FASHIONS OF THE MONTH

 Mr. Joe Faulk, CEO, and founder of J Faulk Hats. Originally from Brooklyn, New York, where he also opened a retail store, the designer now resides in North Carolina and loves it. In his comparison between the two, he mentioned a significant and stark contrast referring to Brooklyn as somewhat hectic of an experience and North Carolina proving to be the total opposite. Like many great ideas, concepts, and inventions through the ages, Mr. Faulk’s genius was ignited due to a need. Not ever thinking he would end up becoming a designer, he pulled from his own dilemma of not finding hats that really fit or that met his standard of fashion. And the solution to that eventually became clear, that it was time to make them himself. However, this was no overnight realization as it was not until many years after his idea sparked that he finally acted on it. It also took some time for Faulk to realize, he honestly had a gift. When he saw the way, people marveled at his designs for himself, it was the beginning of a turning point.  

 Unlike other commercial hat and fashion brands, Faulk sets himself apart in that he custom makes every hat himself instead of mass producing them. This means he may not put out as much product at a time as some large-scale companies, but that is the point. Faulk aims to preserve the exclusivity, individuality, and unique - ness of every design. When customers shop with him, they are sure to acquire something that they will not see on anyone else, and this quality puts his product in high demand.  

 His advice while inspiring up-and-coming designers and entrepreneurs is to believe in yourself, stay true to yourself, be humble, do not be afraid to ask for support. As we discussed, the importance of having a team to help build a flourishing empire. His contribution to that was “It’s better to let go and share your blessing, adding that we can’t do it alone, and we bless those we collaborate with by allowing them to shine in their gifts and strengths, arriving at the result of them benefitting your brand.  

Complete Story is in October 2022 Issue!

It was the height of the pandemic when many of us were forced to re-direct our lives and look at how we were making a living. We transition out of the workplace and into the homes. So many lost their corporate income and were challenged to look within and seek other avenues to earn income for their families. Homebased business became the new normal and found some good in this world of change after all. It challenged us to step out on faith and embrace our creativity, which happened to Tanya Perkins, Founder, and CEO of Creative Bottoms Shoe Salon LLC., established in 2020. Tanya decided to listen to her heart and stand on her faith to venture into this home-based business. She was encouraged by family and friends that she would be successful and, sure enough, that her business has grown from one shoe at a time to a very demanding custom re-design shoe business. While speaking with Tanya about her business, she had this to say:

Tanya: My business was inspired by Christian Louboutin Red bottom shoes, a style I admire greatly, but I, like so many others, felt the shoe was not a comfortable shoe for the makeup of most African American feet. However, it is very stylish but not the most comfortable shoe. Hence, I decided to take a pair of my most comfortable and stylish shoes and re-design the bottoms with various custom colors, not just the very popular Red. My goal was never to design a knock-off of this famous designer. It was to enhance a concept the designer introduced to the masses by incorporating different custom colors like pinks, purples, greens, yellow, etc., and adding beautiful gems or even polka dots. 

IAM: Tanya, do you have a targeted market?

Tanya:  My targeted market is uncapped; everyone wears shoes, Women, Men, and children of all ages.

Complete Story is in October 2022 Issue!

In 2009, Ruby took a bold step by moving from spreadsheets and financial statements to metals and fabrics. In short, Ruby went from Finance to Fashion. It all started a few years earlier when she worked as a Financial Analyst at Coca-Cola Enterprises in Atlanta, Georgia. Ruby, seeking a creative outlet, started exploring different art forms in her spare time. What began as a hobby in jewelry-making quickly became a business. Three years into running her part-time jewelry business, she moved to New York and earned a degree in Jewelry Design at the prestigious Fashion Institute of Technology. Unsurprisingly, she built on her jewelry line by adding an equally exciting handbag line. A few years into running her chic boutique in Ghana, she expanded further by adding a children’s line in 2015. She makes every effort to appreciate her job’s not-so-glamorous parts just as much as she cherishes the final pieces that sit pretty on the shelves in her upscale boutique in Accra, Ghana. Bringing it all full circle, her cosmopolitan chic jewelry line is reminiscent of her experiences in different parts of the world.

In contrast, her handbag line pays homage to her home country, Ghana. She is a wife and a mother. When she is not making pretty things, she can be found making memories with her family and friends or decorating spaces (yet another passion of this multi-creative). From the humble beginnings of a kitchen table.