Fashion Fridays: Q+A with Mikaila Brown of Aliakim

Words and Interview by Emily Shapiro—

Over the years, we’ve seen clothes to promote religious beliefs, shirts supporting political parties, and even ones promoting breaking celebrities out of jail. Many designers have played activist by raising money for charities through their lines, or building awareness through their imagery. Last week, Large Up introduced you to Mikaila Brown of Aliakim, a designer who has taken fashion and activism to the next level—and is doing so quite eloquently, if we do say so ourselves.

Unlike many designers, Ms. Brown has a P.h.D.—in Anthropology and Education. Before launching her line, she worked for a variety of non-profits both in the US and abroad, and her experience is reflected in the design and intent of her line. Her style, which she calls “revolutionary chic,” is meant to empower women and build awareness of international issues by using imagery typically associated with war and struggle, and turning them into wearable high fashion, providing women with another way to express their advocacy for a variety of issues. Brown’s work does not stop with her line— she has her hands in lots of other projects that show her true dedication to social reform. We got the scoop straight from Mikaila. We’re glad to share her infectiously positive vibes with our readers. Read the interview below:

LargeUp: Give us an overview of your background. Where did you grow up? Were you always interested in fashion and the arts?

Mikaila Brown: I was born in Jamaica. We migrated to Boston when I was two years old and South Florida when I was 10. I consider South Florida the place where I grew up, because it felt the most like “home” with its close proximity and personality to Jamaica.

Both my parents were teachers in Jamaica, so academics was heavily emphasized in my household. As a result I did not initially have any interest in fashion or the arts. That developed in high school when I grew to the height of 5’11. My first interest in fashion stemmed from the practical need for clothes for tall, skinny women. Back then, tall meant fat within the paradigm of affordable fashion and I struggled to find clothes that not only fit but complemented my frame. I decided then that one day I would make clothes for women like me.

LU: Tell us about your academic career. What did you study? Why? Was it difficult to balance your interest in fashion and wanting to begin that career with your academic drive? I know in many West Indian homes parents do not support a career in the arts. Was that the case for you?

MB: Though I had early aspirations for fashion, I knew my Jamaican parents would not get behind such a creative career path until I had completed the necessary “academic requirements.” In our family, this meant at least a masters degree. I actually applied to fashion programs in Milan at the same time as I applied to doctoral programs. I got into both, but as a concession to my parents I chose to take the academic route first. My parents promised to support my fashion goals, as long as I had a degree to fall back on. They have held true to this promise and are Aliakim’s biggest supporters.

I have a doctorate in Anthropology and Education from Columbia University. I selected the doctoral path because I love learning, especially coming from such a educationally minded family. Anthropology allowed me to do things that I love to do naturally, which is travel, talk with people, and learn about new cultures. It is also the academic path of many nonprofit employees and executives, which was my other career choice outside of fashion.

Click here to read Part 2 of our interview with Aliakim’s Mikaila Brown

LU: I know before you launched your line, you worked for several non-profits. Tell us about some of the places you lived, worked, traveled to…

MB: Throughout my graduate studies, I worked for the Harlem Children’s Zone, a nonprofit run by the well respected Geoffrey Canada. I worked as an academic advisor for high school students participating in HCZ’s artist program. This allowed my creative side to be fostered simultaneously with my academic side. While there, I started a girls group, where female students met once a week to share their feelings and challenges. It was during my time with this group that I began to tap into my interest in, and commitment to, women’s issues. After graduate school, I helped design a micro finance project for USAID and the Jamaican consulate in Miami. I also worked for a Miami-based national nonprofit that offered afterschool programming.

I am addicted to traveling and other cultures. I have visited 30 countries, and lived in Europe, Africa and the Caribbean. As an anthropologist, trips are never just a vacation for me, but always an investigation. This has greatly affected my approach to fashion. I’ve had the privilege of seeing fashion trends start in underground subsets in London and Paris and make it the US three years later. I recognize original African influences in color, fabric and silhouette throughout its diasporic communities. This international perspective is a major reason I am currently manufacturing the Enlisted collection in India.

