Simply Elevate January 2014 | Page 8

Simple Elegance Fashion Designer Stacey Holloway Story by: Renisha Battle Photos: courtesy of Stacey Holloway “Simplicity is the keynote of all true elegance” CoCo Chanel Simplicity and elegance are two factors, women desire when trying to get that perfect dress. The special dress, that will become the conversation piece of the whole night and grab the attention of a room full a people. Women swoon over garments, as memorable as a Diane Von Furstenberg’s iconic wrap dress and keep them for a lifetime. One designer, Stacey Holloway from Durham, NC, understands the importance of the right dress. Stacey Holloway, the designer of Brali a premier couture evening wear line and a ready to wear line called S Holloway, started his career at 18 years old as a professional fashion model. He has graced the stage of NY Fashion week, appearing in private designer showcases for designers like Tommy Hilfiger, DKNY, Larry Underwood, J.J. Chris, and displayed in fashion editorials of CMQ magazine (Caribbean), Substance and Style magazine. The fashion industry exposed Stacey to a new lifestyle and he soon found a deeper passion for beauty and fashion. In 2002, the young designer took an apprenticeship under NY fashion designer J.J. Chris and impacted fashion from behind the camera lens. Now nine to ten years later, Stacey is still in love with designing clothing and fashion. In May 2013, Stacey attended Durham Tech Community College and received an AA degree. Currently, he attends N.C. Central University studying fashion design in the Human sciences department. He has gained some notoriety by working with Alpha Chi chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc and building a clientele through local fashion showcases. Please continue reading about the interview Stacey Holloway given to Simply Elevate Magazine. SE: What most interest you about fashion or the fashion industry? SH: What interests me most about the fashion industry is its ability to recreate and mold old ideas into new fresh ones. The creativity and sheer brilliance behind most of our fashion icons come from the diligence and passion expressed by the people who truly take beauty and aesthetics as an art form and not a vein expression of one’s inner being. SE: What other jobs or activities that you do besides styling or designing a clothing line? SH: Besides styling and designing one of my passions is interior design. I have a god given ability to create peace by making people’s homes beautiful. It really inspires me in my life to have the keen sense to make things come alive with simple variations of certain design aspects in a home or even in someone’s life. I also love, love, love movies, music and theater… What sets you apart from other designers or stylist? SH: What sets me apart from other designers is my sensibility with my client. I love my clients just as I do my family and friends. All of my clients receive the best client service I could possibly give. Love is my mission and I believe that it comes across in my ability to create what my client is searching for even 8 www.simplyelevate.com