Featured Artist of the Week: GOLABOY

 

          

            We're back! With a new artist and a new form of art as well:) Please welcome James aka GOLABOY to the OMNI blog, our first fashion designer! While you may not know at first glance, James is a very talented and seasoned seamstress thanks to his mother who helped him hone his talent of sewing along with helping him develop "the eye" for fashion throughout his childhood. James and I spoke about his upbringing, along with the process of deciding to take the leap of faith to become a designer, in this week's episode of Pink Mic Talk!

    Originally from New Jersey, James had a unique home life through both of his parents being foreigners (Ethiopia and Liberia) that paved the way for both him and his sister. This taught James from very early on to not take things for granted along with the importance of hard work. With his mother showing him the ropes of sewing, he soon went on to take classes in his very early adolescent years. This then developed in high school where James found himself making custom pieces for his classmates. This is what kickstarted not only James' belief in himself as a designer, but other people around him recognizing him as well. Especially with the most important people in his life, his parents, now seeing that James was somehow attaining all this money. With being in an area where drug dealing was common, James was met with drug accusations from his parents wondering how he was getting all this money if it was not from drug dealing. However, young James had to sit down with his parents and explain that the money was coming from his designs. While innocent at heart, James' claim to revenue was still met with confusion but was eventually understood.

    With being so close to the fashion mecca of New York, through being from New Jersey, James found himself traveling to fashion week as a 15-16-year-old soaking in the world of fashion. This is where he realized that it was so much more than clothes as he studied the cuts and designs, and the designers that came out that represented all of these collections. This is what first lit that fire within James and allowed him to see himself in their shoes. Post high school James went on to attend college; however, was met with dissatisfaction and felt underrepresented in his classes. Soon he was met with the life-changing shift of COVID and had to find a way to have some stability while everyone was being laid off or losing their jobs. Therefore, when he was offered to intern as an assistant he immediately jumped at the opportunity.

    This goes into James' role now where he works as a studio assistant to the Creative Director at Studio 54 in New York. Here James works where he is needed and is often looked to for advice or an opinion. This has been a position he has grown in as he has gained respect as one of the youngest on the board. Having been in this role for some time, James is now ready to start branching out and creating on his own again. Getting back to his creative roots, he plans on creating his own designs whether that be developing accessories, shirts, or even shoes as he now sharpened his eye from all the learning and observing he has done in the studio environment. I think we can all agree that we are excited to see what James has in store as he takes these next steps :) Be sure to look out to see what designs James develops and shares with the world! 

    James also has two best friends (Cain and Blake) that have had collaborations in the works for years as their friendship has stood the test of time. You can see all of their work and the amazing pieces and content that they have shared already on Instagram: @studiosolace.ny

Follow James to Stay Updated on His Apparel:

Instagram: @mr.golaboy

James also wanted to give a s/o to the first place that ever gave him a shot!

soharlem.org

Be sure to watch our full interview on my YouTube Channel Miss Macyn and watch this week's episode of Pink Mic Talk!

Thank you again James for your time and I will see y'all next week<3