Today we’d like to introduce you to Deshaun Diggs.
Hi Deshaun, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Absolutely! Back in May of 2020, during the pandemic, I really told myself that I wanted to learn how to sew. I started watching YouTube videos to learn how to sew by hand. One day I decided to go to a thrift store where I purchased my first tapestry blanket for $3 and decided I wanted to turn it into a sweatshirt. Over the course of about 4 days, I had turned the blanket into a sweatshirt all by hand using a needle and thread. Many of my friends and family were in shock by the transformation, which motivated me to continue to transform these blankets into clothing items. Over the next 3-4 months, I continued making these products and taught myself how to sew using an actual sewing machine. This of course, helped speed up the production time and motivated me to launch Diggs Designs.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Not at all! When I launched Diggs Designs in 2020, I had no clue how my business would actually take off. As I began posting on Instagram, the demand from supporters began to grow pretty fast. One of the biggest challenges during this time was that I would go to many thrift stores and wouldn’t even find a blanket in the store. So, to actually have a decent amount of inventory with tapestry blankets became a huge struggle for me. The times when I did find blankets, I would just post them on Diggs Designs on Instagram and ask if anyone was interested in that particular pattern and would then turn it into a piece of clothing in their size. As time went on, of course, many people started to ask me for custom prints on blankets. I started to look around to find a vendor that can actually make custom blankets. This took a great amount of time, considering tapestry blankets are not as popular as custom t-shirts or many other clothing items we have today. I finally found a vendor that produces custom blankets and allows me to upload the custom collages that I make on my iPad to the actual blankets! Once I posted my first custom blanket, which was actually a Kobe Bryant print, the rest has been history!
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I graduated from Hampton University in May of 2021. At Hampton, I actually obtained my degree in Aviation Management. Growing up, I have always enjoyed fashion and anything aviation related. It had been a year since I launched Diggs Designs at the time, and I had seen consistent growth. I started to post content on TikTok as well, and that also helped with expanding my business. With Diggs Designs, I create custom tapestry blanket prints and turn them into articles of clothing. I like to describe my brand as not your ordinary “ugly sweater” piece. Over the past 2 years, I have created everything from custom tapestry tote bags to tapestry bubble coats. I would say I am known for my creativity when it comes to the tapestry blanket world and my ability to think outside of the box to create patterns on blankets we have never seen before.
I would have to say I am most proud of designing clothes for Howard University’s Spring Fashion Show in 2021 and also a recent bulk order I did in February of 2022 for a group of women who are a part of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. at Stillman College. When it comes to what sets me apart from others, I would say my passion and determination to continue to learn and grow my business while always trying to keep every customer happy! Over the timeframe of 2 years, I have 11.9k followers on Diggs Designs, and I would have never thought I would be here in May of 2020.
What do you think about luck?
When it comes to luck, I am a firm believer that it is about the time and effort you put into anything. When you work hard and stay consistent, you will see growth. I feel you have to always stay grounded and hard on yourself so that you are always constantly pushing yourself to be better than yesterday. I have made pieces of tapestry clothing for Yung BBQ and Karlous Miller and have even had Jazmine Sullivan repost my work on her Instagram story. I personally do not look at that as luck but rather hard work and consistency. You have to stay grounded and, most importantly, thank God for allowing you to see another day to fulfill your purpose here on Earth.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/diggsdesigns/?hl=en
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@diggsdesigns
