Nigerian stylist Chi IIochi is the owner of Styling By Chi where she styles pretty much everyone from models to children with autism, the elderly, those with Down Syndrome.
“I go into Black communities that are not really funded (there is no money going there), I go into the high schools and middle schools,” Chi explains. “I go to the middle schools because they do not talk about fashion in Black communities because that is not something that they care about.”
“The thinking is that you are either going to get out of here on a sports scholarship, playing football or basketball or if you are a girl, maybe you will be a nurse, do nails or do lashes. All of that is fine but fashion has the power to heal and help and I think that it is important that they explore their options because we started all the trends.”
Chi started started all the acrylics, the big hoops, the head wraps…they originated all of that. She belives that it is important that the girls and the boys know that she can make it in the fashion industry, so she styles them.
Chi also styles those who are depressed or anxious so that they can learn different ways to express themselves through clothing. From her own personal experience with struggling with depression at various points in her life, she knows that fashion has helped her tremendously. Her goal is to get into celebrity styling because it is more than the glitz and the glam for her, if she is not able to influence and inspire somebody through clothes, then she feels like there is something missing.
I recently interviewed Chi where she chatted more on her mission in fashion.
