊
Contact Info:
- Website: www.layol.co
- Instagram: @layol.loyal
- Facebook: Layol Layol
- Twitter: @layol.loyal
- Other: Pinterest Layol Loyal
Image Credits
Photos by Erik Nomm IG: @rawoptix