WE ARE WORLDWIDE: TY HUNTER X WORLDWIDE MAGAZINE

VOLUME 4, ISSUE 4. SPRING SUMMER 2023.

TALENT + STYLING BY TY HUNTER ★ PHOTOS BY KE’MON CHAPMAN ★ INTERVIEW BY ANDYOMO ★ INTERN EDITOR LAL KOSEMATOGLU

SPECIAL THANKS TO ADELINE ZILIOX + ACLOUD x TY HUNTER X MANUEL MENDEZ

ANDYOMO: Hi Ty! 

Ty: Hey, Thank you for having me. How you doin’?

I’m doing so well! Thank you for being here. I’d just love to start by having you tell our readers a little bit about you if they don’t know already. Just about how long you’ve been in your industry and your background.

Celebrity stylist-slash-designer-slash, oh it’s so many titles. "Author" is a new one which I’m really excited about. But, I’m known for styling the wonderful group Destiny’s Child, Beyonce Knowles's solo project, and each girl’s solo project. Kelly, Michelle, Solange, and now working with Billy Porter as far as styling.

I love that, and we love Billy Porter. Their revolution within fashion has been inspiring to say the least as a black queer creator. Dialing in, you began styling very young. Did you always know that fashion was your passion? Is it something that you kind of just fell into? 

Well, I kind of always knew. I just never knew I could get paid for it.

Period. 

[BOTH LAUGH]

Yeah, but I’ve always loved fashion. I was best dressed in high school. I loved thrifting with my grandmother and great-grandmother. My mom was a single parent, so fun-wise, she would give me a piece of tulle that she would put on to make me happy, but I loved fashion so much. I would go to garage sales and thrifting with my grandmother and great-grandmother, and back then, that was kind of like a bad thing. If you had on Goodwill or something, maybe they would tease you, but because I had a sense of style and fashion, no one knew, and I was able to get away with it.

I love that, I love that. I definitely can relate. Growing up going to thrift stores can have a weird feeling back then, but I think it’s definitely one of those things that allow you to be unique.

Yes, yes. I agree.

So I love that. What was it like trying to find your own steps and space as a young black creative in such a competitive industry?

I’d never compete with anyone, I was competing with myself. I was learning and just being a sponge for Ms. Tina Knowles, Beyonce’s mom, to work under her and learn—because we weren’t allowed to pull in the beginning, so a lot of things were being made. So, just learning like all of that needed to be known as far as fabric stores and all of the good stuff. It was good to learn that side of fashion first before I got to the space of being able to pull from designers. 

A little bit of the technical side of it. That’s cool. That’s very important, as a stylist. All right, moving on. You say that your first outfit is your skin. Going on to say that you make it a point to get to know your clientele and their personality first. 

Yes.

What would you say to young creatives and POC who have been ostracized for living in their authenticity, and who may struggle to constantly feel seen as valid in a modern-day society?

I just think you gotta just push through and not worry about what people say. I know it sounds like a hard thing to do but trust me, once you get to a place of just truly loving yourself and owning it, that’s all that matters in the end. I don’t get dressed for people, I get dressed for myself and what I feel comfortable in. So when you have that conversation with the person in the mirror, and they give you the stamp of approval—that’s it.

Yes. I think it’s important to remember we are dressing for ourselves. And dressing is a very personal thing, you know. Talking a little bit about your book, you talked a lot about the female influence that was in your life growing up with your mom and your aunt and your grandma and your great grandma, how would you say that’s helped your professional industry and how that’s impacted you day to day in your profession?

I’ve just learned how to work with nothing. You know what I mean? And not having things handed to me has really helped, and also just learning. Their unconditional love allowed me to be myself, allowed me to be creative, and grow from there, and I didn’t have too many stop signs in the way as far as me learning myself and learning what my style was, and not being judged by that. I feel that allowed me to be more creative and have that free space of openness to create and channel in on myself and the people that I do work with. Learning to know them and learning what works for them, knowing what their insecurities are to get them to a place of truly loving themselves as well. 

Making it a personal experience. I think that’s important. Kind of diving off of something you mentioned when you spoke at Flying Solo, you talk a lot about uplifting unknown designers and about staying loyal to the designers and creatives that came up with you. Would you say that community in your industry is of importance? Why?

I would definitely say it is important because the fashion industry is very dark, and it is cutthroat. So, when you do find a positive tribe, you know, just constantly helping you, I think you should uplift them and continually push them beyond the sky. 

I think that’s important, and I think that, as you’ve said, it’s not a competition. It truly is a community.

Because loyalty is rare, and when you do find those who are loyal, it’s just important to have the people you can fall back on that truly have your best interest.

It’s true. That is rare. Especially in this industry. Kind of talking a little bit about Ms. Tina… had Tina Knowles not discovered you in your retail styling position many years ago, do you think your journey would still have rolled out similarly?

