| Local t-shirt tycoon featured in Lenovo documentary |
| Published Thursday, October 15, 2015 |
Photograph by Mahoghany Ayot Eerised
DURHAM – The last time fashion designer Ricky Moore was featured in The Tribune, he was working on getting office space in the American Underground. Now he is being featured in a documentary filmed by Lenovo.Moore’s t-shirts, hoodies and jackets are worn by everyone from elementary school kids to big-time superstars like Kevin Hart; Anthony Hamilton; and Ava DuVernay, director of the Oscar-winning film “Selma.”
Nyla Elise clothing, named after Moore’s daughter, has sparked a kind of retro social-political culture in an era of slogan-bearing fashion with phrases like “film is my ammo” and “souls being sold for fools gold.” His designs are popular both because of their aesthetic and their messages.
“Since we last spoke… there have been so many great things going on. The awareness of the brand has been consistently increasing,” Moore said. “Our supporters are spanning out in a large way. We’re getting visitors to our site from London, Amsterdam, Singapore… it’s just a really exciting time to see things in progress.”
One of the many things happening for Moore is a documentary featuring him, his designs and Lenovo products. Moore became a “Lenovo Insider” earlier this year after linking up with a company employee who believed Moore was onto something.
Moore was featured in a short film project (reminiscent of a commercial), which highlighted both Nyla Elise designs and Lenovo products.
“After working with the film crew for a few hours, everyone was so inspired, (and) talks of a documentary surfaced right then and there on the spot ,and the rest is history as they say,” Moore said. “I’m always interested in doing things that are off the beaten path. So with Lenovo… I knew that they didn’t have anybody like me that they were working with because it’s a computer company and my business is clothing.”
Moore said he saw the partnership as a good opportunity to work with a well-respected company in an unconventional way.
“I use the Lenovo products for just about everything as it pertains to my company. My team and I use Lenovo laptops and tablets daily for Nyla Elise. I recently got the Yoga 3 Pro (laptop/tablet). I love it,” he said.
The documentary, which is currently in the works, will feature Moore running his company using Lenovo products to enhance his brand, along with showcasing Nyla Elise products. It is slated for a global release at the end of this month.
Moore said that being part of the entrepreneurial hub, his company and the Lenovo partnership is important because it brings more awareness and revenue to the area.
“This not only creates opportunities for other up-and-comers to thrive, but it also brings more pride to the area as well,” he said. “It’s nice to be well-traveled and well-rounded for sure, but it’s also a good thing when you have the support of your (local) community.”
For more information, visit nylaelise.com. To see Moore’s “Lenovo Insider” film piece visit: https://vimeo.com/124242282.
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