LU: Tell us about your line, and the message behind it.

MB: Aliakim is a distinctive accessory and clothing line that blends fashion with activism. Each piece uniquely melds cultural images with high-end fashion elements to artistically raise awareness of current world affairs. Our mission is to provide cultivated women everywhere with clothing and accessories that express their advocacy as sophisticatedly as their femininity. Giving meaning to the term “revolutionary chic,” it is the intention of this line to put the “wear” in “awareness” and, as a result, inspire change.

LU: Where do you see it going in the future?

MB: I am moving to New York to better market and expand the awareness of my brand. I plan to open a design studio where I will host weekly sales parties. I intend for this studio space to be a beacon, haven and hangout spot for fellow artists, Aliakim soldiers and fellow creatives. In a year, I will open my first boutique, the first of many. I am also in the process of organizing an event that will focus on the role of fashion as an empowerment tool for women. Throughout the next year, I will host these sales parties and empowerment event in major cities around the country, like LA, Atlanta, Chicago and DC.

Click here to read Part 3.

LU: Why did you decide to go from working in non-profit to fashion? What is the link? Why did you feel this was the best way to accomplish the work you have set out to do?

MB: Most anthropologists work as a researcher, professor or non-profit executive. I took a conventional route, working seven years with non-profit organizations. In 2008, after a mildly major burn out, I decided to re-channel my commitment to raising awareness to social issues. I have always had a fanatical passion for fashion, so it became my obvious next step. I quit my cushy non-profit executive job, overlooked the pressure of looming student loans, and embarked on a new course of learning. The major motivation behind completely reinventing my life was a calling to make clothing and accessories for women like myself: cosmopolitan women who want the opportunity to express their political opinions as sophisticatedly as they express their femininity.

LU: Tell us about your organization, Bear Threads…

MB: I am developing Bear Threads, which is the nonprofit arm of Aliakim. It is a community development project committed to allowing children to make positive change in their communities through the creation of wearable art. By introducing the basic principles of fashion design to low income communities, middle and high school students are encouraged to design articles of clothing that represent an issue in their community that they would like to bring awareness to. Proceeds from the sales are funneled back into the community through donations to existing community organizations. The creation of shirts, bracelets, purses, hats and shoes becomes a form of artistic activism that allow young people to feel empowered to make a statement, as well as tangibly contribute to the development of their neighborhood. In communities where the biggest threat often takes the form of poverty, poor education, and lack of empowerment, Bear Threads aspires to awaken inner city youth to their power as active agents of change.

LU: On a lighter note, who are some of your style icons? Do you think your style is influenced by your West Indian background, and how?

MB: I’m in love with the work of Alexander McQueen, Mara Hoffman, Prada, and Miu Miu because of their use of color and prints, as well as their ability to tell a vivid story with their pieces. I know my Jamaicanism plays a big role in my designs. I see this influence in the loudness of my color choices and the aggressiveness of the imagery in my prints. Jamaicans are nothing if not extremely loud, aggressive and unapologetic. I know my unapologetic attitude towards standing behind what I create, even if it makes some uncomfortable, comes from the indelible confidence that is part and parcel of being Jamaican.

LU: What kind of music do you listen to? 

MB: Dancehall is my absolute first love. Being 34, I remember when dancehall started, and I’ve been an avid fan ever since. I just designed a bullet ring that fits the gangster vibe of the collection, but is directly derived from the gun finger salute popularized by dancehall party etiquette. But my music [tastes] are eclectic, and definitely influenced by my travels. Living in London exposed me to musical styles like garage. My time in West and South Africa allowed me to fall in love with artists like Miriam Makeba, Fela, and Hugh Masekela. I get a lot of inspiration from music. Music makes me feel things very deeply that I ultimately channel into a piece of clothing or an accessory.