( ENSPIRE Fashion ) Trenton Lavell Details How the Hip Hop Industry has Catapulted his Career
ENSPIRE Contributor: Julia Postell
Every rising fashion designer dreams of the day that they see their vision come to life on the Red Carpet. For 25-year-old Trenton Lavell Brown, that dream became reality when NY Drill rapper Fivio Foreign made fashion headlines wearing a custom all-pearl set by Trent at the 64th Annual Grammys. What all started as a simple love for sneakers, Trenton Lavell Brown launched his fashion career in 2019. His intimate passion for sneakers led him to a world of sewing and creative design, and from there became Trenton Lavell, the fashion mogul.
The Atlanta native has since worked with well-known artists like Young Thug, GHerbo, B.O.B., and K Camp. This has completely revolutionized his brand and allowed him to build a prominent name for himself in the fashion industry. Young Thug was pictured modeling a pink two-piece set by Trent in his Giuseppe “Cobra” Campaign in 2021 and the positive media has just continued to pile up as his fashion brand is just taking off.
ENSPIRE spoke to Trenton about all things fashion and his personal experience as a young, black, fashion entrepreneur.
Please shed some insight into your upbringing and what prompted you to pursue a career in fashion.
I was raised in Georgia and was heavily influenced by sneaker culture and my love of art and design through social platforms such as Tumblr and websites like hype beast and modern notoriety to name a few. My love for designing sneakers evolved into me breaking down denim jeans to learn the process of how to recreate them.
In such a demanding and competitive era of fashion, how do your style and brand differentiate from others? What does it represent?
I listen to my customers as they are my greatest form of reflection of what is ready to be produced in higher quantities or altered. My work reflects black excellence infused with the individual stories of everyday black culture. It is an expression of our emotions and where I’d like to help develop our narrative as a people.
How has the Hip Hop industry influenced your fashion choices?
While walking the aisles of the fabric store, I am inspired as I play my favorite artist through my headphones. It helps me resonate with the textures as I graze them, and I imagine how I’d feel wearing the texture with the mood of the songs played. As a native of Atlanta, I am inspired by the artists that have come from here and the culture of fashion that has continuously evolved. My goal is to give a new level of Haute to streetwear and the hip hop/r&b industry is a medium for my art.
What was it like seeing your vision come to life on the red carpet at the Grammys?
It was a beautiful feeling seeing a project that my team and I created in 15 days winning best dressed at the Grammys. We put our all into the look and I was grateful for the opportunity to be given this stage to showcase my work.
What are some of the largest pushbacks that you have experienced in your career?
One of the largest pushbacks is sometimes not having enough hours in a day. In this industry, you must be ready to sacrifice sleep at any given time. Therefore, you must be willing to accept or deny certain projects based on the parameters. You do not want to be known for bad business ethics.
What advice would you have for aspiring fashion designers?
Content is king and network with people that are in your field. Never be afraid to fail and start over.
Trenton Lavell is an inspiring entrepreneur that paves the way for young fashion designers who share the same dream of seeing their creative designs hit the Red Carpet and make fashion headlines. The mix of everyday black culture and black excellence is embedded in Trenton’s designs and has pushed him to create and pursue his passion. The Hip Hop Industry has allowed him to watch his sketches come alive and has inspired him in various ways to keep creating and building a brand for himself.
Be on the lookout for his new storefront launch, Heart & Sew collection, and Showcase events.
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