Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelah Black.
Kelah, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
I was never interested in clothes or fashion period until I graduated from high school, but in 2010 when I was in 10th grade, I became interested in lingerie. So I would sit in art class and talk about my ideas and draw up little designs, but I never did anything past that. Then in 2014, I was at church, and this lady asked me if I would be interested in making “pillowcase dresses” for an orphanage in Africa. It was kind of weird because at this point in my life I had never even touched the sewing machine I had (my grandmother bought me one year prior to this moment and I never even opened the box), but I told the lady I would do it because I never back down from a challenge and plus I like to learn new things. So I taught myself how to make them, and I ended up making about six different dresses, and everybody loved them. So I decided to try and make myself something, and that’s how this all began I created the brand Risen Royalty! I didn’t have any schooling, and I didn’t take any classes to teach me how to sew, but I’ve always been good with my hands, so I kind of picked it up easily. Plus my grandmother and great grandmother sews. But ever since that day I’ve been challenging myself to make things, and now I’m really good I can make any and everything from clothes women, men, and kids, to bags purses, book bags, and duffel bags I even make home decor. Anything you can think of I can pretty much make it.
We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do? Why? And what do you hope others will take away from your work?
I make custom pieces, and everything is made to order. I love the fact that it’s made custom because everyone is not the same size small, medium, large, etc. Growing up tall and skinny clothes were NOT my favorite thing, everything was either too big and long enough or fit perfect but too short. So what I do with my brand is measure each of my clients after I receive the down payment for the item and make it according to their size.
My motto is “Risen Royalty LLC is a brand designed to let the youth know that we are descendants of kings and queens; therefore, we are royalty” basically meaning it’s ok to be YOU even down to what you wear. You don’t have to dress like everyone else to feel like the king/queen that you are.
Something else I feel like everyone should know about Risen Royalty is that I make everything by hand even down to the hand-painted logos on all of my “Royal Tee” t-shirts.
What do you know now that you wished you had learned earlier?
Be your biggest critic, be a perfectionist! Don’t be afraid to put yourself in situations that make you feel shy, network, network, NETWORK!!! and EVERYWHERE you go rock your brand because if you not rockin your brand why should anyone else!
Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
You can find all my work on my Instagram which is @_risenroyalty, and anyone looking to support can do so by shopping with me. Challenge me to create your dope custom ideas you have in your head. Let me bring them to life!
Contact Info:
- Email: kelahblack@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/_risenroyalty
Image Credit:
Keenan Black- @blvckdynasty_
Kina Cooksey- @sparkz.flyy @khyanstudios
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