Brand Session Interview with Kerene Graham

I recently shot a brand session with my good friend Kerene. It felt nice to get out and enjoy the sun on our skin and the fresh air from the trees in the park. We hadn’t seen one another in a while and I was looking forward to the brand session.

During the time we spent together at the park, we got to talking about our spiritual beliefs and the way we see things from our point of view. We chatted about some of our goals, and dreams that we’re working towards. This particular brand session would be a little different because it was also a small interview.

” Our fingerprints don’t fade from the lives we touch ” – Judy Blume

1) When was your love for styling born?

Honestly I always had a love for fashion. I was always into looking good and putting together outfits. I would watch my grandma get ready when she would go out and I would be taking mental notes.

2) What is your go to Brand ?

I mostly thrift and support my friends clothing brands. Like Liv Streetwear.

3) Can you tell me a little bit about yourself, your beliefs, your goals for growing as a stylist, and who you are.

I don’t necessarily believe in religion, but I am a spiritual person and I do believe in God. The relationship I have with God is personal, very personal to me and I feel that as long as you’re moving with love and light in your heart no one can tell you anything about anything because you have that personal relationship with God.

As far as my goals for styling, I really always wanted to style men. I always seem to style women and right now I am actually working on some things with an up and coming artist who wants me to style him so that’s in the works right now. I’m just trying to build on my clients, learn what I can learn from my mentors and my friends who are also styling. Eventually I would like to creative direct for a brand, and even start my own brand and go from there.

4) Who or what inspires you on a day to day basis ?

To be very honest, what inspires me is God. God inspires me to create, and he put certain people in my life to make sure that I stay on the path of my purpose. He inspires me on a daily basis to do what I do.

5) Who is your favorite designer and why ?

I don’t have a favorite designer, I would honestly say that certain runway shows inspire me. I just get inspired by what’s around me or the art around me not necessarily a specific designer.

6) What are the meanings or spiritual meanings behind your jewelry pieces ?

The two necklaces that I had on, the black one is The Ankh. It’s the male principal and the female principal coming together to make a life, that’s what the cross is based off of. The gold necklace is the eye of RA, it’s for protection. The ring is Ma’at, she’s a goddess. Pretty much Jesus Mother.

7) How do you feel about the Black Lives Matter movement, what are your thoughts, concerns ?

Clearly I support the BLM movement, but I also know that the little movements that people have been doing like standing in solidarity with us, that’s cool, that’s great but where are the systematic changes that need to happen for there to be equity around the board. I feel like sometimes we get too focused on equality and it’s really not equality that we want, it’s equity, that the lane field would be leveled. We would be afforded the same opportunities as our white counterparts. We wouldn’t be getting shot or killed in our homes but if it was a white person who was killed that black person would be in jail but because the perpetrators are white it doesn’t matter because the system was built against us. If changes don’t come from the system itself then black lives won’t matter no matter how you flip it. The police started off as slave hunters and for that to be their history and then you see situations like George Floyd who was murdered on camera, it just goes to show the lack of care for a black life. It’s rooted in our history, the judicial system and everything. I honestly can say that black lives won’t matter unless the system changes and that’s honestly how I feel .

8) What is your favorite poem ?

Mother to Son by Langston Hughes. It shows the struggle of life, and she’s telling her son life is hard but you’re going to make it.

I always respect and value my friends opinions and beliefs, and I love them for always staying true to themselves and their beliefs. Life is a beautiful thing, but it’s also hard. If you want to have faith, you have to embrace the impossible, you have to have faith to deal with the impossible. God doesn’t gives us things easy, he makes us work for it. He’s waiting on us to ask him for a blessing while we’re waiting on a stop. Pastor Jeremy Foster said this during his sermon on Sunday and I couldn’t forget his words.

Re connecting with Kerene for this brand session was a blessing. Both of us have grown in many different ways since the last time we’ve seen each other but we never change toward each other. We always embrace one another, we see one another, we hear one another and we love one another no matter what. Life teaches you many things, and some things aren’t worth keeping but the lessons are powerful, they are a blessing from God. Life is beautiful, it’s full of powerful, unforgettable moments that will last a lifetime, but it’s up to us to walk in love and walk with our faith.

Kerene will be a stylist one day for her own brand because she believes she can do it and that will push her to reach her dreams. This brand session was different for many reasons but I loved and cherished every second of it. You are a powerful, beautiful force of nature Kerene, never lose that.

xo, Liz

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