In an apartment just off Ralph David Abernathy Blvd., across the street from a Slutty Vegan location, Kierra Nichole, 26, shows off her New York Fashion Week showpieces. Nichole knew she had wanted to be a fashion designer since she was a little girl, and that desire can be traced back to her childhood. Born in Stone Mountain, Nichole experienced a moment that chartered her life’s journey from that point forward. At the age of nine, while riding the bus to E. L. Bouie Elementary School, Nichole observed a classmate sketching T-shirts on a notepad. Intrigued by the notion that someone could create clothing from their imagination, Nichole’s curiosity was piqued, and she was excited at the notion that what people wore was pulled out of someone’s imagination. From that point on, she said she knew what she wanted to do for the rest of her life.

Nichole says her parents, Karteua 50, and Rick, 53, were immediately supportive of their only daughter’s vision. “My parents provided me with everything I needed to pursue my passion for fashion from a young age,” Nichole said. 

As she progressed through her formative years, her passion for fashion only increased. In 2016, Nichole entered the Savannah College of Art & Design (SCAD), pursuing a degree in fashion design. During her time at SCAD, Nichole faced both challenges and opportunities that would later shape her career as a fashion designer. Immersed in the intense curriculum, Nichole found herself challenged to expand her boundaries and explore new techniques and mediums within the competitive atmosphere. “I think SCAD was an experience that I’ve never had,” she remembers. “I didn’t feel as though I shined, which is fine. Because I also feel as though that was a training ground or a sandbox, where I’m kind of figuring things out.”