It has always been intriguing the things that we remember. I can recall the first time I saw my favorite documentary, Tupac: Resurrection
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The Love Above
I have always felt that art is subjective. Being a visual artist myself, the things that I sketch, paint or stencil, all have a specific meaning to me, but it may translate differently to another set of eyes.
Tialer Scott, also known as Flockaland, has made it her civic duty to promote positivity when and wherever she can. The New Jersey native of Haitian descent, created the Stay (+) clothing brand in order to create a contrast to the negativity that comes with everyday life. Founded in 2013, this brand isn’t limited to just clothing. Tialer also does event planning and curation for Stay (+), which further pushes her message of positivity to the masses.
At this year’s A3C Festival & Conference, Tialer is slated to have a Pizza Party/Pop-Up shop at Edgewood Pizza that’s open to people of all ages. We were recently granted the opportunity to speak with Tialer about her brand, thoughts on being a female in the fashion industry, and her plans for the future.
With you being from New Jersey, do you feel that there is a difference between the fashion scenes on the east coast and Atlanta?
Yes, I do. I feel like it’s black Hollywood, but at the same time it has its own sense of fashion here. The East Coast on the other hand, mainly New York, is the fashion capitol. I’m not saying one is better than the other, but I feel like more statements are being made up there, then in trickles down to everywhere else. The East Coast sets off fashion, while Atlanta sets off music.
There is an oversaturation of designers and clothing lines in Atlanta, and Stay (+) has become one of the more popular brands in the city. What do you think makes your brand unique?
Initially, I wasn’t trying to make money or get rich quick, I just wanted to promote positivity. Also, in terms of promoting my brand, there was no shame to my game. A lot of people let their pride hold them back. I spoke to people, I networked and just tried my hardest to get the name out there. Patience was key in the beginning… I slowly but surely built my clientele into what it is today.
I've noticed the Stay (+) brand on a lot of notable people. How do you get your clothing on these athletes and entertainers?
Most of the people that I’ve gotten brand placements on, if they’re not from Atlanta, it’s probably my first time meeting them. I’ve recently had placements on Cardi B and Dave East, and they didn’t know a thing about my brand. It was the way I approached them, and how I presented myself to their management. Your reputation is everything in Atlanta. I can have the ugliest brand in the world, but if people are rocking with me, and how I present my brand, the product will always move.
Aside from the Stay (+) brand, you've done modeling, event planning and curation. Which one do you enjoy the most?
Modeling is my passion. I remember doing my first runway show in the 4th grade. I remember my entire outfit to the tee! *laughs* I love curating events, but its levels to it. All the events you’ve seen me do, I’ve done on my own. Modeling is my first love but event planning is something I love to do as well.
When you design your pieces and products, what feeling do you want people to have when they wear and see that Stay (+) logo?
I know it sounds cliché, but I just want people to feel positive, and to know that they can do anything that they want, and to know that the power is in their hands.
What was your initial inspiration to start a clothing line, and what keeps you inspired today?
Honestly, I was inspired by myself. I’ve been involved in Nursing since 2011, and I deal with people with dementia and special needs. I’ve always loved Chemistry, and if you’re familiar with atoms you know that protons never interact with electrons, so that’s where I got (+) in my brand. Positivity should never be tainted by anything else.
Just like music, fashion is very "here today, gone tomorrow." How do you feel about the direction that fashion is headed?
I think its headed in a good direction. It’s starting to show a lot of individuality, and people have the opportunity to be who they want to be.
As with many things in this world, the fashion industry is male dominated. do you feel that you've run into certain obstacles in this business because you're an African-American female?
Yes! *laughs* In actuality, if you’re not Caucasian or a person of status, people look at you like: “who are you?” I’m literally going against the grain every day of my life. As black females, I feel that we’re not appreciated in all aspects, especially in the fashion and music industry. When we become successful, instead of heralding us, people look and think that we did something to compromise our integrity in order to get in the position that we are in.
