Check Out Tayla Herring’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tayla Herring.

Hi Tayla, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I’m originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. As a kid I was enamored by anything that had to do with fashion and makeup. My nana would spend hours in front of the vanity doing her makeup for Church or whatever the event was for the day and I would sit in her room with her while she got ready. She would lay her clothes out and choose different accessories to match each outfit and I was hooked. At home my mom always had clothing madness and endless shoes. She has always loved a good shoe and a “smell good” IYKYK!!! I would get lost in looking at all the beautiful clothes she had. I loved seeing her get dressed up to go out with her friends. Her beauty made me proud.

In my eyes my dad was the flyest guy around. Had the Coogi sweaters and hats to match and he was a DJ. .going to gigs and concerts with him and seeing him in his element created a curiosity that only continue to grow. As I got older fashion and music became ways for me to express myself. When I was little I remember cutting holes in my clothes and drawing all over them because I wanted to “make them better.” Growing up, there were not alot of places that had clothes in my size that I liked so I found myself either buying clothes that were “too grown” for me or gravitating toward men’s clothes because well my dad was fly af andddd the clothes fit better . So I would accessorize with jewelry, bags, and custom color ways on shoes. I found people that would customize; spray paint and reconstruct things for me and I began to experiment myself.

Dynasti Entertainment was my first passion project turned business venture. Co-founding Dynasti was such a pivotal moment for me. The family we created through music and art is one of a kind. The melting of music and fashion in my universe was inevitable. Discovering my love for creative directing evolved naturally. Watching artists I worked with develop the treatments for their music videos immediately resonated for me. The process ,the costumes, the props, the makeup, the story telling through music and art/fashion and I’ve had the itch ever since.

Exploring my passion for Makeup and Artistry came through creative directing. I have spent the last 10+ years falling in love with makeup, music and fashion over and over again. I am a professional makeup artist, Creative Director and Co-founder of Dynasti Entertainment but I am also just a girl figuring it all out as I go.

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?
Absolutely not!

I am a black plus size woman that started working in the music and entertainment industry and I literally had to claw my way through rooms with my fresh set of acrylics and then once I got into the rooms had to prove I deserved to be there. One of the first shows I ever booked for an artist I literally got into a verbal sparring match with the promoter because what was promised was not delivered and I had to “say it with my chest.” In the entertainment industry it is was a gender barrier having to be louder, having to advocate harder but In the beauty industry it was a little different that’s when I noticed my body and complexion became another “barrier” dealing with comments on social media about my weight, while simultaneously having to fight harder to be in certain spaces. It’s a constant conversation. Consistently advocating for brands that actually make thoughtful shades for deeper complexions and the key word being thoughtful. Finding plus size clothes without having to shop online is a “luxury” experience. Resilience requires creativity and a certain level of being delulu!!!!

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I have been a professional makeup artist for the last 10 years. I specialize in beauty enhancing. I love making women feel beautiful and being able to do that through my artistry is such a beautiful gift. What I am most proud of is my impact. The legacy of people I have trained, developed, and poured into. When people tell me how something I said during an appointment or a class changed or moved them is what touches me the most. It’s one thing to be an artist for yourself just for the sheer joy of it it’s a bonus for your art, and energy to enrich the lives of others. What sets me apart is me. I’m just living life and sprinkling my fairy dust wherever I can.

What was your favorite childhood memory?
That’s tough!!!!

I think my favorite memory from my childhood is rainstorms with my mom as a kid. At my childhood home we had a pool in the backyard and when it would rain my mom would take me outside and throw me in the pool while it was raining. It was such a freeing feeling. A the time I didn’t know why I loved it so much but I did. The smile on my mom’s face and the butterflies in my stomach every time she threw me. As an adult I recognize that is was cleansing. When is rains now I find my self still running outside when it rains.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @Tayladenee
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/18eZvuRfGR/?mibextid=wwXIfr