Today we’d like to introduce you to Maya Wiley.
Hailing from the Metropolitan area of Atlanta, Georgia, Maya Wiley is currently a Senior International Business Major, Fashion Minor with a Concentration in Marketing at the illustrious Howard University in Washington, DC. Coming from a traditionally southern family, Maya’s Great-Grandmother, Lula Mckissack, instilled the saying that “When you look good, you feel good” that has impacted her family’s love for fashion for generations. Maya took a very early interest in fashion at a young age through past times like sketching designs, dressing up in costumes, and picking out outfits for friends and family, which in time evolved into a calling to Styling – making other people look good and feel good.
In her high school years, she honed in on her craft by participating in the Precollege Programs offered by the Fashion Institute of Technology in Manhattan, New York, for two summers and by shadowing local stylists from her hometown. Upon her arrival at Howard University, the LOVEMAYAXO brand was born naturally from recognition through her digital content and influence on social media platforms.
During her freshman year, Maya created an on-campus personal shopping and styling service geared toward college students looking to re-invent themselves called HU (Howard University) Revamped. Maya is a proud member of Howard University’s premiere modeling organization HU ELITE as a Stylist and Creative Director, where she produces monthly editorial projects powered by students. She is also a two time staff member of the annual Howard Homecoming Fashion Show, which has been noted as the NYFW of HBCUs, by international publications like Teen Vogue and Essence Magazines. Through her work, she cultivates visions and executes excellence through conceptual editorial shoots and shows. As a fashion stylist and self-proclaimed visionary, Maya curates a style that reflects an elevated level of sophistication, expense, and uniqueness.
Has it been a smooth road?
It has been a relatively smooth road specifically because my whole life I’ve known I wanted to work in fashion. With that in mind, I always knew my end goal but I had no clue what I wanted my path to look like. Out of high school, naturally, I thought I would be going to fashion school for my college education. However, growing up in a predominately white neighborhood and coming from a family of HBCU graduates, It wasn’t until May of my senior year that I decided to change my path and get my college education a Historically Black Institution, Howard University, where I would major in International Business instead of Fashion.
Although it was hard to adjust to spending my days learning about numbers instead of fabric, I realized that Fashion is the largest Business in the entire world. Every single person on earth needs clothes. When I pictured myself applying for career opportunities post-grad, I thought about standing out. Every single girl in fashion has a strong fashion background but having a background focused on marketing and branding for the global fashion houses I hope to work for is one of the things I did to make myself recognizable. It was a hard adjustment spending long hours only learning about the ins and outs of corporate America because I’ve loved creating things my whole life and I had little time to do so anymore. This was when I developed my personal styling brand on campus as a freshman. I saw the need for it and I used it as my own creative outlet in my spare time.
We’d love to hear more about your work.
I’m a huge advocate for personal branding and I’ve been partnering as an ambassador with major companies to style their clothes and create digital content to indirectly influence their target audience’s personal style. However, I also directly influence personal style by taking clients or working on creative campaigns as a wardrobe stylist! I specialize in style consultations and personal shopping and I love being able to help people re-invent themselves! “When you look good, you feel good”. My favorite part about being a personal stylist is being able to make people feel the confidence that comes with being proud of your physical appearance and I try my best to constantly curate a style within my work that’s innovative and elevated.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Yes! Atlanta is my home, where I was born and raised. Every day this city welcomes more and more entrepreneurs and opportunities in the fashion and media production space to network and be creative.
Pricing:
- Style Consultation: $80
- Wardrobe Styling: $200 (head to toe look and sourcing)
- Creative Direction: $50/hour
Contact Info:
- Website: https://lovemayaxo.wixsite.com/portfolio
- Email: mayajwiley@gmail.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/lovemayaaxo
Image Credit:
Photography by @Elivisuals, @Eoptikx, and @Cubedq
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