Inspiring Conversations with Alex (Veyebs) Malone of Misfitz Collective

Today we’d like to introduce you to Alex (Veyebs) Malone.

Hi Alex (Veyebs), thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My story really started in New York. Long before I understood I was building brands or creative platforms, I was creating spaces for people to connect. What began with intimate open mics eventually evolved into poetry slams, art gallery openings, photoshoot link-ups, creative meetups, and neighborhood BBQs — all rooted in expression, culture, and bringing creatives together in real life.

In 2013, while attending Job Corps in Edison, New Jersey, I connected with a group of artists, photographers, musicians, and designers who inspired me get into modeling & fashion. That experience eventually led to the creation of Vybrnt which was originally developed as merchandise for our collective, but over time it became something much bigger: a creative brand centered around individuality, self-expression, and wearable art.

As I continued growing creatively, I realized my strongest skill wasn’t just creating products — it was building ecosystems and opportunities for other creatives. After moving to Atlanta, I expanded into curating larger experiences that merged fashion, music, art, and community-building into one world.

That evolution eventually led to the Misfitz collective — a community-driven platform designed to connect artists, designers, performers, vendors, and visionaries through intentional experiences and collaborative growth. Through Misfitz, I organize and help facilitate creative markets, networking mixers, open studios, wearable art experiences, live performances, vendor opportunities, workshops, and community-centered events that give independent creatives real exposure and real-world connection.

A huge part of what I do now is creating infrastructure for creative people who often feel overlooked or disconnected from traditional systems. Whether it’s helping small brands build visibility, creating environments where artists can collaborate instead of compete, or designing experiences that encourage people to step away from the internet and engage in real community, everything I build is rooted in authenticity and access.

Today, my work sits at the intersection of creative direction, event curation, branding, fashion, and cultural community-building. Through Vybrnt, Misfitz, and the experiences I create, my mission is to turn individuality into opportunity while building spaces where creatives feel seen, supported, and inspired to grow together.

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 definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. A lot of what I’ve built came from figuring things out in real time without traditional resources, funding, or a blueprint. Most of the journey has been grassroots — building from the ground up through consistency, relationships, trial and error, and believing in the vision before there was proof it would work.

One of the biggest challenges has been balancing creativity with structure. As an artist and visionary, it’s easy to focus on ideas, but building brands, communities, and events also requires leadership, systems, marketing, logistics, and financial discipline. I’ve had to grow into all of those roles simultaneously while still protecting the creative side of myself.

There were also moments where things moved slower than I expected. Building authentic community takes time. You’re dealing with people, emotions, trust, coordination, and momentum — especially when you’re creating spaces meant to genuinely support creatives instead of just chasing trends or clout. There were events with low turnout, collaborations that didn’t align, financial setbacks, burnout, and moments where I questioned whether I was carrying too much on my own.

Another challenge has been creating something unconventional. A lot of what I do sits between industries — fashion, art, events, culture, consulting, and community-building — so it hasn’t always fit neatly into one lane. Sometimes people only saw the clothing, but not the infrastructure or vision behind it. Other times they saw the events without realizing the long-term goal was to build sustainable ecosystems and opportunities for creatives.

Moving from New York to Atlanta was also a major transition. It meant rebuilding networks, learning a new city, and establishing credibility all over again. But it also pushed me to grow and expand my vision in ways I probably wouldn’t have otherwise.

At the same time, every struggle taught me something valuable. The challenges forced me to become adaptable, intentional, and resilient. They sharpened my leadership, strengthened my ability to connect people, and made me even more committed to building spaces where creatives feel supported, empowered, and inspired to keep going despite the obstacles.

We’ve been impressed with Misfitz Collective , but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Misfitz is a creative collective and community platform built to connect artists, designers, musicians, performers, entrepreneurs, and visionaries through intentional real-world experiences. At its core, Misfitz exists to turn individuality into opportunity by creating spaces where creatives can collaborate, grow, and be seen without feeling like they have to fit into traditional industry molds.

What started as grassroots community-building evolved into a larger ecosystem focused on culture, connection, and creative empowerment. We organize and curate experiences ranging from vendor markets, open studios, networking mixers, and live performances to wearable art experiences, workshops, photoshoot link-ups, and community-centered creative events. Every event is designed to feel immersive, intentional, and collaborative — not transactional.

What really sets Misfitz apart is the focus on authentic community over clout. A lot of creative spaces today are built around appearances or exclusivity without substance. Misfitz was created to build genuine relationships, real collaboration, and long-term creative momentum. We care deeply about creating environments where independent creatives feel welcomed, supported, and inspired to take themselves seriously.

Another thing that makes us different is that we blend multiple creative worlds together instead of separating them. Fashion, music, poetry, visual art, photography, performance, branding, and entrepreneurship all coexist within the same ecosystem. That cross-pollination creates opportunities for people to discover collaborators, audiences, and ideas they may never have encountered otherwise.

Brand-wise, I’m most proud of the fact that Misfitz has become bigger than just an event series or creative brand — it’s becoming a movement and a support system for people who’ve often felt overlooked or outside the box. Seeing strangers become collaborators, watching small brands gain confidence and exposure, and creating moments where people genuinely feel connected offline is probably the most rewarding part of everything we do.

I also take pride in how organically the community has grown. A lot of our momentum has come through word of mouth, genuine relationships, and people believing in the energy we’re creating. That authenticity matters to us because we never wanted to build something that felt manufactured or disconnected from the people it was meant to serve.

Ultimately, I want people to know that Misfitz is about more than events. It’s about creating infrastructure, opportunity, and culture for creatives who are trying to build something meaningful on their own terms. We’re building spaces where individuality is celebrated, collaboration is encouraged, and creative people can find both inspiration and community in real life.

What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
I like that the city has real creative energy that doesn’t always need validation from outside places to exist. There’s a strong sense of individuality here — you can find artists, entrepreneurs, musicians, and small communities building their own lanes and really pushing culture forward in their own way. It feels like a place where ideas can actually become something if you stay consistent and connect with the right people. That openness to creativity and reinvention is what stands out the most.

What I like least is that the infrastructure for independent creatives and small communities still feels scattered. There are a lot of great people and pockets of culture, but not always enough structured spaces that consistently bring those worlds together in a sustainable way. A lot of creatives end up building in isolation or competing for limited visibility instead of having systems that help them collaborate and grow together more easily.

That gap is actually a big part of why we built Misfitz — to help create more intentional spaces where creatives can connect, collaborate, and turn that energy into something lasting instead of fragmented.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Vybrntconsulting.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/realveyebs?igsh=MWkwMGIwMGluc2hxcQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr