GAZELLES IN OUR MIDST
to never pay full price for clothes. I can see a 75 percent off-the-rack
from the door! Having expendable income has changed my shopping
habits tremendously. I shop amazing sales from stores like Saks and
Neiman Marcus when they are making room for the coming season. It
allows me the opportunity to wear some of the best designer brands,
without the hefty price tag. Resale is my new favorite pastime. I always
remember the years when I had no money and bought food at Save-
A-Lot, because I had no choice. Those memories keep me grounded.
Q: What is the current climate of fashion in St. Louis? How
is it changing?
A: Not much has changed in St. Louis fashion. I think the best
time for fashion in St. Louis was when we had two fashion weeks:
Missouri Style Week and St. Louis Fashion Week. The tension and
sense of competition created by the perceived rivalry also created
an electrifying energy that inspired designers, boutiques and fashion
schools to push the envelope and do some rather spectacular things.
In fact, St. Louis Fashion Fund was a result of that energy. Now that
the spark has died down, St. Louis is struggling to find its fashion
identity. That is why it is important for Gazelle to stay current, keep
up with what’s happening in the rest of the world, and bring that
global cosmopolitan sass to our community. Like music and art, we
need fashion. It is literally the fabric of our everyday lives. It’s what
we think about when we get up. What am I wearing today? Are my
clothes clean? Do my clothes fit? It all begins with fashion.
Q: When travelling to New York for New York Fashion Week,
Miami, Chicago, or other cities, are you on the lookout for
changing fashions and how it compares to the Midwest?
A: Absolutely! I remember sitting on
the sidewalk of a restaurant in Miami in
February 2017, watching all these stylish
women walk by, marveling at all the sleeves
they were wearing. Three months later,
St. Louis was all about sleeves, sleeves
and more sleeves. It is exciting to be at
the forefront of changing fashion. Travel
puts me ahead of the game and gives me
an opportunity to bring what I see to St.
Louis through the pages of Gazelle. Now
with the new Gazelle Life TV, readers get
to experience the magazine via video, too.
QUICK-FIRE QUESTIONS:
Q: Most important accessory?
A: A strand of pearls
Q: Must-have makeup item?
A: Mac Matchmaster liquid foundation
Q: Best place to shop?
A: The Vault Luxury Resale in Brentwood
Q: First-pick free-time activity?
A: Hiking at Castlewood State Park
Q: Favorite “cheat” food?
A: Fruit tarts from La Bonne Bouchee
in Creve Coeur
really excited about the results I am seeing, not only physically, but
mentally, because of how he inspires me to keep going and pushes
me to physical heights that I would have never thought I could reach.
Working out is a whole wellness journey. I feel healthier, more fit and
sexier, inside and out.
In general, I am a creative, which means I bounce from one thing
to another at the drop of a hat. Some might say I am a bit hyper. As
I go through this fitness journey, my mind is sharper and calmer,
giving me the mental aptitude to solve
problems and generate new ideas, while
working structurally and systematically.
There is this sense of accomplishment you
feel when you tackle something that is a
challenge for you.
I think that my friends and supporters
on social media are getting a sense of
how hard I work for everything in my
life, including my body, and they are
appreciating and becoming inspired by
the process.
It is easy to assume that my success is a
result of things being given to me or that
I am just lucky. On the contrary, I am one
of the hardest-working people I know. My
growth has been a result of preparation
meeting opportunity. I have gotten the
education. I have done the work. And now,
I can take the opportunities that are presented to me and execute at
a level that created things like Gazelle magazine and Gazelle Life TV.
Keep up with me on Instagram @justcillah.
"I am one of the
hardest-working
people I know.
My growth has
been a result of
preparation
meeting
opportunity."
Q: A lot of your Instagram and
Facebook followers respond and
are inspired by photos and videos
of your workouts that have helped
you whittle your waist and reach
your fitness goals. What motivates you to stay on track?
A: I have an amazing trainer, Curtis Douglas, at Club Fitness in Creve
Coeur. This is not a plug. I pay my trainer for his services. I am just
SAVVY I SOPHISTICATED I SASSY
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