When I first saw Leon Parham on the runway at Charlotte Seen Charlotte Fashion Week in 2017 I was hooked.

I’ve followed his career ever since.

Recently I had the opportunity to see him at the I’m Possible Inclusion Fest Show and gathered every ounce of courage I had in me to approach him.

I’ve been working on not missing opportunities and I wasn’t letting this chance pass me by.

Surprisingly, Parham didn’t set out to be a fashion designer.

As a teen, he was more interested in writing, singing and acting in plays.

He began a designing his own costumes and eventually opened his own Tailoring Shop.

Being in the small southern town of Petersburg Virginia was an obstacle he quickly overcame.

This is where our similarities begin.

I too escaped my small Tennessee hometown to chase my dreams of writing and fashion.

He studied at SCAD and the Art Institute Of Atlanta.

Let’s go back about 20 yeas to a fashion moment that’s permanently imbedded in my mind.

This Rolling Stone cover featuring André 3000 from 2004 in an outfit left quite an impression on me.

Little did I know, I’d be meeting the designer of it one day.

Yes, Leon Parham is that designer!

I asked how this happened.

He had moved to Atlanta and manifested designing for the Outkast singer.

He had seen André on TV wearing a lime green fedora.

One day, while working at his Salon, he spotted that green hat.

Just as I did with him, he gathered his courage and approached the singer.

He brought him over to look at his portfolio and the rest is history.

We discussed our favorite designers. We share a love of Alexander McQueen and Thierry Mugler.

And we share an appreciation of the impact of hip hop on fashion.

So what’s up next for Parham?

He’s working on a Fashion Film that I cannot wait to see!!!

And he will be working André 3000 again in the near future.

I’m so happy I made the attempt to connect with him. He’s truly an inspiration to me. We’ve had some of the same experiences and seeing his success fuels my desire to succeed.

And all of this, was purely accidental. Or was it simply meant to be?

Contact Leon Parham here for custom made pieces or tailoring.

Special thanks to photographer Craig Muzse for the amazing photos.