Today we’d like to introduce you to Robert e. Knight.
Robert, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I grew up in the Brownsville housing projects in Brooklyn, New York. I was always skinny and I couldn’t really play the sports like the other guys. So, I would always retreat to my first love which was sewing. I started sewing at a very young age and later began designing my own clothes. My degree is in menswear from the fashion Institute of Technology but I love to do women’s wear more the menswear. And now, my love is full-figured fashion.
Has it been a smooth road?
Of course not. Life is not about smooth roads, it’s about those valleys and those hills. It’s about figuring it out at the end of the day. Fashion and sewing has become my artistic space to release anything that I may be feeling that’s going on in my life. My Mom was the one who introduced me to sewing. She would sew my brother and my sister and my uniform for school so the sewing machine was always there and since I was never a physical fighter outside, I would always just stay out of the fray of things and retreat to my space which was sewing and designing, so I’m happy for any obstacles that I have had or that I will have because it will make me a better person once I get to the other end.
What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc. What are you most proud of? What sets you apart from others?
So, the name of my company is Robert E Knight. My degree/background is menswear but I do mostly womenswear and mostly, full-figured women’s wear, I love color, I love patterns, I love fabrics, I love leather, denim silk! So, I say I don’t specialize in anything, I just take a chance and try to let the fabric speak to me. I’m proudest when I see a client who thought she couldn’t get into a particular dress because she thought it wasn’t for her and somehow someway this little dress just convinced her that it IS her! That’s always a proud moment! Other proud moments, I have won awards but the special awards have come from the full figure community. I won an award in 2017 for the designer of the year for full-figured Fashion Week. I also won an award for designer of the year 2019 for the face of Kurvaceous competition.Im also Nominated for Designer of the the year 2018-19 from the Full Figure Industry awards.the ffias .
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
Well, the full figure community is making strides as we speak, a lot of big-time name designers or embracing the full figure community. The industry is also embracing the looks for a bigger man as well. That movement is a bit slow but yet and still it’s a movement that will get momentum. At the end of the day, it’s all about personal style and what you put on is what you want to show. Trends are to be followed only as a foundation for whatever idea you have for the day.
- Website: Roberteknight.com
- Email: rek4kw68@gmail.com
- Instagram: Robert_e_knight
- Facebook: Roberteknight
Image Credit:
Magazine Cover shot by Phillip Drew
Rek back jacket shot/colorful fabric
Rick Jones
My beautiful Mother shot by Robert E Knight
Three ladies shot by Jose Pagan
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