Meet Asia Woodard: Fashion Designer

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

Hi Asia, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I started my brand after not being able to return to college due to financial issues. I had originally went for apparel design and merchandising, but after leaving college something shined inside of me. I knew I couldn’t allow my dreams to stop there, so I had to hustle. When I came home I immediately started making distressed tees, hand sewing sets, bandana slides, and fur slides. I even began to tap into my artistic side and painted canvases on the back of denim jackets, jeans, and other pieces of clothing. It started out as fun, but then turned into something that I became really passionate about. I knew I had a love for fashion but I didn’t know how deep it could go. But if I kept working hard enough and stayed dedicated I knew the sky was the limit. After hand sewing for a few months I finally received my first sewing machine from my Lyft driver after having a conversation about what it was that I wanted to do. I can’t remember her name but I am so thankful that she believed in me enough to make an investment into my dreams. From there I started creating anything that I could think of. I used to study clothing that I owned and I would duplicate the piece, I also attended YouTube University they literally had every tutorial on there that you could think of to construct a garment. As I became more known locals and people out of town began to reach out to me about showcasing in their fashion shows. I was so nervous but excited to show the world just how talented I was. As my brand grew I went through a lot of changes trying to figure out my lane and my why. After digging deep it clicked. I wanted to create a brand that spoke for that rebellious women in fashion. In the fashion market you don’t really have a lot of brands that speak for that specific woman. Growing up I had such a different style and it became harder to find things that expressed me because I dressed very diverse. I want women like me to always feel exclusive in what they wear and not have to try and fit in with all the current trends because we are the trendsetters. And that’s how Notoriously Nyree came about.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Notoriously Nyree is a direct to consumer brand that who offers a variety but limited amount of exclusive clothing pieces to that rebellious woman who wants to be seen, heard, and stand out through her notorious style. We strive to make our pieces as exclusive as possible to make our customers feel one of a kind. I am most proud of the fact that I was able to teach myself how to sew from scratch, make patterns, and come up with these amazing designs. But what I am most excited about is the future for Notoriously Nyree I pray that I am able to make a huge impact on women and hopefully men too. It wasn’t easy getting where I am now, it takes a lot of patience, hard work, and risks. I quit my job to pursue my passion full time, it’s really been a rollercoaster but because of the people I have in my corner they help make it possible for me to continue what it is that I love. I’ve learned a lot of lessons along the way but the two that stood out to me was staying true to myself and patience because it’s easy to get caught up in things and become something your not and also nothing happens over night. Notoriously Nyree will be a multimillion dollar company I’m speaking it into existence.

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?
So first I would take my bestie to the eagle on Bardstown Rd in the highlands. The food and drinks are amazing! It’s literally a whole vibe from the set up picnic tables out side and the fire pit to the nice view because Bardstown is busy but it’s so peaceful. We would also go to the 21c Art Museum. The art there is phenomenal and it makes for great pictures, and there’s wine! Other places that I would recommend is the Metro Diner for brunch and the Palm Room for a late night old school vibe. I can’t forget I love Tacos and taco city.

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?
I want to dedicate my shoutout to GOD first and foremost because without him I wouldn’t even be where I am now. I also want to dedicate my shoutout to everyone that is helping support me along the way. Whether it was my family, my boyfriend, my friends, my sew family, mentors and the supportive strangers out there. Just having such supportive people around you can really make a difference in your journey. These people literally keep me going everyday, through every breakdown, self doubt, and even procrastination. Because of them I had no choice to give up. Not only am I counting on me but they are as well.

Website: www.notoriouslynyree.com

Instagram: notoriouslynyree

Twitter: notoriouslyny

Facebook: Notoriously Nyree

Youtube: Notoriously Nyree

Other: TikTok: notoriouslynyree