Today we’d like to introduce you to Zakia “Xiggy” Gilmore.
Hi Zakia, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
December 23, 1991, while last-minute Christmas shopping my mother, Iona Johnson went into labor 6 weeks early and birth a baby girl on December 24, 1991, at 2;38am, she name me Zakia Gilmore but the world would later know me best as Xiggy.
I was introduced to the fashion industry at the age of 16 by a New York modeling agent by the name of Sean Gibbs. I performed in my first fashion show in Columbia, Maryland & was invited to join his team in New York, unfortunately, my parents did not allow me to pursue that modeling career so early because they felt that my education should be my main focus at that time. Nonetheless, I continued to do print modeling in the state of Maryland throughout high school, I also gained a love for photography and videography and began learning the craft. I later graduated high school and continued my studies in commercial arts at Texas A&M.
In 2011, I returned back to my native hometown, Baltimore, Maryland, and began learning the art of tattooing from a now close friend Torian “Mac” Benns & Artise “AJ’ Elliot. Together we built a thriving tattoo studio by the name of D.U.M.B INK. After some time due to legal issues amongst the team we split and began to venture off into our own solo tattoo careers, and well for me I returned to my first love fashion.
In 2013, I birth II.XI Society, in the beginning, I originally created the line for myself because I wanted to dress in clothing no one else had. Living in such a small city it’s so common to go out on the scene and realize you are one of 3 people in the room with the same outfit on and I was tired of it, so I began to create my own streetwear line. After wearing my line out to clubs and parties, even to work people began to ask me what I was wearing and where I got it because they thought it was “dope”. My response was a giggle and stating that “I made it”. Soon after I began taking orders for II.XI Society’s OG Hoodies.
However, my major issue was consistency because I originally had no intentions of building the brand as a household name so I eventually stopped… but little did I know I was far from done. Fast forward to 2017, while sitting in the house having a conversation with two close friends and mentors Tori Rose and Kiana B. Jones, about branding and my social status, I was scolded by them both because they stated ” You are sitting on a million-dollar brand and you’re not doing anything with”, confused on what exactly they meant I asked, “what are you talking about?”
Tori then shouts at me with a stern look ” YOUR CLOTHING LINE, ITS HOT& YOU NEED TO START DESIGNING AGAIN”. The very next day I began doing just that. I immediately began getting orders for new t-shirts, custom jeans, and jackets. I was shocked by the amount of support I was receiving with such little effort, it was like the world was waiting on II.XI and I had been holding it hostage.
February 11, 2018, I launched II.XI Society with a major showcase held at the Baltimore Cultural Arts Center, where I premiered II.XI Society’s first commercial was shot in Tanzania, Africa.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
My biggest obstacles in the industry have mostly been self-inflicted, due to suffering from years of depression and anxiety I typically was the only one standing in my own way of growing for many years.
I had to understand that discipline and consistency would be my way to becoming more than a trend but to becoming a legend and the mogul I so much desired to be. So I did the hard work and was honest with myself about what I needed to do to beat my depression and I took the proper steps in getting myself professional help.
I faced childhood traumas and issues that allowed me to overcome the mental disease that held me captive for so many years.
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
I have worked with so many great artists and entrepreneurs from Sharron “Mz. Critique” Johnson, The Voice Finalist/ Jennifer Hudson’s background singer Davon Fleming, Logan H. James, Star Couture, Janeen “Sobiu” Brown, philanthropists Tori Rose, and Kiana B. Jones, celebrity wardrobe stylist Rashard Corey, Photographer Ki Selden, South Korean supermodel Joland “Joy” Hamlett, and many more.
Contact Info:
- Email: xiggyofficial@gmail.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/xigggyy
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zakia.gilmore
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/XIGGGYY
Image Credits
Ki Selden, Defiant Shots @Ki_thephotographer, and Haus Of Saint Mona’e @Saint.Monae
