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Kiauna’s Turning Our Tees into Something More

Meet Kiauna!

She’s a native Detroiter…and an Ashro woman, through and through.

A smiling African-American woman with a big Afro hairstyle, black tank top, and silver necklace.
Creative Director: Gabrielle Hatcher | Photography: Floyd Brantley | Makeup Artist: Tamiko Joye

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!

A black woman in a 'Faith it til You Make it' white T-shirt and a light pink pleated skirt, on a city sidewalk.

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.

A smiling African-American couple wearing dress clothes, in a vehicle.
Kiauna and her husband

“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

A black woman in a city, wearing a black, long sleeve t-shirt with a lady head applique, and a bronze pleated skirt.

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.
A black woman in a black long sleeve t-shirt with a bling lady head applique, and black leather pants.
Photographer: Floyd Brantley
An African-American woman in a black top with a bling lady head applique, jeans and a white jacket.
Photographer: Floyd Brantley
A black woman in a black long sleeve t-shirt with a bling lady head applique, and black leather pants.
Photographer: Floyd Brantley

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.”

Three smiling African-American women together on a city sidewalk.
An African-American woman at a cafe, wearing a 'Faith it til You Make it' white T-shirt.

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

An African-American woman with big Afro hair in a black dress with a shoulder cut out.
Hair: @clickyoheelshair Photography: @flbphotography313

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.

-Kiauna

A black woman out on a sunny day, wearing a colorful, multi-print pant set with an off-the-shoulder top.

SHARE your pic by using the hashtag #iamashro on Facebook or Instagram

We can’t wait to show off your pics—and see how YOU do Ashro! 

A smiling African-American woman with curly, light brown hair, wearing a blue top and silver necklace.
An African-American woman in a silky, pale yellow wrap blouse and bib necklace, in front of a gold wall.
A smiling African-American woman wearing a leopard print top, red necklace and a black hat.

– Introduce Yourself! –

We’re calling on the sisterhood of Amazing Ashro Women to introduce yourselves and share your stories. Fill out our questionnaire and share a pic of your beautiful smile.

A black woman with shoulder-length hair, in a black and white circle print dress with blue and red stripes.
A smiling African-American woman with bangs, wearing a red and black striped top.

Comments (1)

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.

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