I believe everything happened in the way it was supposed to happen, and I feel like me being who I am and me constantly putting out what I want to receive, and being a good person, who knows where I would have ended up, but I’m sure I would have ended up being something positive because I continue to push out positivity and continuously put out what I want to receive so who knows? I was in the medical field, I used to work on artificial heart valves. And I just learned how to jump when my soul and my spirit say jump and let the higher powers do what they do. 

It’s true, you have to have faith. It’s something you talk about in your book too. It’s just having that faith in yourself, in your community, and in your support system, it's important. In your book, you also talk a bit about getting shot at such a young age. Do you mind diving in a bit about how that’s affected you in your personal and professional experiences?

So it happened right before I turned twenty-one. And, the way it happened like the two guys came with guns up to my head, and at the time, my favorite song was Lenny Kravitz It Ain’t Over ‘Til It’s Over. And so, basically, it ain't over ‘til it’s over and you find out what your purpose is. I’m glad it happened because it allowed me to also know. Being the good person that I am, a bullet really don’t have. It doesn’t care what-what kind of face… If it's your time, it's your time. Just learn how to be aware of your surroundings as much as you can be, you know. Just live and try to do everything you want to do because tomorrow is not promised. This isn’t a rehearsal, so it gave me the push to just do whatever I want to do and just live my life to the fullest because, at any moment, it could be over.

It’s true. Like you’ve said, tomorrow’s not promised, and I think it’s important—personally, not just professionally, but personally—to understand that ansd take every second with the biggest smile and biggest positivity that you possibly can. It starts with loving yourself and also just living as presently as you can. I think that’s really important. Talking a little bit about coming out as a queer man later in your years after having a career and starting a family, how would you say you’ve learned to embrace and nurture the young queer boy that never got to exist?

I’ve always been myself, but like I’ve said, I was late to the party. But I’m glad the flow happened the way it did, and I'm also blessed to have unconditional love from my family. I have queer friends who went through a lot of, you know, rejection, and you know, the craziness, but I'm blessed even my down to my daughter and my mom, once they loved me and showed that they loved me unconditionally, I didn't care what the world had to say. I'm just thankful for the strength to live my truth because it allowed me to be happy and allowed me to flow in this life at a good speed. Just knowing when you truly know who you are and you accept who you are, it truly helps you to move on forward. 

I totally get that. I do ask that because we do have, readers that are on their own journeys with self-discovery and authenticity and learning to love themselves. Especially with, you know, not necessarily having the support systems that some of us are so lucky to have. So, I think it's a personal journey, right? And it is one of those things where you said it really well, that this is exactly how it's supposed to happen. So, it's awesome to hear that. Is there any advice you'd say besides just being authentic for children that may be struggling to come out or to fall in love with themselves in the way that you've learned to?

You know, it's your life at the end of the day. So, you might hurt people along the way, finding your truth, not intentionally. But you have to get to a place of truly being your true authentic self and loving yourself. Because that just helps you be the better everything when you truly are authentic about yourself. 

You talk about in your book, that if you're a parent, show your kids who you are. I liked this, and it really stood out to me, because I'm sure most of our readers can relate to the feeling of never truly knowing their parents. I know I can. Especially as people of color. Why would you say this is important to get to know your parents as people? 

I just think the more transparent you are, it just really helps you build a bond of understanding. And it helps you to get to know why you are the way you are, the DNA is so deep, and you really learn. Like my dad had artwork and I didn't know. I was in art, he never told me. And I mean, everything happened the way it's supposed to. But who knows where I could have been as an artist, if I'd known or had that push, because I wasn't into sports, like my brother. And so, my brother and him had that bond, but me and him could have had a bond in art. And so those are things that I found out much later. And it didn't happen that way because that wasn't my journey and where I was supposed to be. But it would have helped me to understand and dig deep into something that I loved at the time and kind of fizzled out because I didn't get that attention from my father. And you can learn so much about yourself. And it helps you to build and grow and learn certain moves in life when you know where you came from. It's just important to know where you came from. 

We truly are our parent’s children. I think you said that well and getting to know yourself, too. I think that's a big part. Healing is a really big part too, and no parents are perfect. So, being able to humanize them is important for the journey of forgiveness, right? The key is about getting to a place of happiness. What does happiness look like to you?

Just living for self. Learning to say no, learning to do anything that I possibly wanted. Another day of life is a blessing in itself. And so, when you wake up and have another day in life, that's just happiness right there. Because it's a day forward to your dreams and goals and things that you want to do. Learning to truly take advantage of still having breath and being able to do things. Someone else didn't wake up this morning, so. 

Yeah, that's true. Take every day not for granted. Moving on, one thing that stood out to me about the last time I saw you, was about kindness and how the kind road was the long road. I always say people will remember the way you made them feel over the actual situations. Do you have a testament about this, about how being kind has helped create longevity for you throughout your career?

