Meet Nia Richardson | Clothing Designer

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

Hi Nia, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I pursued an artistic career because I realized regular school just wasn’t for me so now I attend SCAD at the Atlanta campus. But I pursued my artistic passion at a very young age. Felt like it was in my DNA, which means to me “do nothing alike” I loved to be different, I didn’t really care for the newest things coming out I always made my own. I was 8 years old making a stroller out of soda cans and cardboard for my Baby Alives. My name is Nia Paul Richardson growing up I thought it was a boy name and that I’d never get a boyfriend. Now, it’s all anybody calls me. Nia Paul, NP, Nia P or even just Paul. My brands name is “byniapaul.” I realized being different is cool & that I should embrace it. Which is all I think anyone should do with something they struggle to reconcile with. My love for fashion is as farfetched as 3rd grade. I started painting on my shoes before school so they’d match an outfit I had in mind. Then I started customizing clothes, embracing wanting to be different. And having things nobody else did. So as far as a creative career being different and not just another cookie cutter brand is important to me.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I never really know how to approach questions like these because there’s no really simple answer other than to just keep going. When you think you’re burnt out and you don’t have nothing else to work on regroup, regain focus and keep going. I started my brand literally in my basement because my mom didn’t want paint on her carpet. Now I have my own room in her house with a heatpress, screen printer, cricut machine, painting table and drawers full of supplies. I handmake all of my products as well as their packaging. You know those sacks you see people jump in at the family reunions or last day of school parties? Well I take those cut them into 6 squares and make money bags to package my product in. As far as my actual product it depends on what you order or purchase in real life. You could get a satin lined hoodie with a product blueprint or a pair of skeleton shorts with a handwritten and wax sealed letter. Choosing this route and still going down it is not easy. Staying consistent and positive within your life can become quite difficult when you have a business anything you’re going through in your personal life 9/10 can’t always be put first. You have a business to run, emails to reply to, orders to package, things to make. So I would take breaks to regain the strength and willingness to continue to do both. I still experience it now. Some lessons I have learned is to really not compare myself to others. Compete with the person inside of me not beside me. A lot of people take the manufacture route which is smart and sometimes in other cases easy. A lot of people that have brands don’t really even have an accurate understanding of how clothes are made and everything that comes with it. They just draw up a design and send it to someone else to make which is cool and I respect their process but it’s just something I haven’t found a passion in. It’s hard to maintain a passion for some things in this world without it being primarily driven by money which is more than understandable. But creativity and just being authentic is something I will never stray away from. My proudest accomplishment right now is designing and creating hoodies for the movie called “The Despaired.” streaming on BET Plus May 2nd. It was a cool experience, and I’m learning to celebrate the little accomplishments in life.

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?
I’m originally from Charlotte, NC so I’ll forever rep my city, but Atlanta does have some pretty cool spots. I would first start with somewhere to eat because you can’t explore the city on an empty stomach. I think I’d go to Woody’s to get a Philly cheesesteak then stroll around Piedmont Park, I believe its always good to touch some grass. If you love clothes like I do I would suggest thrifting or shopping in the area as well. You can hit Little Five Points, Request, Closette, as well as GoodTimes ATl which started in Charlotte by the way! If you enjoy the night or club, I’m not the person to ask which ones to go to, 9\10 if I’m not a friends, after 10 pm I’m put up in my room.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would love to dedicate my shoutout to my mom. She is the reason I keep going and it sounds cliché to dedicate it to my mom but that’s just real ! I wouldn’t be in this world without her of course but I definitely wouldn’t be thriving, achieving, etc if it weren’t for her. I feel like having a business and something you’re passionate about is cool and all but if your heart isn’t big and you’re just a bad person who cares what you’re good at. Besides my creativity, she’s the reason my heart is so big; she’s the reason I love hard which can be a blessing and a curse but I’m learning to embrace it as a blessing. I don’t regret any love I gave out, that person might’ve needed it. As I rebrand and grow into the young woman I am I am focusing on giving back and just radiating good energy back to the world. I wouldn’t have that mindset without a piece of her in me.

Website: currently closed!

Instagram: @niapaulll

Other: tik tok: @niapaulll

Image Credits
Ally Wood