Zayden Skipper

Atlanta, GA

Age: 32

Zayden Skipper was raised in Chicago by a strong tribe of women who grounded him, making sure he would utilize his talent to his fullest ability. He was inspired to pick up a needle and thread when he saw all the great clothes that his mother and grandmother would make for him and his sisters. After completing his Bachelor of Science degree in Business from Alcorn State and working in the corporate world, Zayden decided to move to Atlanta to pursue his master's in fashion. Remarkably, he quickly went from being homeless to being the only Black man to graduate from Savannah College of Art and Design in his class with the MFA, the highest degree in fashion with honors. His current collection is called Avant Oppidan: The Misrepresentation of Black Designers in the Fashion Industry, which describes the history and struggles of Black people and the lack of talented Black fashion designers in America. Zayden also came up with his very own genre of fashion called "Urban Avant-Garde Streetwear" that embraces "The Culture." Although he has been in business for only one year, Zayden has been featured in Vogue Italia, Teen Vogue, Essence, and WWD and was chosen to represent SCAD in the CFDA fashion future graduate. His designs have been featured in Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue, France, and Hong Kong. In 2020, he worked with very prominent clients such as Tanya Sams, Tierra Wack, Paula Wallace, and Lori Harvey. He designed a garment for the Mayor of Atlanta, Keisha Lance Bottoms, which he is very proud of.