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

Tiana, appreciate you joining us today. Do you wish you had started sooner?

Sometimes I wish I would’ve started my clothing business sooner with printed apparel. I see those who started t-shirt businesses, sold weave or lip gloss while we were young begin to prosper after years. For instance, I remember seeing Jayda Cheaves on instagram selling edge control in high school and now she’s developed her own clothing brand. I always think sometimes like that could’ve been me. I wish I would’ve thought of something that would’ve made me take off. Often I wished I had the resources or better ideas that would’ve got me the recognition I wanted and not necessarily deserved. As time went on, I realize that I am on the path God intended for me. If that’s how things were supposed to happen for me, they would have. It’s all in divine timing. I am trusting that everything will work out for me when it’s supposed to. I am perfecting my craft and I am in no rush because greatness is not created over night, it takes time. I definitely developed a lot of patience and have relied on faith because I all my dreams and goals will come true.

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.

I am a fashion designer and mental health clinician. I own a luxury clothing brand whose mission is to make high quality goods accessible and affordable to all ensuring consumers while making them feel luxurious and confident. I started my brand during undergrad. When I was younger, I had a Bratz sewing machine. My grandmother and mother helped me and taught me a few things. But I was basically starting fresh skills wise. My freshman year of college, I participated in a fashion show hosted by the Black Culture Center for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It was an amazing experience and resparked my love for fashion and modeling. A couple weeks later, a small business in town was hosting a fashion show. I made a few outfits to enter in the show. The designs were so horrible and I of course did not make the cut. However, from there I minored in textile apparel management and used my classes to develop my skills for my brand .

The fashion show experience also led me to create my very own organization on campus. My sophomore year, I created an organization called Model 3.0 to provide/ create a space for people of color on campus. This organization was to serve as a community for creatives, models, designers, photographers, etc. to work together to network, learn from each other and promote growth within one another through workshops, shows/events, photo shoots, and other resources. The group centered around individuality, self-confidence, and growth among people of color through the expression of arts. Which is what not only do I symbolize but my brand as well. My organization allowed me to host fashions shows, workshops, and events for my peers on campus. It was an amazing experience that allowed me to fiddle in my brand, connect with a bunch of wonderful ladies & gents, and help others.

I officially created Foncé by Marshaé, Foncé for short, in 2020. Foncé is a luxury clothing brand that focuses on custom couture clothing. It is single handedly ran by myself. I have done my website, my photo shoots, my custom creations, etc. I have done the whole 5/9. I have dropped/experimented a few mini collections. I offer ready to wear clothing, custom made clothing, and alterations. What sets me apart from other designers is my clothing being custom made and unique. I don’t just slap a design on a t-shirt ,which I am not knocking but it is far more common. Most of my work is hand/machine made by me. I put in a lot of time, detail, and consideration into my work while also trying to make it affordable. Also, since I make custom clothing, I work with all types of people (shape, size, body type, etc.). Foncé’s goal is to make all feel confident and beautiful! I hope to incorporate my semiconductor passion of mental health into my business and expand it to a brand that not only makes you look good but makes you feel good from a holistic perspective. I am so proud of how my brand continues to develop and grow as whole. Even though it’s been slowly coming, it continues to get better and better. There’s no doubt in my mind that it will be as big as Chanel, Alexander McQueen, or Yves Saint Laurent. Like fine wine, it’s just going to get better with time.

Have you ever had to pivot?

I am actually in a huge pivot in life currently. The end of last year I had had my first fashion show for my Brand. It was intimate for family and friends and had turned out amazing! I had also started a new job in my other occupation field as a Mobile Crisis Responder. So I went into the new year ready to take on and elevate my brand and just continue to grow. I had all these plans to do free outfit raffles, do more custom clothing, and put out more collections. But instead the beginning of the year started off in shambles for me as my mother took sick and was hospitalized on 1st. The entire first half of the year was me trying taking care of my mom. Everything started crashing down in the process. My mom passed in May and it was the most devastating thing that has ever happened to me. My mom was my biggest cheerleader, my rock. Life threw so much at me this year from the lost of family, lost of friendships, family torn apart, a bad breakup, so many more things that I wish I was making it up. And so through all these life experiences I have been trying to navigate not only grief but the life I had to continue to live. It’s a huge pivot for me that I am still navigating. But I still been working through it all and trying to keep moving forward and just be the best I can and do the best I can. I really want to go all in with my business but I also use my day job to fund it until it gets off the ground. So definitely just trying to find a balance and continue to make my dreams come true.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding aspect of being a fashion designer is making other people feel good about themselves. When I first started my organization in undergrad, I remember girls telling me how much I had helped to build their confidence and break them out of their shell. That was the most rewarding thing and now I get to do that through my business. I love that I get to give people a certain type of confidence and self love. When you look good you feel good! Personally, my style has allowed me to express myself. It has allowed me to be loud when I walk in the room without even opening my mouth yet. It has given me my voice. And now I get help other get their own voice as well. What you wear tells a story about who you are. Like knowing your style, when you and knowing who you are, no one can tell you anything. And your style is only a piece of that. I hope to tie my mental health career in with my fashion career because it all has everything to do with individuality, self-esteem, and just feeling good about yourself overall. Everyone wants to feel good/look good and you shouldn’t have to go through extreme measures to be able to. Not to mention retail therapy is a real thing haha. I don’t know anyone who has bought new clothes, new shoes, or a new bag and didn’t feel good afterwards even if the bank account was hurting🤣.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.foncemarshae.com
• Instagram: Foncemarshae
• Facebook: Fonce by Marshae
• Other: TikTok foncemarshae