How I got started in accessory designs?

     Accessory design began for me when I was an undergraduate at Xavier University in New Orleans, LA. I was studying Computer Science. However, being the artistic person (visual artist) that I was, I loaded my elective curriculum with as many visual arts courses as possible. After completing an Introductory Painting course, I used remnant materials ( of matting boards and paints ) to design and make myself some earrings, earrings that were miniature pieces of artwork. Well! I worn them to school and the next thing I knew... girls on campus were very excited by my designs and wanted a pair. So from there I started filling orders.

     Years later, I am now a professional actress in New York City having  received a Master's degree in Acting from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. I decide, in addition to the acting to create a millinery business to bring in some additional income. My company was called Restoration Gear New York (RGNY). I up-cycled/restored vintage sweaters. I would take a sweater and transform it into a winter hat and scarf or a winter hoodie and scarf. 

I received a grant from BOC ( The Business Outreach Center), located in the Fort Greene community of Brooklyn, NY. The center was very excited by my designs. My advisor was instrumental in helping me get selected to be apart of a documentary that spotlighted female designers of the African diaspora. The documentary was to focus on designers who were not only of African descent but from Third World countries. I was told by the filmmaker, that though I was American, she felt she had to make an exception to include me, because my hoodie and scarf designs were very innovative.

I would later Meet April Walker of Walker Wear fashion design ( you can read more details about April on my page called 'Mentors'.)  April and BOC decided to collaborate. April formed a group called, The Fort Greene Fashion Group and I was one of about 10-15 people she mentored as a way of giving back as a designer and business owner. She is the first black female designer of Hip Hop Street wear. Her designs have been worn by artists such as, Tupac, Biggie, Queen Latifah, LL Cool Jay, Aaliyah, Jay-Z and many more.  I learned a great deal from her about business, sourcing, core design marketing, etc. I am so thankful to her for all the nuggets she gave. Her knowledge and wisdom about the business and all of the business incite has gone a long way. She is still around and doing her thing. She is one of the designers focused on in Netflix's documentary: The Remix: Hip Hop X Fashion. If you haven't watch the documentary please catch it! It is a thoroughly insightful look at the evolution of Hip Hop street wear and the designers behind it. The  documentary Pays homage to a number of designers, most importantly it gives female designers, who persevered in a male dominated industry, their props. A Powerful Documentary for sure!

As I continued on my journey as a designer and 2015 arrived, Oh My Gosh! Boutique was born. A company of unique hand crafted leather jewelry designs and accessories.