MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A Memphian is making his dreams come true as a fashion designer — not just in the Bluff City but in capitals of the fashion industry such as New York City and Paris, France.
Demi Black is a 34-year-old fashion designer who now lives in Memphis, but for two years he was homeless in Atlanta, Georgia.
"I was completely homeless," Black said. "I was sleeping on a bench in Centennial Park. It started to rain, so I had this one piece of fabric and I'm laying on this bench, and I'm looking up ... just thinking 'what are you doing?' you know? To be in a position that I am now, looking back at that is a total 360."
Demi's work as a fashion designer began in school.
"I think fashion chose me," he said "I didn't really choose fashion, you know? I always wanted to look nice. I started when I was in college. I was just trying to look cool and seeing clothes that I maybe could alter and change something about them, so I started buying shirts from Walmart. I just started altering the sleeves — just seeing what I could do. It kind of just snowballed into what it is today."
Demi said he made up his mind a long time ago not to create what he thinks people will like, but focusing, rather, on creating what he likes.
"I write short-stories as well, but in those stories are some of the characters that I create in my mind," he said. "I think when I create the entire collection and when I look at it, it begins to tell that story based off the stories and my feelings, so that's when you get the best of Demi Black."