Meet Raquel Smith: Celebrity Stylist/Entrepreneur

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

Hi Raquel, how did you come up with the idea for your business?
How did you come up with idea for your business?

As Beyonce’s longtime stylist, I was immersed in creativity. You never know where inspiration will come from.So it’s important to stay open to be inspired by everything. I had pulled some eyewear for Beyonce one day and Blue, Beyonce’s daughter, tried them on. That’s when I had the idea that it would be cool to get matching styles for Beyonce and Blue.

I called the designer whose eyewear I’d pulled. The designer said that said that it could take up to four months to redesign and fabricate a pair in a suitable size for Blue. Needless to say, that was unwelcome news. And that’s when I had the idea to do it myself. I started sketching and reached out to friends in the eyewear game for guidance. I felt strongly that there was a niche for matching fashion eyewear for children and their parents..

As the single mom of a 6-year-old boy who is as into fashion as I am, I took it as confirmation of my ideas when Caleb, my son, asked me for a pair of sunglasses like mine. I saw it as an opportunity to create my own lane in the eyewear industry while building a solid legacy for my son. After finding a manufacturer who could bring my vision to life, my first collection was born, consisting of optical styles and parent-child matching styles. My work in the community inspired the idea to inscribe an affirmation inside the temple on every pair. I want my clients to look fashionable and feel inspired to reach their goals.

KidRaq has been worn by several kid influencers such as Nickelodeon stars Young Dylan and Thatgirllaylay. KidRaq has been worn by the YouTube Star Redlilmissy. The YouTube stars the McClure twins and their brother Jersey. Also kid influencers abroad, Farouk James, and the TolliverBoyz.

Also KidRaq has been worn by Beyoncé’s mom Ms. Tina Lawson and spotted on Beyonce also. Fashion director of Vanity magazine Chapoteau and her kids have worn their KidRaq Eyewear, Jessica Alba posted her KidRaq styles, Stephen Curry sis Sydel Curry posted her KidRaq Eyewear. The popular rock and roll band Nickelback lead Michael KROEGER and his family have worn KidRaq.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
What sets me apart from others?

That is a challenging question because I am so busy trying to out do myself while remaining focused on being the best personal and professional me and building my brand.

What are you most proud of or excited about?

I am most excited about growing my brand with my six year old capitalizing on his creativity to take our business model to the next level.

How did you get to where you are today professionally?

My fashion career journey began as an intern in Nautica’s PR department styling their fashion shows which led to a true passion for styling. I researched NY colleges for the best fashion styling studies which influenced my enrollment at Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT).

One day on my lunch break at Nautica, I was reading the WWD magazine and was intrigued that Beyonce and her mom was starting a fashion company, House of Dereon (HOD). I applied for an internship 3 times at the HOD until i finally landed it.

Was it easy? If not , how did you overcome the challenges?

No, it wasn’t easy as I was told “no” twice for my first internship quest but was persistent until I received a “yes”. I believed in my hustle, didn’t give up and here I am 14 years later here I am doing what I love.

What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way?

I learned that if you remain determined and focused, you can actualize your dreams. I learned that if you believe in yourself others will also believe in you and give you a chance. I learned that persistence pays off. I also learned that with all closed doors and all the “no” responses, one day the right door would open for me and all the no’s would soon become a yes to set my life up for a successful and bright future.

What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?

I am the first black female to launch a luxury eyewear brand for a kids target audience that offers both fashionable matching sunglasses and optical frame styles options but KidRaq. The styles also inspires them with an included affirmation along the inside temple of each style.

I am a single parent and my six year old son is the face of the brand. His input is important because he is the future CEO of KidRaq. I enjoy the opportunity to work with him to grow our brand and our bond.

I want to share that KidRaq is International and have collaborations with kid influencers Farouk James in the U.K. And the TolliverBoyz in the Netherlands.

KidRaq was featured in its first video, Long Hair with Nickelodeon star and talented rapper That Girl LayLay, KidRaq will be featured on Nickelodeon show, Tyler Perry Young Dylan with styles worn by Young Dylan and the actor Charlie..

KidRaq has been worn by Ms. Tina Lawson (Beyonce’s mother) and other celebrities.
KidRaq has sponsored numerous billboards to show case the brand.

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?
My best friend and I would meet up at the airport and depart for Eygpt for a five-day getaway. After traveling the world with Beyoncé and 3 passports later, I found Port Ghalib Egypt and Sydney, Australia the most interesting and exciting places to check out.  I recommend the following itinerary to fully take in this exciting place, Port Ghalib in Cairo,Egypt.

Day 1 & 2

-Check in to the Port Ghalib resort which is located between the Sahara Desert and the Red Sea
-Go eat , drink  and hangout on the resort they have everything you need
-Go snorkeling at the Red Sea Rivera or Marsa Alam near the hotel
-Lay out on the beach, enjoy the royal treatment , get a massage to relax and listen to the waves as they hit the shore
-Play different sports on the beach  such as golf fans volleyball
-Go parasailing over the red sea it’s amazing
-Take a yacht ride on the Red Sea and enjoy the beautiful view
-Then enjoy the beautiful sunset at the Red Sea and enjoy the red particles and sea shells along the sea;
As the night falls enjoy dinner from the resort on the beach and enjoy the bright moon glow as you enjoy your dinner and breeze from the Red Sea.

Day 3 Fly to Cairo ( a 2.5 hour flight from resort)

-Stay at the St.Regis Cairo for a night and enjoy the hotel views
-Have breakfast and dinner at the hotel and beautiful amenities
-Tour the Pyramids: The Great pyramid of Giza and the Great Sphinx of Giza and go inside them
-Tour the Luxor’s Karnak Temple and Valley of the Kings
-Visit the tour stores and purchase the beautiful souvenirs
-Go visit the little stores near the pyramids and see how they make pottery vases it’s so cool
-Enjoy the White Desert
Visit the South Sinai’s Beach

Day 4 & 5

-Go visit the Dive Alexandrias underwater Ruins
-Take a Camel ride
-Go visit the Giza museum to see some recent findings
-Change hotel and Go stay at the Nile Ritz Carlton to enjoy the beautiful view
-Take a boat tour on the Nile River and enjoy the history of the River
-Have breakfast/dinner at the hotel because the food is amazing.
-Visit the tourist stores and buy some cool souvenirs
-Then fly back to Port Ghalib and enjoy the resort and amazing food and services by the staff
_Take a yacht ride and enjoy the amazing food and music
_Have a party on the yacht and enjoy the moment on the Red Sea
_Take pics and ensure to walk the Red Sea to sea how beautiful the Sea is and take a close look at red particles in the sea that’s so cool.
_Enjoy the hospitality from the staff because you don’t have to lift your finger for anything – it’s so delightful. Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would like to dedicate my shoutout to a special group, “My Family”, as they have been the foundation that has stabilized and supported me every step of the way on my career journey to include my transition to entrepreneurship. This helped me with personal strength and to achieve some resemblance of work life blend.

Beyonce definitely deserves credit and special recognition in my story. I want to thank her for being such an inspiration in my life – motivating me to always work hard to get what I want, challenging me to always set the bar high and for believing in me and my KidRaq brand.

Website: www.kidraq.com

Instagram: @officialkiqraq; @raq1010

Twitter: @officialkidraq

Facebook: @officialkidraq

Image Credits
Deon Photography