Conversations with Jasmine Rhodes

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jasmine Rhodes.

Hi Jasmine, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I started out as an aspiring fashion designer as a child when I would use random materials found around the house to make clothes for my Barbie dolls. Once I had completed a “full collection” (or really, I had just run out of Barbie dolls to redress lol), I then set up my grandmother’s old VHS camcorder and recorded my very first Barbie fashion show on my makeshift runway I created on their living room couch. Whether I was cutting out cute fits from magazines to piece together on a paper doll or sketching pretend outfits for my friends in school, I just couldn’t escape the passion. Unfortunately, I didn’t feel that a career in fashion would be lucrative, so when I ventured off to college, my initial major was Human Biology, as I had set out to become a Gynecologist.

As I entered my junior year at North Carolina State University, I was an orientation counselor that summer, and as I was leading the future fashion majors around the College of Textiles, it hit me immediately…this is where I was supposed to be. I changed my major at the top of the next semester and though it caused me to stay an extra semester, I was so happy that I made the decision to return to my passion. I graduated from NCSU with a B.S. in Fashion and Textiles Management in May 2013, and ever since then, I have been sewing nonstop. I received my master’s degree in business and marketing in 2016 to help me further understand and grow in my business, and I have met so many great friends and mentors in the industry along the way. Since I began taking my craft serious, I have won competitions, styled celebrities, worked with other reputable designers, and as of late, had a capsule collection sold on Shein.com. I am so grateful for this journey.

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?
It hasn’t always been a smooth ride, especially when it comes to funding a business. I am sure my fellow creatives can attest to the feeling of having dreams that are bigger than your bank account, haha. However, I have always been a glass half full type of person, so I always make lemons out of lemonade when I must. If I am designing a collection and I cannot go as big as I would like with the fabric textures and yardage due to costs, I will just make up for it with styling and presentation. I am so thankful to have great clients who want extravagant garments so I can be as creative as I’d like without limitations.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I consider myself to be more of a creative than a business owner because I just enjoy creating, whether it’s profitable or not. Im not driven by conversion and prices, Im driven by feeling and inspiration. I am most known for being a fashion designer, but I am also a photographer, a model, and a vocalist. I am proud of many things but what I am most proud of is the growth of my design aesthetic and skill level. Every year I push myself to do more in the design space and sometimes go outside of the box into more avant-garde territory at times. I am working to coin myself as “TheModelDesigner” which is a title a friend gave me back in 2016, as I was always being mistaken for a model when I would pull up to fashion shows as a designer. When I am not modeling for other brands or my own, I am also training other models and helping them to hone their skills and etiquette in the industry. I just enjoy being in the fashion industry in every aspect.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
The best advice that I could give would be to stay balanced. If you are a creative or business owner, be sure to still find time for fun, family, friends, and self-care. You don’t want to get burnt out and end up stepping away from your passion. Always make time for yourself in between your goal setting and working.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.kittyandrhodes.com
• Instagram: @jasminetranai and @kittyandrhodes
• Twitter: @jasminetranai

Image Credits
Photos by Don Harris @nikondon and myself Jasmine Tranai @jtranaiphotography