When asked to pick a campus creative to feature for College Fashion Week it was a no brainer for me to choose Kiersten Mills. Mills is a sophomore known throughout the Atlanta University Center for her style and her new and upcoming fashion magazine.
How would you describe your style?
āI donāt really have a set style; it all depends on my mood. Right now, Iām obsessed with hype beast culture (sneakers, fear of god) brands. I literally change up every day sometimes, weeks at a time.
Has anyone influenced your style?
āI have a lot of fashion inspirations. Sometimes Iāll try to recreate some looks. Ryan Destiny and her stylist Scott Louie theyāre one of my favorite duos. Zendaya and Law Roach her stylist, theyāre great. But, honestly, Iām more about themes, like masculine with a feminine vibe, like Rihannaās collection. So, anything like that where its more focused on a theme.
Do you consider your style unique? If so when did you realize this?
āI donāt know if the way I dress is unique but my obsession with clothing is unique. Like when I would talk to my friends, I realized I was way more into this than they were. Then people began asking me for advice and I was like wait maybe I can dress a little bit.ā
What do you feel makes an outfit (yours in particular) unique?
āI donāt know. Comfortability is a big thing for me, I canāt feel awkward. I donāt really have a certain thing that make my outfits unique. I would say I have pieces that I could base my outfit around for the day. But, all-in-all it depends on the day.
Have you ever considered styling anyone else?āĀ
āYes!! I am in the process of styling my cousin. I always have to remember the reason I am doing this, for myself not so much them. So, I often have to remind myself that not everyone is comfortable with the same things I am. I would definitely say styling is a process, but I love it nonetheless.ā
What is the process you go through of picking out an outfit?
āIt depends on my vibe for the day and the event Iām going to. Also, you know what I have ready to be worn for the day.ā
Do you believe there is a correlation between individuality and fashion?
āOf course! I always say how a person is dressed is their expression and mood for the day. I also say when you look better you feel better and it all is related to someoneās demeanor. You can tell if someone is a chill person by what they have on. I even think you could go as far as knowing what type of music someone listens to based on their outfits. Thatās still outside appearance looking, but I think it says something about their personality and like if they care about what theyāre wearing.ā
Whatās your favorite thing in your closet right now?
āMy shoes!! Iām obsessed with them right now, I recently started working at a sneaker boutique, so that has what influenced me and the hypebeast culture. I love Jordan 1s. I canāt wait to style them for homecoming as well. Long jeans and baggy pants as well!!ā
How has fashion helped you?
āFashion has helped me realize what I like and what I donāt like. I get overly excited when talking about fashion. I realized the organizations that I was involved in really didnāt align with my passions. For instance, outside of school, I work on a magazine because it helps me get my little bit of creativity about fashion out for the day and sometimes week. Mills came up with the idea for her magazine over the summer. āI had visions that were very clear and came up with the idea for this magazine. Once, I got back to school, I started working on it with some of my friends and then I put out my first issue. The first issue was really an introduction into looks there wasnāt much content. But this magazine is my little baby, Iāve worked on it so hard. My second issue, I did the layouts and everything and this one is about the collective. An organization for fashion driven individuals on campus which I didnāt know much about but itās all in the story. The magazine is very fashion-based. It showcases the creativity of black people, specifically at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). I believe that HBCUs and black people have started these trends. Then mainstream people look to us and decide to follow it. Thatās what Iāve chosen to showcase because if we donāt document this then no one will that we were the blueprints for these types of things. I like to say black people are the uncredited blueprints for a lot of trends.ā
What are your career aspirations?Ā
āHonestly, I donāt know. I am a spiritually-lead and I actually just declared my major, sociology with a fashion concentration. I donāt know quite what I ām going to do with it just yet. Of course, I have my magazine, but I donāt know. I would love to go abroad in Paris or Milan. I would love to work with Rihanna because we donāt know what the lord has in store for me. I was just recently praying about this because I donāt know what I want to do. People keep telling me Iām going to be a big household name one day, but honestly, I donāt even know what that really means. I havenāt even really thought past the next three months of my life so when people tell me that, I just thank them. But the truth is I donāt know whatās in the cards, if itās in the cards amazing but if not, thatās okay as well. Weāre going to go with the flow and thatās okay with me. What. Iāve been doing has been working so weāre going to keep going with that.ā
To keep up with Kiersten, follow her new fashion magazine: @LOOKSTHEMAG on Twitter and Instagram.
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