I examine fashion through the lens of race, class, and culture.
Hi! I’m Shelby!
A fashion and costume historian with an immense passion for studying Black history and how it intersects and affects the cultural climate, economics, and, most importantly, fashion. (Also lowkey obsessed with costume design in TV/Film..).
I was born in New York to two native New Yorkers. However Charlotte, North Carolina has been home for me since I was 9 years old – My southern side always finds its way into my work!
I started off as a Conde Nast closet intern basically doing the “dirty work” we’re all “supposed” to go through in the fashion industry – I’m not just a bystander on the outskirts of the fashion industry that just critiques others’ work, but I’ve been an avid participant in this community for 8 years, having my first publishing on Wmagazine.com at only 19 and working at legacy fashion companies like Vogue and InStyle.
The knowledge I have developed over the years took me from a New York girl with a strong passion for Black History and fashion to a worldwide known Fashion and Costume Historian.
In my curriculum, you will see that I have collected powerful experiences over the years, from working internationally with different brands, to being featured on several of the biggest media outlets in the world.
I earned my Bachelors of Arts: Race, Class & Culture from the biggest HBCU, North Carolina A&T state University, and upon graduating I moved to New York city to intern at InStyle magazine. But my thirst for knowledge doesn’t stop here: I’m currently completing my M.A. in Costume Studies at NYU, too!
My current and previous expertise on all sides of the fashion industry has given me a rich and detailed understanding of the fashion landscape and its different spectrums, and has taken me where I am today, with bigger objectives ahead!