Outside of the Stay (+) clothing line, do you see yourself expanding the brand into different endeavors in the future?
I definitely want to expand when it comes down to charity events, and partnering up with bigger companies. Stay (+) is more than just clothing, it’s a state of mind. Regardless of what I do in the future, I never want to limit my brand to just clothing, it is so much more than that.
With your event at A3C this year, what is your main goal? What do you want to take from this event, and what do you want other people to take away?
When people come to my events, I want them to know that they are in the midst of positivity. I want them to see what my brand stands for; what I stand for. They need to know that they can have a good time, and that they can be themselves.
For more information and updates on Flockaland and Stay (+), be sure to check out the website here.
In honor of Black History Month, my goal is to place emphasis on some of the contributions that African-Americans made towards the growth of this extremely flawed, but nonetheless great country of ours.
As a man of color, I learned at a very young age that the differences between me and people of a much lighter complexion go much farther than skin deep. From slavery, Jim Crow, to the oppression that has existed since the inception of the United States; it is obvious that this “system” has never failed us, because it wasn’t constructed to protect us in the first place.
The senseless killings of unarmed black men aren’t a part of some new phenomenon, because these crimes have been committed for hundreds of years, with the latter going unnoticed. The emergence of technology has allowed us to bring it to the forefront; thus, creating some form of sensitivity from the national media and people of other cultures to gaze upon our hurts that somewhat remain insignificant to the privileged-born. Regardless of how far we’ve come, we still have a very hard journey ahead of us. Not too long ago, African-Americans had little to no rights at all; and nothing before it displayed this fact more succinctly than The Birth Of A Nation.
“The bringing of the African to America planted the first seed of disunion.”
On this date in 1915, D.W. Griffith released The Birth Of A Nation.
Many objective film critics have an extremely polarizing opinion about the film. On one hand, this film showcases the days of slavery and reconstruction as a happy and peaceful time in America. The depiction of the black men featured in the film was that of stupidity, manual labor, and an aggressive, hypersexual demeanor that was a danger to all society. However, at the time of its release, The Birth Of A Nation was seen as a cinematic masterpiece. Running for 3 hours, it was the first 12-reel film in the United States, and was frequently shown at galas, along with being the first motion picture to be screened inside the White House.
Due to the film’s popularity with many of the Caucasian inhabitants of the United States, it had a detrimental effect on the minority. After 1915, this film, along with the murder of Mary Phagan in Atlanta, it was used as a recruiting tool for the Ku Klux Klan’s resurgence in this country. The contrasts on how different people may view the same thing based on their experiences has always been an interesting thing to me. I guess that’s the beauty in art… whether good or bad, it’s all in the viewer’s perspective.
Yesterday, I watched Griffith’s The Birth Of A Nation in its entirety on YouTube. As many of us know, this story is the exact opposite of Nate Parker’s version of the same name. The portrayal of blacks in this film was appalling, but what it taught me was that not much has changed in terms of race relations in America today. Some of the laws have been shifted in order to give people of color some sense of humanity, but the mind state of many of the supporters of bigotry and prejudice remains unwavering. Long gone are the days of when racism was blatant; the white sheets and garments of the Ku Klux Klan have been replaced with expensive suits and elegant accessories. Beware!
Black History Month is a time where we should praise African-Americans for overcoming the odds, and excelling in a place that was built for them to underachieve. We must also understand that our history had both positive and negative aspects. So, to focus on the good points alone would not properly do justice to the entire history of the black person in America. Our triumphs are inspirational, but our scars give us character. The good times may provide memories that lift our spirits, but it is how we overcome our lowest moments that make us who we are. I recommend each and every one of you to check out D.W. Griffith’s The Birth Of A Nation if you haven’t already. It really gives an insight on where we’ve come from, and where we may ultimately be headed.
Happy #BlackHistoryMonth,