Program Success 23 November 2018
“ And a lot of retail spaces in Harlem are closing because the rent is so expensive . One of the ways to keep them alive and open is by giving them customers . If you visit New York and you don ’ t go to H & M and Zara , you actually get to see what the locals are wearing . But even more importantly , you ’ re supporting a black designer .”
“ I ’ m not a social media maven ,” she explains . “ It ’ s not like there are millions of people following what I do . Airbnb made it possible for people everywhere to know about me — and to pay me to do what I love .”
That pay has had a significant impact . “ I had never experienced weekly money coming into my business account ,” she says . “ That ’ s a really major deal . When I had my fashion line , and even when I first launched my tours , there would sometimes be weeks or months when I was making zero money . I had to work all these side jobs just to pay my rent . Now , there are times when I have money coming into my account every other day from work that I ’ m doing for myself . It ’ s been the most empowering thing I ’ ve ever experienced .”
Another huge benefit : Brown can spotlight a side of Harlem that doesn ’ t get enough shine . “ When you say fashion in New York , people think SoHo , they think Brooklyn . But they do not think Harlem ,” she says . “ I felt a call to make people fall in love with fashion in Harlem , and to fall in love with Harlem in general .”
The tours also help Brown bring attention — and customers — to local business owners in the rapidly gentrifying neighborhood . “ As a marginalized black designer , I know how hard it is to make it in the fashion industry ,” she says .
Fasihon Anthropology Mikaila Brown Rachel Mosely Culture , Diversity Santa Ana , California November 2018
Since her tours have taken off , Brown is now able to expand her business far beyond the reaches she initially thought possible . Next year , she plans to launch Sidewalk Safaris as Airbnb Experiences in Atlanta , Washington , D . C ., Chicago , and Los Angeles . “ Because Airbnb is so sustainable , I can think about growing because I have the funds to say , ‘ OK , I can hire someone to give my Harlem tours and I can start them someplace else .’”
The Experiences platform has also given Brown creative energy that wasn ’ t possible when she was bogged down by the burden of making ends meet . “ After four years of running an unsuccessful fashion line , I was living in a space of scarcity ,” she says . “ I was embodying a ‘ starving artist .’ Sometimes the words you say to yourself become your reality . I was stuck thinking , ‘ I ’ m never going to make money doing what I love . I ’ m just going to have to always hustle on the side and do this for fun .’ I ’ ve been able to flip my frame of mind to , ‘ You can sustain yourself with this .’”
Brown says the Experiences tours have helped her to fully realize what her specialization — fashion anthropology — really means . “ I called myself a fashion anthropologist from the beginning , and to be honest , it was kind of a gimmick ,” she admits . “ I had a degree in anthropology and I was working in fashion , so it was just a way for people to understand all the different parts of what I do .” She ’ s transformed what seemed like an idiosyncratic niche into a powerful means of serving her customers , her community , and her own bottom line . “ Airbnb has capitalized on all the things that I ’ m good at and that I love doing ,” she says . “ And it ’ s really helped me to define and refine who I am and what I do .”
Join anthropologist and fashion designer Mikaila Brown as she explores local fashion trends from around the globe . www . tctproject . com
Rachel Mosely is a writer and editor living in Brooklyn .