Meet RENEE Wilson | Fashion Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with RENEE Wilson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi RENEE, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I was working in Coproate America for almost 15 years and reached the highest position I could attain in my field with my former employer. By that point, I was beyond bored with my role. I have always wanted to be an entrepreneur, but like most, I was afraid to venture out on my own and afraid of potential failure. When I got to the point where I absolutely dreaded going into work everyday, I knew it was time for a change. I started my business while I was still working full time, but I wasn’t really putting in a lot of time or effort into running it. Once I was truly ready to leave my office job and take that leap into entrepreneurship, I started focusing more on my business and eventually quit my office job.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am a fashion designer who makes clothing using Ankara fabrics. I am of Liberian descent and growing up in a Liberian household, Ankara fashions were a staple in our culture, but primarily worn only at formal events. I wanted to create clothing using Ankara fabrics that could be worn everyday, using modern designs. One of the main things that sets me apart from similar designers is the fact that I often pair Ankara fabrics with standard fabric, such as denim, houndstooth, camo, etc. I am most excited about the year ahead and the line that I am creating for the upcoming season. I got to where I am today through a lot of late and long nights, hard work, perservearance and by having a phenomenal support system. It certainly wasn’t an easy road and even now, I still come across some road bumps, but I’m able to move past them quickly. I overcame the challenges by simply facing them head one. I saw the obstacle, analyzed it and found a way to move through it. Some of the lessons I learned along the way are that not everyone is a supporter, there’s no such thing as no, and where there’s a will, there’s a way.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I live relatively close to NYC, so we would likely spend the week there. I love food and I’m a vegan, so I know a lot of great vegan and vegan friendly places in Manhattan and the village, so we would definitely visit a few of those places. One of the restaurants we’d go to is Slutty Vegan in Brooklyn. For night life and drinks, we’d definitely visit Lagos in Manhattan. I love museums and NYC has a ton of great museums and a huge variety, so I’d definitely visit a few – one of which would be the Balloon Museum. I like eccentric places that are relatively unknown or hidden. Those type of low key places tend to be the best places to visit,

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My mother

Website: www.ehtylb.com

Instagram: @ehtyl.b

Facebook: @ehtyl

Image Credits
Sara Lee Saleh Larry Lyons Arindam Dasgupta