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Interview with Ravic Miller
(Designer of the Month-Male)
By:
Teronce Styyles
mrstyyles@excapethematrix.com
TS: What’s good, Ravic?
RM: I’m cool, man.
TS: I’m just going to ask you a few questions. What does being a designer mean to you?
RM: Being a designer means being free to be creative and expressing yourself the way you see fit.
TS: What makes your designs different from every other designer?
RM: My designs are a little simple but with a twist. My designs aren’t too out of the box. My style is reserved but is still eye catching and has a meaning. I believe most male designers in Baltimore are too far out left field. I like my designs to have a realistic meaning.
TS: Have you always known that you wanted to be a designer?
RM: No, I’m actually in school to be an engineer. The designing talent just fell upon me. I always wanted to be different and got tired of being like everyone else in Baltimore, so I started creating my own style with colors and things out of the ordinary. Guys started catching on to what I was wearing and it just built from there.
TS: Who or what inspires you to design?
RM: I would like to say myself but I think it’s a God given talent that
inspires me to do what I do.
TS: How long have you been a designer?
RM: On paper I’ve been designing since June 2005
but I’ve done things before then for myself and a couple other people. I
would say roughly about 4 years.
TS: When was your first big project that put your name out there?
RM: A fashion show for Jay & Company that needed male designers. They are quite limited here in Baltimore so it was a good look for me to showcase my designs. That’s when I first designed blazers before I started doing t-shirts and track jackets.
TS: Where do you see yourself in the fashion industry in the next few years?
RM: I would like to see myself established by getting my name out there but not too big. Just having the ability to cater to the common folk but mainstream is cool too.
TS: I heard you say something about theatre and acting. Do you have any other talents outside of designing and being an engineer? You look like you write poetry.
RM: Actually, I do write poetry but I’ve never performed it.
TS: What makes you say that?
RM: What I have to say or put down on paper can be
thought provoking but I feel we live in an age where we don’t want to
think.
TS: When do you think people will finally wake up and start thinking?
RM: Truthfully I don’t know.
“Don’t let school get in the way of your real
education.” You can take that and just run with it. Just follow your
dreams and do what you feel is true to yourself.
TS: Do you think it’s the atmosphere, surroundings or people?
RM: It could be where I am right now. If I went somewhere else there may be more free spirited people.
TS: I totally understand, there aren’t a lot of free spirited/opened minded people but there are some places in this area. I wouldn’t let that stop you from expressing yourself and what you feel people should hear.
RM: The only way a person is held back is when they hold themselves back. I try to tell myself that all the time because I make excuses why I’m not doing certain things. Sometimes it’s difficult to put my energy in things that I’m passionate about and then there’s engineering. Mentally it gets me tired. Some people are strong-minded but once the mind goes everything else goes. You just need to have that mental stability.
TS: How is your support system?
RM: My mom supports me and understands that you don’t have to live a life of 9-5, living in a box and working a day-to-day white-collar job. She understands my passion but still wants me to finish college and get my degree. My friends/peers support me as long as I am doing something positive. My sister and I support each other and my father supports me. As long as I’m doing something, he’s all for it. I get more support on the things I have to do instead of the things I love to do.
TS: Do you feel the fashion industry is
competitive?
RM: It is definitely competitive right now. I believe it’s a good thing because it will just challenge me to think outside of the box and put a twist on what I design.
TS: What advice would you give to those upcoming designers?
RM: Be original; choose your associates and
friends wisely. Stick to your guns and stick to yourself.
“Being a designer means being free to be creative
and expressing yourself the way you see fit.”
TS: Did you have any professional training as a designer?
RM: I first started reconstructing jackets and blazers. I made things for myself and people liked my creativity and literally brought garments right off my back. Then, I went to designing t-shirts. I taught myself and did research about colors, textures, fabrics, etc.
TS: How is your relationship with your sister with both of you being designers?
RM: (Laughs) My sister and I have a very unique relationship. I know how my sister operates; I know when to go to her and when not to. We get along fine; we work together and are each other’s worst critics. I have to tone her down on some of her designs and she has to tell me to step it up on some of my designs.
TS: Any last words before we wrap up the interview?
RM: Yes, I’m not saying that school isn’t important but there is a quote that I heard from a comedian that got it from someone else. “Don’t let school get in the way of your real education.” You can take that and just run with it. Just follow your dreams and do what you feel is true to yourself.
TS: Wow, that’s a simple quote but it means so much. Ravic, I want to thank you for taking the time to do this interview with me. I really appreciate it.
RM: Not a problem. It was my pleasure and I look forward to working with you very soon.