Meet Lamar West | Author & Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lamar West and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lamar, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
The most important factor behind the success of my brand, is being genuine. What gravitates people toward your brand and creates long-term supporters is believing in the authenticity & originality of your movement. People support what they feel connected to. Your brand is a direct reflection of you and it should be treated as such. My brand is my truth, my goal is to get out the creative things God has instilled inside of me. Be genuine, but producing quality is equally important. Take your time and give maximum effort into creating the highest quality possible. Be original and be innovative. If you’re giving the world a piece of yourself, let them see the genuine and high quality creative spirit that you are. The world needs you.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’m extremely excited about my clothing line and the new collections that will be releasing this year. Every release thus far has sold out in 24 hours, the feedback has been amazing and I’m seeing the brand grow at a rapid rate. I plan on making this a full on fashion house that offers a full wardrobe for numerous occasions. I’m experimenting with new designs, materials and more. I’m also looking forward to writing again. I took a brief hiatus the last three years. Covid happened, I relocated, launched the clothing line, etc. so writing took a backseat for the moment. Nonetheless at my core, I’m a writer who likes to get out everything that’s been bestowed inside of me. I was in a season of transition, making it hard to write at the moment. Now that I am settled, I’m coming back better than ever. I have something very special in store.

The biggest lesson I learned recently was to take care of yourself. Be your full self and never let the world compress your voice. As a Black man, we aren’t taught to prioritize our mental health and that led to me burning out internally. I also started to compress my voice and ideas due to societal norms. I had to take care of my mental and remember what makes me the unique voice that I am. When you’re a spiritually led person, it’s easy to get discouraged or feel as if you don’t fit in certain cultures. Never conform yourself.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Taking them to Malibu is a must. The drive, the beach and the scenery is the most beautiful views in the area. Resteraunts like Ysabel, Rooftop by JG, Above 60 and more are my favorite ambiances. Vielmetter is my favorite place to go for art. They have multiple galleries in a large warehouse that are exclusive and free. It’s my favorite place in the city.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
God, everything I have comes from him. Along with my family, close friends, significant other and my spiritual community. However this is dedicated to my best friend who recently passed, Darius. I wouldn’t be fully who I am if it wasn’t for him in my life. He was there since day 1 and supported everything thing I’ve ever done. He was an amazing human who impacted everyone in his life. I can truly say that I had a real friend. He’s forever missed in our community.

Website: https://sinningsaintcollection.com/

Instagram: @lxwest

Image Credits
Demetrius Holloway @whoisholloway