In The Spotlight: Rady Onabanjo, Owner & Designer of Saviwear Brands

Another spotlight for y'all today! As always, if you or your client is interested in being featured on The Spotlight, please visit our Features/Submissions page for more information! 

Today, we have Rady Onabanjo, owner and designer of Saviwear Brands! The designer always had a love of style and fashion, and would receive compliments on her outfits and color coordination. Though she was into rapping and then law for a while, her journey eventually shifted to a career in fashion.

In The Spotlight: Designer Carla Stovall

Happy Friday y'all! We have another great spotlight today! As always, if you are or represent an upcoming artist, designer, producer, etc., and are interested in a feature on the blog, visit our Features/Submissions page for more information!

Today, we have designer Carla Stovall! Raised in Dallas, Texas, Carla began developing a love for fashion as a kid, even drawing out her own designs. She received her degree in Fashion Design and Merchandising at Wade College in her hometown, where she learned how to sew and improved upon her designing and illustration skills. The designer acknowledged she has always paid close attention to styles people wear in Dallas, both the good and the bad. "To this day, when I see certain people, I [think] 'If they just would've done this, that would not look like that on them," Carla said honestly. "Half the time, I notice that people wear things that don't appear like it matches their shape." Those thoughts inspired Carla to begin creating custom pieces for others who are not the ideal "square" or "hourglass" shape.

In The Spotlight: Designer Renata Eileena

Keeping the spotlights coming! As always, if you are or represent an upcoming artist, designer,producer, etc., and would like to be featured on The Spotlight, please visit our Features/Submissions page for more information!

Today, we have designer Renata Eileena, owner of custom line Reneta Eileena, LLC. Raised in Philadelphia, Renata has always had a love of fashion. Though she noted that Philly has its own unique style, the designer admitted her own style is outside of that, finding inspiration from “literally everywhere,” pulling from art, TV shows, etc. “When you’re an artist, you can get inspired from literally looking out the window,” Renata said. She is also inspired by Christian Louboutin, Yves St Laurent, and Betsey Johnson.

In The Spotlight: Designer Joi Lanell (Owner of Yatir Clothing)

Another spotlight for you all! As always, if you are or represent an upcoming artist, designer, producer, etc., that is interested in a feature on The Spotlight, please visit our Features/Submissions page for more information.

Today, we have designer and owner of Yatir Clothing, Joi Lanell! Joi always had a true love of fashion, with her own parents even putting on fashion shows themselves when she was younger. Joi herself began drawing clothes as a kid. "It's just kind of something that I was born into, and it's something that I enjoyed also," Joi said. Though she loved fashion, she began studying film in high school and her first year of college. However, the designer eventually realized that it wasn't something that she had a true passion for, and she made her way back to fashion.

In The Spotlight: Designer Wasimah Dorn

Another spotlight for you all! If you are or represent an upcoming artist, designer, model, etc., please visit our Features/Submissions page for more information on a feature!

Today, we have Wasimah Dorn, creator of women's boutique Cledgy Customs! The designer has always had a great love of fashion, and began designing her own looks, believing that it was a unique way to truly express herself. “I feel like your outfit says a lot about who you are, what you do/like, what mood you are in that day etc.,” Wasimah said. “I've always aspired to be different from everyone else.” She began getting great compliments on her style and questions about where she got her clothes, and people would ask if she could create looks for them as well. “That’s when it all clicked for me,” Wasimah said. “It’s like ‘Okay, well maybe I should start my business and stop playing.’”

In The Spotlight: Hasan Yates (CEO of Masculine Footwear)

Another spotlight for you all! As always, if you are or represent an upcoming artist, designer, poet, etc., please visit our Features/Submissions page for information for a feature on The Spotlight!

Today, we have CEO of Masculine Footwear, Hasan Yates! The entrepreneur started in the shoe industry in September 2014. “I always wanted to create my very own shoe brand,” he said. “I got real serious about it and started doing my research on how to get started in the industry and found a manufacturer in Italy that met all my needs.” He then created footwear brand, Masculine Footwear, which offers products for both men and women!

In The Spotlight: Adrena Martin

Another spotlight and more on the way! If you or your client is interested in being featured on the site, please visit our Features/Submissions page for more info. 

Today on The Spotlight, we have jewelry designer Adrena Martin! Originally from Downers Grove, IL, Adrena attended the historically black college Tuskegee University, graduating in 2012. She knew for a long time beforehand that she wanted to become an entrepreneur, though she wasn’t sure exactly what she wanted her business to be at first, but found her calling. “I was always into fashion and was very creative, so I decided to start making jewelry,” Adrena stated. The designer started her custom jewelry line, CreationZ from A Dove, a month before her graduation from Tuskegee. “Initially I started off just making bracelets, since that was the only thing I knew how to make,” she admitted. “[Then] I began to teach myself other jewelry techniques and started making other products.”

In The Spotlight: Milan Rouge

Quite a few features coming for you guys! As always, if you are or represent an up and coming star in the entertainment or fashion industry, please visit our Features/Submissions page for more information on a feature!

