Today we’d like to introduce you to Imani Brown.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I fell in love with fashion late middle school early high school. I think it all started when I got my first pair of Pastries sneakers and purse to match! From that moment, I started hand sewing clothes and crafting accessories out of any and everything I could find. I remember being on the phone with my friends at night, literally making the outfit and or accessories I was going to wear the next day when I was in high school.
During that time though, it was all about fashion design. I had a portfolio with sketches from a young age. Spent more time in math class sketching than anything else… well, and running my mouth of course!! When it came time to start applying for colleges, I knew that I wanted to go to SCAD, the Savannah College of Art and Design. I wasn’t sure of anything else, how it was gonna be paid for, I wasn’t even sure that I wanted to go for fashion design, which led me to picking Fashion Merchandise as my major. Well, long story short, SCAD is hella expensive and financial aid was not trying to cut the check I needed them to, so I definitely didn’t go to SCAD. Because of that I sat out a semester and learned that I had a love for styling. I spent that entire summer insta stalking Olori Swank, so big shout out to sis for being an inspiration!
After that semester, I decided to go to Savannah State University for the Spring and majored in Journalism with a concentration in Online and Print. That same semester I joined a modeling organization on campus. At first, I mainly did runway, I was enjoying myself with that, so I really didn’t think about fashion in the design and styling aspect. It wasn’t until my first time creating and putting together a scene for our school’s Homecoming fashion show that I was reintroduced to my love for fashion. I designed and put together some outfits for a few of the models to wear for the show.
Toward the end of my college matriculation, I lost myself terribly. Allowed people and situations to completely drain me. I forgot how to dress, I forgot how to just be me. It wasn’t until 2020 when I started soul searching and really just taking getting myself together seriously. I had started my own YouTube channel, I was working out, eating healthy, taking care of my family, just really trying to get myself and my relationship with God together.
My love for fashion started to come back again and I felt an urge to get a sewing machine. I just knew I needed one. I hadn’t sewn or touched clothes in that way in so long, my spirit was craving it. I eventually found one at Walmart for the low low and I began attempting to make two-piece sets and tailoring the things that were big on me since I had lost weight.
My YouTube channel hit 300 subscribers and because I’m someone that celebrates every moment I wanted to get dressed and take some pictures of myself to celebrate my milestone accomplishment, I told my followers on my IG story that that’s what I wanted to do.
Valerie, someone that I was no longer friends with at the time, who is a photographer/videographer contacted me after seeing my IG story and offered to take my milestone pictures for me. I was nervous and hesitant at first because of where we stood with each other, but I agreed because sis can take some pictures okay, period! The shoot went great, all the footage is on my YouTube channel if you want to check it out.
Well, when she finished editing the pictures and it was time to post she reached out and asked me to be a part of her production team as a Wardrobe Stylist. Mind you, I never REALLY styled anyone, I just fell back in love with fashion, so I was still fresh and trying to make sense of everything. Val trusted me and my expertise when it came to putting pieces and patterns together because we went to high school and college together, so she already had an understanding of what I was capable of.
After lots of prayers and asking my husband and mom what they thought, I decided to go through with it. I wasn’t sure where it was going to take me or if I would even like it for real, all I knew was where I was in life at that point, emotional, mentally, and financially, something had to give. I had completely gotten tired of trying to understand where God wanted me to go and how he wanted me to move, so I threw up my hands, gave all my worries to God and said “WHAT THE HECK, why not!”
I remember before I got that call from Val asking me to be the Wardrobe Stylist on her team my husband and I were on a fast, and during the fast we had a list of things that we asked God for everyday when we prayed. One thing that I put on the list was to do something that I loved that could make me some money. From that moment, October 2020, I have been Wardrobe Styling for clients, test shoots and editorial, and I have been making money doing it!
It’s funny because getting paid for your work is cool, but it’s nothing more rewarding for a stylist than seeing your work on clients, celebrities or in a magazine. In less than a year, for the first time ever, my work can be found on the cover and in a spread in Disrupshion Magazine’s Spring 2021 issue!
Your girl is officially a published Wardrobe Stylist, and I can only thank God for how he moved in my life, how he pushed and pressed me, turned things around in my life that I may have thought were to hurt me but was really to position me. I don’t know what God has in store for me next, but I know to expect nothing less than what I’ve already been blessed with. I’m excited for where this journey is going to take me, and this is LITERALLY ONLY the beginning!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Things so far have been smooth for the most part. I mean there are moments that are tough, and there are moments I cry, scream, and kick but I think that because what I do is truly a love and a passion of mine it feels less like a struggle and more like character and knowledge building experiences. The process of getting the clothes from brands, putting outfits together to fit my concept, and making sure my concept told a story was one of those character and knowledge-building moments. Remember, I just started styling last October so most of these things I never did up until that point! I learned so much.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m a Wardrobe Stylist, YouTuber, and Influencer. My YouTube channel is centered around fashion, family, and lifestyle. You can find behind the scenes of photoshoots I’ve styled for, travel vlogs, couple and family vlogs, try-on hauls/unboxing videos, and more. I am most proud of my little family! I’m a stay-at-home mom of 1 and wife of the best man in the world. My family is so resilient and strong, funny, lively, connected, prosperous, abundant, like I literally could go on and on about what makes me proud of my family most. I can’t talk about my family without giving credit to my hard working, supportive, sexy smooth chocolate husband of mine. He is literally what bands this family together. He’s such an amazing father and my number one supporter, and if he weren’t those things, doing what I do as a Wardrobe Stylist, YouTuber, and Influencer wouldn’t be as easy as he’s made it for me.
The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
I was more reminded of certain things than anything. I was reminded of the importance of not having so many people/energies in your space, and that applies physically and spiritually. WASH YO HANDS! and most importantly the importance and benefit of leaning on God, not just in times like the Covid-19 crisis, but all the time!
Contact Info:
- Email: TheeImaniAnisa@gmail.com
- Instagram: Instagram.com/theeimanianisa
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/c/TheeImaniAnisa
Image Credits
Photographer: Seth London Photographer: VallieMackProductions Makeup: IAmErikaMoore
