Meet Carolyn Drakes | Fashion designer and Event organizer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Carolyn Drakes and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Carolyn, what role has risk played in your life or career?
I believe you must take risks in order to succeed. How else will you know what you’re capable of. Now don’t get me wrong any risks I take I take them with a bit of fear and nervousness. I have been creating my own designs for a few years now however I’ve been limited in what I can do, because I’ve been to afraid to take the next step in my skill evolution for fear of not being good at it on a higher level. Recently I’ve enrolled a sewing and pattern making class at CCS Detroit so that I can expand my design capabilities. I’m still creating my custom fedoras, bowties and upcycled creations. However, since we last spoke I’ve ventured into Fashion Show planning and organizing. I put on my first Show this past July. QueensCourt Detroit Fashion Show. It was a huge risks and I was terrified lol and it was absolutely AMAZING! I’ve got the bug so to speak and am working on my second Show as we speak. QueensCourt Detroits 2nd Anual Fashion Show will be July 9, 2024! My vision is to bring together Fashion and Art in the form of designers, hair artists, nail artists and artists because I believe they go hand and hand! Next years theme will be Urban Elegance! I’m looking for local creatives to join the show. Registration information can be found on www.carolynsstylestudio.co and tickets for the show can be found on Eventbrite.
Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I love creativity in all it’s forms, I love a a good story, dance, music, art all of it and I can see beauty in most things. While I’ve always been a fan of Fashion, I never intended to be a designer it was an amazing accident really. I’ve been more on the side of upcycling, turning old garments into something new and unique. I’ve recently started classes at CCS to become a more skilled sewer and pattern maker. It can be hard at times to keep going, because while I get amazing reviews and compliments on my designs it doesn’t always translate into sales but what keeps me motivated is the fact that I absolutely love creating I couldn’t not do it! even if I never made another dime lol. I’m very excited to see what the future brings for me. I’m especially excited about QueensCourt Detroit Fashion Show! Because the desire to put on my own show was birthed out of my dissatisfaction with shows I signed onto, and the retirement of one of the best shows I signed onto… if that makes sense. I’ve seen it done very wrong and I’ve seen what it should be… One of the major things I want to be a change for is the treatment and lack of appreciation for models. I take issue with asking a model to pay for makeup or requiring an expensive hairstyle and expecting the models to pay for that or a model signing on to model in your show for free and they aren’t even provided with simple refreshments and the list goes on. I want to establish a show that designers, artists and models will be proud to be apart of. QueensCourt is also looking for Sponsorship more information can be found on www.carolynsstylestudio.co and tickets are available on Eventbrite.
If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
We’d definitely hit some local fashion events, Eastern Market is a must. New Center area Joe Louis Kitchen, Q’s Kitchen are my favorite spots. We’d go to any of the amazing evening events at the St Regis Hotel…. Then we’d head to Midtown and try HopCats and the Block.
Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My support system includes a few select women My sister Pandora Beauford who is always jumping in wherever and whenever I need her all while being a mom of 6! And advocating for her autistic son. She also took a risk by being my MC/Hostess at my first Fashion Show and ended up being amazing and got her second MC gig that same night from someone who attended the show! So like I said, you must take the risk, she was so nervous yet did a fantastic job, then there is my Sistacousin Bianca Turner who while working, mothering and running her own business and starting new ones by taking risks and venturing into spa services like lash extensions and microblading, is always ready to be my assistant and one of my biggest cheerleaders. Then there’s my Ssterfriend April Chambers who is my Brand Ambassador, I think she has more of my designs than anyone. She is always encouraging me to try thing she just says, You can do it as if its no big deal lol she keeps me from scraping designs I feel are no good and they end up being best sellers! She is the founder of Worthy Chambers Community Services Inc and a huge advocate for Down Syndrome and Autism awareness. We are all local Detroit women trying to make a name for ourselves.
Website: www.carolynsstylestudio.co
Instagram: @thetiequeen @queenscourtdetroitfashionshow
Facebook: Carolyn Drakes or CarolynsStyleStudio
Youtube: CarolynsStyleStudio
Tiktok: TheTieQueen1
Image Credits
IG: _damnent Moca