Yeah, it has. It's kept me in the game for over two decades. And I used to get teased for being too nice. Things might not appear, you know, lovely in the beginning, but as long as you put out kindness, and it does kill every single thing that comes in your direction, your enemies will become your footstool. I'm a living testimony to that. So just continue to be kind. It's easier if you go to bed at night with no regrets. No heavy weight or baggage. I just think it's easier for me to live and put out what I want to receive. 

I love that. I think that's really important and quite rare, honestly. Not just in this industry, but in the world. Yeah, I think we're slowly losing the personability that comes with being a human being and part of that is just being kind daily. Kind of talking a little bit about that. On the opposite side, has there ever been a time when you felt exploited in this industry? Maybe because of being kind or being perceived as too kind?

Not so much. But I do feel that you know, because of my attachment to, the bigger artists and people that I worked for in the past, you kind of learn who's there for you and who's not there for you. So, in protection of them, you kinda have to move a certain way. I am a representation of them, so certain moves that I make will reflect them. It’s like, working with greatness, it’s allowed me to learn and walk at a certain greatness.

I really like that. Kind of talking about the same kind of thing. What are some red flags that young stylists should look out for with working with teams or working with individuals and general brands?

Just don't allow anyone to treat you less than you are worth. And you know, you have to put it out there, learn your worth at an early age, early in the game, and stand to that. You might miss out on a lot of things, but If you start accepting pennies or less than… It will mess you up in the long run.

It's true. 

So just really know what your limitations are and what you will and will not do and stick to that, not just to try to get in the industry because they will chew you up if you allow them to.

It’s true, and most people aren’t taught that. Especially as black creatives, we’re not taught that. We’re taught to work for pennies. We’re taught to work for free, so it’s important to know your worth. 

Yeah. 

Kind of ending a little bit on a lighter note, I’m obviously talking to Ty Hunter, so we gotta talk a little bit about clothes. A few rapid-fire questions of just asking this or that, and you tell me which one you would choose.

Okay. 

Diving in, streetwear or high fashion?

I’m more of streetwear with a little bit of high fashion mixed, so I would have to say a little bit of both. 

Okay, period. I can see that. Sneakers or heels?

For me? Sneakers.

Comfort, right?

Yeah. 

Okay, I know your influence is a lot of 80s fashion as well. Would you say 80s, 90s, or 2000s fashion?

80s. Always. 

Can you dive in a little deeper with that? 

I don't know. The 80s were just a fun time, and fashion was a little less serious…

More camp. 

Yeah. And in the 80s, there were less stylists too. It was like people had their individual styles. So you really saw people walking around showing who they wore. And it wasn't that much influence as far as social media and stuff. So, I think the 80s was a fun time, and it was a little bit cheaper, too.

I’m sure. Okay, sequins or rhinestones?

Rhinestones. 

I feel it. I do find sequins to be beautiful, but I love rhinestones. And then minimal or maximal? In terms of fashion and style. 

It just depends on the flow, the day, it's a little bit of both, you know. 

I do. 

My minimal is sometimes a maximal, to others. 

Fair enough, I get that. 

So, my bad day is probably someone's good day. So, I go throwing like $20 worth of clothes from a thrift store and end up getting best dressed. So I will say minimal and maximal.

I love that. And last one: black and dark clothes or color and bright clothes? 

I am a color person, but I wear black all the time because it's just, it's easy. It's easy, and it's chic, and it's timeless. Then when I, you know, work and in styling you know, when you’re at work, you always wear black because it's more professional. And when you have to go on set or go on stage or whatever, I always wear black, so I'm mostly a color person. But being in fashion, I found myself leaning more towards black just for the look and the appearance of being clean.

I do get that. I think when I moved to New York, I was very adamant about “I don't want a character costume, I don't want to wear the same thing every day,” but honestly, working in this industry, you can't dress up.

No. You’re not trying to outdo your client. So black is almost minimal but still feels chic. 

No, exactly. All right, last question. How can we create more space representation, inclusivity, and diversity in an industry for black and brown creatives?

Just always look back and pull someone up. You know, mentor and just help people get through this journey. I made a left turn when I shouldn't have made a left. Lead them, and don't look at your peers as competition. Look at them truly as family, and if they win, you win. So just always look back and grab someone to mentor and lead them, help them, lead the way.

I love that, and we truly feel the energy, Ty. We are so thankful that you could do this with us. I think our readers will love to check out your book. It is very inspiring!

Thank you.

And what else can we look out for you in the near future?

A lot of surprises. TV stuff. 

Exciting!

I have handbags coming out with a collaboration I did with ACLOUD and Manuel Mendez.

So fun.

Yeah, a lot of surprises I can't talk about, but yeah, I'm really really excited for this year so stay tuned!

We defintiely will! Thanks again Ty!

Thank you!