What does it mean to be born a star? One could define it as someone who is born into fame, but for Madison Star Brim — whose legal middle name truly is that — it means so much more. Now yes, she experienced a glimpse of the spotlight at a young age as she traveled alongside her mother, celebrity stylist extraordinaire Misa Hylton, to witness the journey of a celebrity stylist and has sat on sets of some of the most iconic projects to date.
The native New-Yorker grew up in Westchester County in the city of Mount Vernon, and recently returned to the NYC area after graduating from Howard University’s Fine Arts program. Graduating in the midst of a pandemic can leave one feeling unfulfilled, but Star didn’t let the unexpected stop her. She’s been working on becoming a trained doula while carrying the torch of her mother’s fashion legacy — as well as preparing to share one of her hidden talents. “I’m inspired everyday by people that take risks and are just going for it,” says Star. Now, the young multi-faceted entrepreneur is doing the same, going after her dreams and launching her fashion brand, Madison Star Couture, within the music video for her debut single, ‘Dress To Kill’.
Star grew up with close relatives that have gone on to pursue careers in the music industry. That paired with witnessing her mother style some of hip-hop and r&b’s most prominent artists, it’s no shock that she’s inherited the musical gene. Take for example her first collection, Ready-To-Wear 1. Seeing music artists cross over into fashion is something we are all familiar with – Rihanna and Fenty, Beyoncé and Ivy Park, Diddy building Sean John, and the list goes on. However, it may be the first time we’ve witnessed an artist pursue both industries simultaneously. “I know that this is what distinguishes me from my peers,” says Star.
The young designer’s first collection is a celebration of Star’s Japanese heritage. RTW 1 consists of four looks that all have a custom-feel and are embellished with Japanese characters that spell out ‘Madison Star Couture’. Star pulled inspiration from the Asian decor in the households she grew up in to share a huge part of her life that her audience may have not been aware of. Most diligently, she wanted to communicate that the brand was born out of an authentic place from her lived experiences. Even within the new artist’s music video she takes the viewer through her hometown of Mount Vernon to pay homage to her roots — intentionally setting the ground of her foundation. The designer expressed “Madison Star Couture is a reflection, but also a look forward to all that we can be.”
The brand’s first assortment will be available in standard sizes (S-XL) on madisonstarcouture.com, where you can also view the designer’s music video, right now. In addition to the finished collection, custom requests will also be accepted through the website as the designer wants to continue her journey creating custom wardrobe. Most recently, she collaborated with her mother to construct an ensemble for the beloved rap-duo, City Girls, for them to wear in their latest music video ‘Twerkulator’. In total, Madison Star Couture will offer ready-to-wear, a future couture line, custom requests, and repair services for their clients so they can hold onto and pass down the pieces they invest in.
Catch an added glimpse of Star’s creative process and some lessons she learned along the way.
ESSENCE: How has working alongside your mother and getting to witness the creation of iconic projects at a young age influenced your creative process?
Madison: I’m meticulous and organized and that definitely comes from seeing what it takes to put on iconic productions. Seeing a powerful black woman lead and to trust her intuition has influenced my creative process and encouraged me to keep going. I’ve also learned from her that if you’re doubting your skill, you haven’t prepared enough in your craft. You have to come from a place of no doubt.
ESSENCE: What’s something you have learned during the process of creating this first collection and your first single that has stuck with you?
Madison: It was a lot of trial and error. Even as I’m leading, it is important for me to continue to be a student of my predecessors and those that surround me. They have knowledge and wisdom about their craft that they can lend.