Rashaad Holley | Be Fearless. Be Flagrant.

Recently a long-time friend of mine from my hometown of Buffalo, NY, Rashaad Holley, sat down with fashion blogger Moesha Reid and the student publication I used to write for in college, the UB Spectrum, sharing his thoughts, his vision, his past and his future passions for his current fashion line, Vingt Cinq Rashaad. Take a look & read more below!

Rashaad Holley working on a custom design. Photo Credit: UB Spectrum

UB alumnus Rashaad Holley discusses his inspiration for his clothing line, Vingt Cinq Rashaad.

Rashaad Holley wants the number 25 to symbolize a rebirth of black males.

Holley’s brand, Vingt Cinq, means 25 in French and represents an important age for black men in the U.S., due to inner-city violence.

“There’s a popular Kanye lyric, ‘I wasn’t supposed to make it past 25, guess what, I’m still alive’ and that stuck with me,” Holley, a Buffalo State student and UB alumnus, said. “There are no fashion designers coming from the part of Buffalo where I grew up. Me aspiring to be one is different, it’s not something that kids think about being.”

Holley graduated from UB in 2016 with a degree in business focused in marketing. Instead of entering the workforce, he decided to pursue a second degree in apparel design within the Fashion and Textile Technology department at Buffalo State.

Rashaad Holley rocking the Flagrant City Federal Agents Tee in Buffalo, NY.

Holley’s goal is to “bring luxury to the urban look.” He’s taken the roughness of the eastside of Buffalo and uses it as inspiration for his clothing line. His great aunt’s death and his distance from his birth father showed him the importance of familial bonds and guided him through his work.

“People always say my garments are clean and I like that a lot because that’s not something you generally think comes out of the ghetto and that’s exactly where they’re from and where I’m from,” Holley said.

For the FULL link on UB Spectrum and to read more click the following link: Buffalo Born Designer Stays True To His Roots

[UPDATE] Since originally posting this piece 9 days ago, Rashaad has recently embarked on an unforeseen journey, and taking a leap of faith to pursue his career in the fashion industry, as he has been offered an opportunity of a lifetime to study at Regent’s University in London, England for the summer of 2017. As you can imagine, this is an amazing opportunity for him to grow as a designer and as a man. “I thank you for the time you have given me to hear about my opportunity, and I would be forever grateful if you could contribute to my growth in any way. Thank you!” – Rashaad

DONATE HERE: https://www.gofundme.com/summer-study-at-regents-university

http://www.ubspectrum.com/article/2017/04/buffalo-born-designer-stays-true-to-his-roots
https://www.theodysseyonline.com/college-student-inspires-others-with-clothing-line

Be Fearless. Be Flagrant.

Tag Archives: Rashaad Holley

Flagrant City Spotlight: Who is Rashaad Holley? What is Vingt-Cinq Rashaad? [Fashion]

Share this:

Like this: