It is always inspiring to see a young man of color who has made an impact in his chosen field by building his own brand from the ground up. It is even more important for folks to understand that one’s journey isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. Many of us see individuals when they’re in the pinnacle of their careers yet are unaware of the obstacles they had to overcome. Troy Anthony is an example of a man who has overcome obstacles in order to do great things in his field. He is a famous fashion designer whose brand is known across the industry as well as Globally. Troy Anthony has 20+ years in the fashion industry. His designs have been displayed in Paris Fashion Week, New York Fashion Week, Fashion Week Tampa, and Miami Art Basel. It was not easy for Troy Anthony growing up. His parents were on section 8, welfare and didn’t have access to a lot of resources. He had to move a lot as a kid. Thus, it was challenging for him to make a lot of friends. He also had to endure being called names such as “Oreo cookie” and “salt and pepper” because he was biracial. Additionally, he had a speech impediment that he had to contend with as well.

When Troy Anthony’s family moved to a suburb, he was the only Black kid on the team. Even though he was a very good player, he ended up riding the bench despite his Caucasian teammates. Despite all that he went through, Troy Anthony is thankful for the experience because it gave him thicker skin. He needed these experiences to make him tougher. He was not a kid who was angry or held it in. He redirected his frustration to fashion and standing out of the crowd through his talents Troy Anthony was able to overcome these challenges because he embraced who he was. He knew how important it was foundationally to understand one’s roots and history. Troy was proud to be who he was and showcased it with how he designed his clothes.

Troy Anthony quickly overcame his circumstances by discovered that fashion was his sanctuary, and he made the most of his clothes to make a big fashion statement. He knew that he had to stand out from the other students. Style and presentation were ways of doing just that. Troy’s knowledge of fashion would increase due to grandmother showing him how to use the sewing machine. Troy would enroll in the International Academy of Design for fashion design. He too the opportunity to study abroad in Milan, Italy and got his 1st taste of European fashion. He graduated in 2004.

To make a unique impact in any industry, one must identify a problem or issue and present a unique solution. Troy Anthony did just that. The issue that he was finding with clients and women is that they were choosing their wrong silhouette for their body type. Additionally, he found that a lot of women sold themselves short by wearing safe and darker colors. He found that they should spice things up by wearing colors that pop more which enhances their beauty