Today on The Spotlight, we have fashion designer Milan Rouge! Milan admitted that she had a strong taste for fashion since she was a little girl. “Even when I would go to school, I would style my uniforms up so it [wouldn’t] look like the typical uniform,” the designer stated. She thought about taking fashion merchandising in college, but decided on business instead because it was a broader topic. “It was always something that I wanted to pursue,” Milan added. “I just didn’t know the avenue or the extent of what I wanted to do with it.”

In The Spotlight: Abigail Lordson-Banini

So glad to be featuring all of these great stars on the rise! As always, if you are or represent an
upcoming artist, designer, producer, etc., visit our Features/Submissions page for more information on how to be featured.

Today, we have designer Abigail Lordson-Banini! Abigail spent the first 15 years of her life in Accra, Ghana, where she watched her grandmother sew her own clothes. “I remember, when I was 11, my mom got me my very first sewing machine,” she reminisced. “Funny enough, I was only allowed to use it once.” The designer moved to the United States in February 2009, and began sketching female figures in gowns after taking an art class in high school (one of the sketches eventually became her prom dress!). Though she enjoyed sketching, at that point in time, she was determined to pursue accounting as a career. However, she soon grew frustrated with her accounting classes as well as a bad relationship, and began creating necklace and earring sets for herself and friends as a stress reliever. “The guy I was dating back then said to me, ‘Why are you pursuing accounting when you can pursue a career in fashion?’”Abigail said. “I did not take it seriously until people started asking me where I got my earrings from.”

Ashley Chin Announces Retirement From Styling, New Ventures with Vaughn Brian and twelveAM

I'm truly grateful for genuine connections and mutual support. I have that with Miami designer Ashley Chin, who I have featured several times on The Spotlight! Over the years, Ashley has branched out into the fashion world tremendously through her styling ,her own designs and now  Lux House Mob brand, as well as writing and editing for Ally The Journalist. I've been proud to watch her grow!

Ashley shared with me today that she is retiring from styling to focus solely on the business side of fashion. From prayer and talking with her mom, she bravely made the decision to turn to a new chapter in her life. "I think it was me really discovering my true niche," the designer said. "I mean, I LOVE styling but I think its run its course and now I have to aim for higher and more challenging projects in order to grow."

In The Spotlight: Valencia Jean

Another spotlight for you all today! As always, if you or someone you know is interested in a feature on The Spotlight, please email me at BrittanyShawnte@gmail.com.

Today we have designer Valencia Jean, who I met briefly at the Made In The DMV Conference a few weeks back. Valencia is an androgynous fashion designer, creating clothes with neither a clear masculine nor feminine look. “I prefer men's clothes because I love the way men walk and feel when they feel good about themselves. But now, men are really starting to pay attention to they look, what's out, what's the trend?,” the designer said. “It allows [me] to really be creative with men’s style. But when I make women's clothes, it has a tomboy feel about it.”

In The Spotlight: Ashley Chin (Part 2)

About three years ago, I did one of my first spotlights on an upcoming designer, Ashley Chin. At the time, both of us were kind of new at our dreams. I was 20, and had just started Spotlight  a little over a year ago back then, and Ashley was branching out into designing. Time has flown by, and all the while, I saw Ashley's continuous tweets about how her career was growing down in Miami, and was so happy for the progress she was making in reaching her goals! So when she hit me up a few weeks ago on Twitter, it was no question that we had to do a followup! Ashley and I had the chance to catch up on her newest ventures, her styling career, as well as new upcoming boutique Vane For Decades!

In The Spotlight: Taelor Lotus

This post has been a long, long, LONG time coming, but finally I'm pleased to present a spotlight on upcoming clothing brand, Taelor Lotus! Had the opportunity to talk to one of the founders of the brand earlier this month. Check out more about Taelor Lotus after the jump!

In The Spotlight: Ashley Chin

Good afternoon everyone! Hope all is well!

I seriously love doing spotlights. Definitely has put me on to some artists, designers, labels, etc. that are killing out here, doing what they love. So I have another one for you all today. Fashion, again! Yeah, I'm branching out? Why, what's up?

Today, I have for you Miss Ashley Chin, an upcoming designer from Miami! The 18-year-old fashionista actually studied fashion merchandising in high school and fell more in love with the industry as time went on. "I've always enjoyed being around clothing, being creative and mixing up my styles," Ashley said.

Read more about Ashley and her designs after the jump!

In The Spotlight: Laudy (Designer)

Hey hey yall. Ahhhh Thursdays...I love em to death. Only have one class in the morning and then chill day. Made some posters for Loyola's gospel choir's concert, did a little cleaning, and now putting in work for the degree and the blog. All in all, good day!

Today, I'm excited to present Miss Laudy, an upcoming designer, who I had the pleasure to talk to and look at one of her designs. First designer ever on In The Spotlight! Hand clap for branching out! Read more about Laudy after the jump!