Meet Kierra Nichole | Fashion Designer

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

Hi Kierra, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
Knowing myself is the core of my success and the reason my artistic practice has grown so exponentially in the past few years. By adhering to a spiritual practice, routinely applying radical self love, remaining curious and learning more about my why, I can clearly see where I am and where I’m going. In my work, it allows me to take larger risks more quickly than I would have before because I’m not spending as much time questioning as many external factors. My internal dialogue has a voice of kindness and the spirit of inquisitiveness now whereas before I was my worst critic. Like really on some hater type of time. On a macro level, I think that inviting my ancestors into my work has also allowed me to push my boundaries and ideas further because it feels bigger than just me. I’m now paying attention to the well of knowledge and intuition I’ve had to draw from. By getting curious about myself and the world around me, I’m able to pull from inspiration with more authenticity and with more depth to be able to tell the stories about what I experience. I’m paying more attention the life I’m living and subsequently, I’m able to convey that life in my art.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
After I graduated in 2020, I followed the obvious path laid out for me. I did my internships and entry level fashion jobs, and I even pushed a little further and started a personal brand. In the height of the pandemic, I was designing for e-commerce and sent basic pieces into production, marketing and shipping the looks myself. Eventually I was approached by SheIn to create a capsule collection for them with my brand name attached to it. I was doing all the “right” things and I absolutely hated it! During that time I never designed from my center, meaning I was only putting out the work that I thought I had to and, in my opinion, it showed. The box I put myself in limited my work, and the clear imagination I had in sketchbooks never materialized in practice. On top of that I hated sales, marketing and feeling disingenuous from chasing algorithms to see what worked. It took me two years of working that way to step back from what I had been taught to ask myself what I personally wanted as a designer. In grounding and asking myself those questions, I found that all I really wanted was to tell stories through my art. I want to make pieces that spark conversation and make people curious. It only took a quick pause to lean into my own curiosity, that was quite frankly begging me to create fuller work, to realize and execute that. Grounding brought me closer to the understanding that my dedication to this craft is beyond me and that I pull strength and inspiration from people that have come before me to lay this path. That’s where my project RosaByrd comes from. Rosa is the first name of my maternal grandmothers grandmother and Byrd is the maiden name of my paternal grandmothers grandmother and obviously without them there is no me. Pondering that magic alone is monumental to honing my voice and the posture I have with my craft.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If I were taking someone on a tour of my favorite spots I would take them to Southern Feedstore in East Atlanta Village on a Friday night for dancing or on a Wednesday night for live jazz (we’re definitely getting an Insomnia cookie from up the street after). I’m a coffee addict so I would take them to get coffee at either Brash or Revolution, and then take a walk on The Beltline to people watch. We have to go check out some of the local artists on Peter Street and then, because I’m a true southern girl, we would end the week with Sunday brunch at Highland Bakery.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’m always talking about the couple of books that have changed my thought processes and my life so I’ll mention the top two here. I think everyone should read at least one at their own pace. They are ‘Letting Go: The Pathway of Surrender’ by Dr. David R Hawkins and ‘The Mastery of Love’ by Don Miguel Ruiz. They both center the Self in such a beautiful way that’s gentle about reflection and forward projection. They’ve helped my artistic practice in giving me the power to create my own reality and centering myself without the thought of what others will feel or think. That has been it’s own journey in itself and the mentors I have, dead or alive have bolstered my confidence in it.

Website: https://www.rosabyrd.com

Instagram: https://rosabyrd.studio

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kierra-nichole/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@KierraNichole

Image Credits
Broderick Armbrister, Flying Solo PR, Rise NYFW