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FEATURES
STREET VIEW MEETS THE REAL MCKOY
JALEN LAW
PHOTOGRAPHY ASSOCIATE EDITOR
JALENLAW@GMAIL.COM
Street view aims to highlight and recognize style and fashion in the Atlanta University Center. This week, Street
View is taking a look into the life of Kenneth McKoy, a 2012 graduate of Morehouse College who once graced the AUC
in very stylish way. While at Morehouse, Kenneth Kyrell was the director of Spelhouse Homecoming, and ran his own style
blog. Now he is in New York City working in the fashion industry. Street View sat with Kenneth to discuss fashion, here is
what he had to say.
MT: What sparked your interest in fashion?
KENNETH MCKOY: Every summer when I was younger I would go stay with my grandparents where my grandmother
would always be making something for my grandfather to wear and/or making alterations. In addition to that, my par
ents instilled in me at a very young age the importance of appearance and personal style.
MT: Who are your favorite designers and/or style icons?
KM: My favorite style Icons: Pharrell Williams, Andre 3000, Mark Ronson and Prince. My favorite designers/brands of the
moment are Phillip Lim, Kenzo, Juun. J and Hedi Slimane for Saint Laurent.
MT: How did being at Morehouse College help you get into your field?
KM: The AUC as a whole brings so many people with contrasting backgrounds and styles together. Fashion and more im
portantly personal style is something that is no stranger around those parts of Atlanta. Being involved in the Homecoming
Fashion Show, interning for IFG Media and doing other freelance styling gigs here and there while attending Morehouse
made me realize that not only was I doing something I loved but I was also doing something I was really good at. Major
ing in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing also helped me realize that I could combine the two and
ultimately make a career out of it; which is what I am currently do as a Fashion Buyer here in NYC in addition to being
Co-Founder of the Lifestyle/Fashion blog, The No Names.
MT: What advice can you give to a current student looking to pursue a career in fashion?
KM: Be prepared to work, hear the word “no” and do not allow the movies, tv shows and other forms of media paint the
“fairy-talesque” representation of the Fashion Industry that it often has the tendency to do. Yes, working in Fashion comes
with a lot of perks however, it is hard work that requires someone who is smart, works well with others, is creative and has
an eye for what is in now, what is to come and a good understanding of the past and how things that happened back
“then” influence what is currently happening right now within the Industry.
MT: Describe what Fashion Week in New York is like.
KM: It’s busy, its fun, it's rewarding and if you do it right, NYFW can open up so many doors for you. Its one week where
the who’s who of the industry are all out and more "accessible” than normal. It can be somewhat overwhelming at
times but thats what makes it so exciting. You never know what to expect.
MT: Is there any style/fashion advice you can give to people in the AUC?
KM: I say this often but its something I really stand by; “find what works for you and stick with it”. Style is about having a
look that is consistent and original. Don’t feel the need to do so much and be so "different” that you risk being known for
what you wear for all the wrong reasons. What looks good on your best friend may not look good on you but its about
trying a few things out until you have that “aha" moment and realize what YOUR signature look/style is.
THE VALLEY OF THE GODS
SAHIM WALLACE
STAFF WRITER
SAHIMWALLACE@YAHOO.COM
This week's Winners Circle features Seifuddin Saafir, a junior English major at
Morehouse College. Saafir is a part of a team that designs a clothing and apparel
brand called “The Valley of the Gods.” Saafir’s younger cousin first sparked the idea for
the clothing line in spring 2013. Saafir and the other team members liked the idea and
jumped on board. Now a year later, they have produced various clothing designs and
look forward to producing more.
The line incorporates elements of its theme and brand name "The Valley of the
Gods." When asked about the derivation of the clothing line name, Saafir explained that
it represents his and his team member’s experiences from life growing up in New York.
Saafir grew up in the Bronx, and recalls some experiences which include protecting his
younger cousins from bullies and on occasions getting jumped. The line expresses positiv
ity and their inspirations, which Saafir believes is “A gift from God.”
Having had the aforementioned life experiences, Saafir and his team wanted
to share this with the public through their clothing. The clothing has a distinct style, and
many of the designs have come from Saafir’s younger cousin, who has produced the
logo and T-shirt designs with programs like Adobe. Saafir serves as the spokesperson
for the group. His responsibilities include networking and promoting the group through
venues such as Instagram (@valleyfamily) and their Tumblr page (http://thevalleyfamily.
tumblr.com/).
Saafir notes that ever since he was young, he was a very social and personable
person, and he would often find himself talking to strangers about random topics. He
brought this gift with him to Morehouse, which has helped him lead the group in promo
tion.
However, Saafir wanted to add that the work is very much a team effort. His team
referred to as “The Valley Family” is a very tight-knit group, one that takes great pride in
their togetherness. The running slogan is that the brand is "Created by a family and run
by a family.”
Interestingly enough, the members are not related biologically, but rather through having
known one another for so long and sharing many experiences growing up. Distance is
one of the challenges the team faces, and Saafir explains that it would be easier if they
were closer to one another. Nonetheless, they have biweekly meetings each month, one
on the 13th and one on the 27th. During the meeting, they give progress reports, which
include how far they are accomplishing a certain goal and where they need to be.
Saafir and his team have released T-shirts, and plan to produce even more. Cur
rently Saafir is working on collaborations with other entrepreneurs in the Atlanta University
Center. Some of the collaborators include Matthew Garrett (’17), Cason Hill (’ 17) and
Karon Smith (’16). Saafir hopes that by collaborating with other student entrepreneurs,
their union will help to uplift all of the companies involved.
Additionally, he has a great desire to see the success of black-owned businesses
and believes this will help to build the black community. The Valley of the Gods looks
forward to producing more clothing this spring, which includes a T-shirt and crew neck.
Future plans include recruiting more artists and bringing the business to new heights.
T-TIME W NEB
BLACK HISTORY MONTH EDITION
NEBIYU FITTA
ASSOCIATE FEATURES EDITOR
NEBIYU.FITTA@GMAIL.COM
In commemoration of Black History Month, Associate Features Editor Nebiyu Fitta sat
down with Morehouse's own piece of history, Dr. Tobe Johnson.
Of his own time at Morehouse, Johnson, a 1954 graduate of the college, remembers Dr.
Benjamin Elijah Mays warning students to stay away from segregated theaters downtown. “You
shouldn't pay to be segregated,” Johnson remembers then President Mays declaring in Sale Hall
Chapel.
When Johnson returned to teach in 1958, the push to integrate had grown much stron
ger. He recalls the efforts of the Atlanta business community to maintain an image of civility.
“Essentially, what the business group did not want was for Atlanta to get a bad reputa
tion,” Johnson said. “So, there was not the kind of violence here that occurred in other Southern
cities.”
Johnson was not active in the Civil Rights Movement, but gave students his full support.
Of Black History Month, Johnson admits he is not as involved as he once was. Nonethe
less, he feels it provided a tremendous opportunity "to reflect on the African-American past and
its future."
NAME: Tobe Johnson FAVORITE BOOK: Frontline
DEPARTMENT: Political Science FAVORITE TV SHOW: ON THE WATERFRONT
HOMETOWN: Birmingham, Alabama FAVORITE MOVIE: “About 200 words in the
Emancipation Proclamation”
IF HE WASN’T A PROFESSOR, he'd be a: Lawyer