Business, Innovation and the Younger Generation of Atlanta Fashion

By Kaneisha Montague, Editorial Intern

Atlanta is Home of the Braves and the headquarters of the Coca Cola Company, Turner Broadcasting, The Home Depot, UPS, and Delta Airlines, to name a few. Atlanta is also known for being the center of black wealth and also for its importance in the Civil Rights Movement.

Is Atlanta on the verge of being pinned the next new fashion capital? 

The Atlanta fashion scene has been simmering beneath the hype of many other popular cities, like New York; but with the rise of many new fashion moguls, that silent simmer will very soon be a thunderous burst of pure surfacing talent.

What is also unique about Atlanta is the amount of talented and fashionable youth. The business of fashion no longer only applies solely to those of the older generations. The younger generation here has started to make their mark, not only as fashion designers, but ones with a knack for entrepreneurship.

Most recently, the website launch of The Gentleman’s Table showcased its talents to the world. In 2011, LaDavion Smith, Sage Guillory and Justin McIntyre started a fashion blog and clothing line that embodied their own daily inspirations, style and outlook on fashion. The name, The Gentleman’s Table, essentially “comes from their own distinguished manner and their desire to encourage every man world wide to be a gentleman,” says 19-year-old McIntyre. Their style slogan is, “A gentleman is one that lets his style and personality reflect his character.”

Popular cities such as New york, Miami, and Philadelphia, to name a few, have been major avenues for fashion. Young fashion designers of these major cities, i.e; Street Etiquette of Bronx, New York and Kings Rule Together (K.R.T) of Philadelphia, have paved an inspirational road for young Atlanta-based designers to thrive.

The city of Atlanta will very soon be amongst the list of fashion capitals. Business and entrepreneurship knows no age and neither does talent.

***Check out our June 2012 issue “Runway South: The Making of a Fashion Capital” for more information on Atlanta’s bubbling fashion scene.