Kiauna’s Turning Our Tees into Something More
Meet Kiauna!
She’s a native Detroiter…and an Ashro woman, through and through.
We love the way she lives with purpose and positivity—and, truth be told, we love how she puts together an outfit.
More Than Fashion
Faith it Til You Make It!
The uplifting, empowering Faith It Til You Make It Tee makes a great statement. It’s basically saying, “Don’t fake it till you make it…FAITH it till you make it. Choose and rest in what is good…even when life looks scary and overwhelming.”
This is one reason Kiauna feels great in our Afrocentric T-Shirts.
“I wore this T-shirt out to brunch with my husband, and I got so many compliments. It brought smiles to the faces of a lot of people. Everyone loved the message and wanted to know where I got it.”
Choosing what is good and beautiful can be hard—especially in the face of a life that looks anything but. Kiauna knows this. She grew up in a very dangerous neighborhood.
“I saw a lot of things that impacted me. It wasn’t a fairy tale, and images last a lifetime.”
Faith, Good Habits & Giving Back
As a child, she counteracted the negative things going on around her by filling herself up with the Bible, church…and Oprah.
“I give 100 percent to God and 100 percent to my husband.”
“Oprah was my escape. God and faith were my positivity.”
Kiauna does deal with some anxiety and depression, but she continues to read the Bible daily, works out, sets goals—and listens to The Secret in her car (a book about positivity), which helps a lot.
Kiauna doesn’t let her own battles go to waste, either. She views them as growth opportunities, and she gives back by working as a nurse. She even has a nonprofit dedicated to helping those with mental health issues.
“It’s always going to be a journey. When we look at the people we meet along the way and the lessons we learn, it becomes clear that our challenges and hardships become a blessing in the end.”
Diva-to-Diva Style Ideas
When we put ourselves together with style and care, it’s as though we are voting for life, beauty and ourselves. Our personal style can be an energizing way to help overcome obstacles and feel great about ourselves.
Kiauna describes her overall style as “fun, eclectic and conservative” (meaning she likes to keep it classy).
“These Tees are so soft, and with the ruching at the waist, they accentuate my curves without being too tight.”
She gravitates toward versatile clothing pieces that make it easy to express herself. Here, she paired our Afro Tee with a headwrap to create a gorgeous Afrocentric twist. “This T-Shirt gave me a confidence boost.” She also picked up the metallic studs in the Tee design with an eye-catching, metallic pleated skirt.
”I appreciate the fact that it’s basic black but jazzy, so I can pretty much grab anything in my closet, and it’s going to look great.”
Kiauna played around with several different ways of wearing our Afro T-Shirt…
With leather pants for a sleek,
fun “night out” look.
With jeans and a blazer—great
for a casual church service.
With joggers for a super casual vibe that still looks put together.
What Ashro Meant to Kiauna Growing Up
“When I was a little girl and I used to look at those elegant models in the Ashro catalog, I told myself that when I was grown up, I was going to dress in Ashro.”
For her, these models were a symbol of who she wanted to be: strong, dynamic and beautiful. A woman of color who takes pride in who she is and what she does. A woman of purpose, elegance and professionalism. “My mother, my aunt, some of the women who have guided me—they are all Ashro women. I am grateful to them. Even to this day, Kiauna feels the same way.
Thoughts Become Things
As a little girl, Kiauna once told her mother very earnestly, “One day, I’ll be modeling with Ashro.”
Well guess what, here Kiauna is, all grown up, modeling for Ashro.
When she told her mother the good news, her mom said a very wise thing, “Thoughts become things, Kiauna, thoughts become things.”
Kiauna is currently studying for her nursing boards. Please join us in wishing her happiness, success and blessings! And Ladies, let’s take inventory of our thoughts and make sure they’re taking us where we want to go!
Take your vision and make it reality. Believe, have faith and never give up! Look ahead to the future…stop going back to the past. Change your mentality. Change your future.”
Comments (1)
Janis
I am not black. I am Native American. Aand though I design my own clothing, I am not a designer. However, I love your clothing because hey FIT and they flatter. My mother lived to the age of 96 and wore your clothing until her death. I made sure she had at least one of every short caftan you make and she wore night cream every night and makeup every day. Her mind was in better shape than mine until the week before she died when she sang “Jesus Loves me” in the Cherokee she learned in kindergarten. Your business has been a blessing of beauty to my family for years. Keep up the good work.