Conversations with Layla K

Hi Layla, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My fashion career began in the late 90’s as a couture designer. I have since expanded my talents to many parts of the industry including creative direction, photography, merchandise buying, graphic design, web development, marketing, editorial writing, fashion show production, brand styling, fashion PR and more! I am most notably known for founding the original Atlanta Fashion Week, affectionately known as Haute.lanta® and I continue to produce shows for private and corporate clientele. Prior to COVID, I was working with the Rally Foundation for Childhood Cancer as Production Manager for their annual runway show, alongside Bentley Motors and local NFL players. I have lost so many loved ones to various forms of cancer so working with these young girls, some as young as three, has been very close to my heart. Giving back is the backbone of what I do. Fashion and marketing are what I am talented at and truly passionate about, but my purpose here is worth much more than any piece of designer couture!

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The road has never been a smooth one, but I can’t say that I regret any one thing. Every obstacle and setback has always been a blessing or a lesson in the end. A lot of the adversity that I’ve overcome including being a teen mother has prepared me for the charity work that I do with young women and teen girls. I am in a position to offer a positive impact and I don’t take that lightly. As a matter of fact, I am currently writing a healing journal for women.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Nicknamed “Miss Viral” by my colleagues, aside from my fashion endeavors, I spend my days as a professional digital and social marketer. I have been in the marketing business for over 15 years and I especially love social media. I’ve spent millions of dollars in ad budget for automotive brands and clients on Facebook and Instagram, but my personal social pages boast millions in monthly organic reach without ads. I am the Queen of Content! I am set apart because I am multi-talented but very much humble and extremely driven. I have a proclamation from the City of Atlanta and my events + client media placements have rewarded me with features on television including The Travel Channel and in magazines/books including VOGUE, Armani, ELLE, ESSENCE, Gestalten, In Style, Marie Claire, The Zoe Report, Atlanta Mag and many more.

Aside from running ads, I own a creative agency called Madison+Harlow where I offer brand development, graphic design, and marketing services for influencers and fashion and beauty brands. Additionally, I offer a collection of digital products, webinars and motivational planners that teach fashion and women entrepreneurs how to grow and market their businesses online. I also have a niche conglomerate of brands that focus on Black culture which includes a black fashion business directory, black digital magazine, and black love movement. Stay fashionably tuned for my new project, an awesome podcast called Grace & Glamour!

What are your plans for the future?
The future of my business is all about pivoting from my service business to offering my expertise and products 100% online. This is huge for me because I have spent many years working directly with my clientele, which I love, but I feel that focusing on the digital space will allow me to reach many more entrepreneurs all over the world. I am super excited about it and due to launch my second digital product Insta-GLAM: The Digital Doll’s Guide to FAST Instagram Growth on 11/1/21.

Contact Info:

• Email: PR@madisonharlow.com
• Website: http://madisonharlow.com
• Website: http://digitaldollofficial.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/digitaldollofficial
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/digitaldollstudio
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/Slaylak