Another huge inspiration was Olivier Rousteing. There was a cover featuring Naomi Campbell, Iman, and Rihanna that he art-directed. I had it hanging in my bedroom. At the time, I didn’t know much about luxury fashion. I just remember looking at it and thinking, This feels like us. I’d never seen Black luxury represented that way before. It felt authentic to the diaspora. That image had a huge impact on me.

I also draw a lot of inspiration from Amy Sherald and Kehinde Wiley. What’s been really special is that I’ve now had opportunities to work alongside many of the people who inspired me growing up.

TV: When did you officially start your brand?

KA: The brand officially started during COVID, in 2020. It began with a single leather jacket and has grown steadily ever since. At KA, we’re building what we describe as a multidisciplinary design house. We create everything from bespoke leather pieces and couture garments to made-to-measure tailoring and ready-to-wear collections. Beyond our own collections, we’ve also worked on tailoring and wardrobe solutions for some of fashion’s biggest moments. We’ve now shown three seasons through CFDA initiatives.

We’ve also contributed to projects involving Beyoncé, Diana Ross, Jenna Ortega, and several Met Gala looks. My first Met Gala experience was working alongside Olivier Rousteing. Since then, the Met Gala has become one of those incredible creative spaces where I’ve been fortunate enough to contribute in different capacities.

TV: The Tyla look was actually my favorite look from that Met Gala.

KA: We design for the everyday rock star. We design for people who understand the power of clothing and want to show up confidently in every room they enter. Clothing is one of the most powerful tools we have. It’s your first impression. It’s often your last impression. What you wear can shape how you feel, how you move, and how you experience the world.

Our goal is to support people throughout every stage of their journey and help them feel empowered to own every moment.

TV: Do you have a dream collaboration?

KA: Professionally, I’d love to continue building projects that have my own name attached to them. I’ve been fortunate to work behind the scenes on a lot of incredible projects, but I’d love to see more moments where people recognize the work as KA: Anthony. As for dream collaborators, I’d love to work with Lucky Daye. I’d love to work with Grace Jones. Those are definitely two people at the top of my list.

TV: You’ve spent a lot of time contributing behind the scenes, which makes me curious—what are some things you’ve learned and unlearned about building a brand?

KA: The biggest thing I’ve learned is fearlessness. I started all of this without a sewing machine and without really knowing how to sew. I just had a vision. I could see the end goal before I understood every step required to get there. So much of entrepreneurship is about saying yes, jumping off the cliff, and figuring out how to fly on the way down. You become comfortable being uncomfortable. Growth is uncomfortable. Learning is uncomfortable. Building something meaningful is uncomfortable. I’ve learned to embrace that.