Skip to main content

Maya Winston on the Inspiration Behind His Luxury Handbags and Maintaining Cultural Identity

The 2020 racial reckonings heightened awareness across many industries, especially fashion, ushering in a new era where BIPOC designers were supported and given the voice they deserve. This push paved the way for more Black-owned brands to emerge on the scene, and one newcomer has managed to set themselves apart from the rest - Maya Winston. In just one year of business, the Jamaican-born designer, now based in New York City, has created a luxury accessory label that's known for its viral handbags uniquely crafted in the Asia Pacific and the Middle East, including their small leather tote, most popularly worn by Angela Simmons, Tia Mowry, and Remy Ma.

"It's just those Jamaican roots; we can make anything fashionable."

Winston has since catapulted into the luxury bag market with a brand identity that's just as rich as the quality of his pieces. At 11, he migrated with his family to the US, where he learned firsthand how to sew from his mother, a sought-after seamstress, establishing the foundation of the Maya Winston brand. "Growing up in Jamaica, my mom was always making everyone's clothes, and as far as I could think back, I've always been surrounded by sewing machines, where I would often stitch my uniform whenever I messed it up," Winston tells POPSUGAR. "It's just those Jamaican roots; we can make anything fashionable. Take nothing and make it into something."

With over a decade spent cultivating his love for design (even starting the men's streetwear line Terry Winston in 2013, once worn by Teyana Taylor), the Bronx native transitioned to creating accessories for the elevated and confident woman, regardless of demographic. His highly-coveted bags have also captured the attention of major companies like Samsung, which resulted in an exclusive collaboration during New York Fashion Week that included a fireside chat with Winston and a billboard in Times Square. "I always told myself, I'm going to have a billboard one day. But I never stopped to think about what it would look like or its message," he says. "It was surreal, and Samsung was the perfect company to get consumers to know the face behind the name; it just made sense."

Ahead, Winston opens up about the future of his brand, cultural identity, the impact of racial inclusivity, and more. Keep reading for the full interview and shop his signature pieces.

Related:
La La Anthony and Kahlana Barfield Brown on Celebrating HBCUs and Black Designers


from POPSUGAR Fashion https://ift.tt/ybZN5qx
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Boob-Window Trend Is All Over the Red Carpet From Sydney Sweeney to Chlöe

The boob window is the new trend in celebrity dressing making waves this year, both on and off the red carpet. As early as January, in fact, Lori Harvey stepped out to celebrate her 26th birthday in the LBD version of the look, flaunting an asymmetrical midi from The Attico with a chest cutout that circled her cleavage, and was further amplified by an attention-grabbing neck-tie sash. The outfits that follow often resemble halter silhouettes, although not all of these numbers boast a strap on each side. Sydney Sweeney is the latest style icon to give it a go, opting for a brown silk gown that she wore alongside model Izabel Goulart while vacationing in Ibiza. For a night out, the 25-year-old " Euphoria " star rocked her one-shoulder design with gold jewelry, dewy makeup, and her bright blonde hair in loose waves. The bodice of her dress was secured near her collar bone, where fabric from one side was pulled through a loop at the other, wrapping around to the back. The r...
Post a Comment
Read more

I Wore Sofía Vergara's Viral and Divisive Sneaker Heels - and Actually Sort of Loved Them

Despite what some people may think, the return of sneaker heels - largely attributed to Sara Blakely , the inventor of world-renowned Spanx, and now Sneex - happened by accident. "Our founder did not set out to create a sneaker heel. She set out to create the world's most comfortable high heel and this is where the innovation led her," a brand rep says. Not only are they supportive, they add noticeable bounce to my steps, which actually makes walking in high heels sort of . . . fun? Nevertheless, merely one year in, the company can report that The Tepper in Silver ($595) sold out in just 24 hours after launch and accrued an 11,000-person waitlist. One-third of the brand's customers have already invested in a second pair. And celebrities from Jane Fonda and Sofía Vergara to Reese Witherspoon and Suki Waterhouse have already been spotted wearing them. "The Sneex customer is responding to sneaker heels because they want height and wearability," the S...
Post a Comment
Read more

Barry Manilow Shuts Down Michael Kors's Studio 54-Themed Fall 2019 Runway

Michael Kors has established himself as the go-to designer for all things American glamour, whether that's easy West Coast chic or '80s power bitch, so it was not particularly surprising when he cited the Studio 54-era of New York City as inspiration behind his Fall 2019 collection, shown ... Continue reading from Fashionista http://bit.ly/2SRUmDy
Post a Comment
Read more