DeSiree Faith Che shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
DeSiree, so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. What battle are you avoiding?
Procrastination. I tend to lose track of time and days sometimes. I work and spend time with family a lot, so on my free days, I feel more inclined to do nothing or just spend them doing whatever I want. Whatever I want usually entails playing Sims, staying in bed, and watching my favorite shows or YouTubers. It’s so easy to procrastinate when you finally have time to relax!
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m DeSiree Faith Che Woodley, I go by Rey Faith, the nickname my mother tends to call me. I am the owner of Rey Imani LLC, which currently operates as an online crystal shop and custom design service. I originally started as QueensANU with my older sister, but as we grew into our own interests and passions, we separated our business. And now here I am as Rey Imani. Since I do not have a team yet, all jewelry and fashion garments are handmade by me!
I am currently working on creating a small collection for a client and their business ventures, as well as writing a book about crystals.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
My mother. God blessed me with a mother who is constantly speaking life into me. She often repeats my goals and dreams to me so I never forget. She has prophesied over me and continues to do so. Before I knew that I wanted to have a career in fashion, I always loved fashion. My mother would sew into me by subscribing to fashion magazines for me to read, she would watch fashion shows and shopping networks, and invite me to join her. And when I decided I wanted to go to school to earn a degree in fashion design, she backed me all the way.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Oh yes, there’s been plenty of times I almost gave up. I think one of my most memorable moments is when I was about 24 or 25 years old and was in my second semester of university. I had to take an accounting course as part of my marketing degree. I hated it.
I absolutely hate accounting, and I was struggling in it. I kept having to remind myself that I could not earn my degrees without completing this course. There were so many times I had to urge myself to go to class, to pay attention, to study, because I refused to have to repeat the course. If I failed the class, I was sure I was going to drop out. That’s how much I despise accounting.
So I studied hard, did all my work, and attended tutoring. I ended up passing the class with a B-, and I was so proud of myself. Grateful that not only did I finish what I started, but I did what I needed to do and did better than I thought I would. Then I realized I had to move on to accounting 2, but I survived. I earned both my Bachelor’s in Fashion Design and my Bachelor’s in Marketing about three or four years later.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
That diversity doesn’t make money.
I hated that about the fashion industry, and in many cases, the industry still tends to believe that. When I say diversity, I mean it all: height, weight, body types, races, and ethnicities.
Growing up in a family of curvy women, both slender and plus-size, with different body types, I never understood how the fashion industry scoffed at different people. Because without diversity, we don’t evolve, we lack creativity.
Especially when diversity is the very thing that helps creativity and art evolve. How many times have we seen an artist, a chef, a designer travel to another country, city, or visit another culture and adopt that culture’s techniques and habits, and incorporate that into their art?
Diversity is everywhere and we can’t grow without it.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. What do you understand deeply that most people don’t?
Being infantilized.
I’m a little person with Russell Silver Syndrome. I stand at four feet and six inches, but when you look at my features and, honestly, my figure, it’s clear I’m not a child. I’m also in my early 30s.
It can be very frustrating when someone knows you’re an adult but can’t get past the fact that you are petite. I’m small, but I’m not helpless, and I appreciate being taken seriously when I need to be taken seriously.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.reyimani.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rey_imaniofficial/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/queensanu?mibextid=kFxxJD
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ReyImaniOfficial
- Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rey_imaniofficial
Image Credits
The title photo, 1st photo, and the last photo were taken by Scottie Photography.
