We’re looking forward to introducing you to Kaylah Tiggs. Check out our conversation below.
Hi Kaylah, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: What battle are you avoiding?
Being comfortable. I’ve noticed once you get too comfortable in an environment, you won’t see much impact. Everyday is a day to learn and grow.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Kaylah Tiggs and I’m a fashion designer of 8 years born and raised in Chicago, IL. What my brand offers is both tailoring and custom services both in St. Louis and Chicago, but I’m available to ship all over. What my brand is currently working on is some big upcoming projects. I have a lot of new faces within the modeling industry coming on scene and my first winter of custom drops so this should be exciting!
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
What I believed about myself as a child that I no longer believe is that I basically had to grow up set on one type of path in life. I always thought that by time I hit 18, life was supposed to be all figured out and I should know how to balance out every obstacle. Truth is, no matter the age or time, we as humans still have so much learning and growing to do in this society. Not only that, its SO MANY things out there that we can achieve and focus our mind on. Never settle. Never limit yourself to one thing. If one thing doesn’t work, it doesn’t mean you’re not good at it it just means it wasn’t your purpose! Never get discouraged as everything always works out. Faith of a mustard seed.
What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?
Honestly, I faced multiple big deaths within the past 5 years. 3 of my brothers, my grandmother, and just recently my son. Dealing with death is never easy, and grieving never has a timeline, but I heal this part of my life as a young 23 year old designer by pushing my emotions into my work ethic. As much as it hurts to not be able to share many of my accomplishments with those who would have been proud of me the most. That’s just enough of a reason as to why I go so hard with running the business that I do.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? Is the public version of you the real you?
Always. I feel that how my clients view me, how my friends view me, and how a stranger views me would all typically be the same lol. I’ve always been a welcoming person, I don’t like to leave anyone out of things or make them feel as so, I don’t tolerate any mean or disrespectful behavior as this is the #1 RULE when working with me among other designers and models. I feel as though I have the type of spirit that makes people want to trust me and feel comfortable around me. I feel as though that’s the main reason why I’m loved by so many. I’m authentically and originally me. I’m very humble. I don’t chase a image and the only person I see as competition is the person I face in the mirror each and every single day.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: What do you think people will most misunderstand about your legacy?
That I probably look for a certain look of models or type of aesthetic in order to be apart of my brand. I say this because these are the statements that I’ve been faced with the most which are many females wanting to model for me, but feeling as if they don’t have the face or body to do so. My brand is 100% judgement free and I’m EAGER to work with models of all shapes, sizes, and skin tones. My modeling category is always open to ALL models around the U.S. and I also teach those who can’t walk in heels, how to do so to clean up their presentation on more classier looks. So if you ever want to model for me, you’re ALWAYS more than welcome here! I’ve had over 50 models within the last 5 years and I’m excited for those yet to come!.
