Stylized: Desiree Venn Frederic
Tell me about you: Where are you from, and how old are you?
I am a child of the diaspora, and I say that because my influence, my perspective, my paradigm that I operate within are shaped by the larger world. I was born in Freetown, Sierra Leone, and I am 33, but I don't feel it. I feel in many ways, in terms of my career that I am much younger because this is the fist time in my life journey that I am actually able to do what I want to do exactly the way I want to do it.. I feel like a 23 year old just out of collage.
What do you do?
I am quite dynamic. I do a lot of different things, but in essence the title I'd rock with most honestly is that I change paradigms. I say that largely because I use a layered way of sharing different perspectives, and different paradigms. It kind of jolts and disrupts the way people think about things; and as I disrupt other people's, I also disrupt my own. But to be more specific, I consider myself a historian, an archaeologist, a curator and creator. I use the past and objects, and things of the past to dissect culture and history.
So how did Nomad Yard come to be?
The vision of nomad has been within my spirit since I entered this earth, but the emancipation has been more recent, of course. I've been a nomad from time, from my birth. Nomad Yard represents world culture, travel, exploration, wonder and excitement. This space allows us to feel again. I believe human beings are intended to feel, to be stimulated and to be jolted.
Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center Team visit to Nomad Yard.
Nomad Yard is a vintage store intended to explore world culture. To tell the story of human history and to reflect people who have been extremely integral in the provenance of art, of design, aesthetic, culture, pop, and all the subcultures therein. To pay homage to them, and to also have a conversation about sustainability. Being mindful that we are not just creating things and disposing of them, because we can't afford to do that for so many reasons. But moreover, when we do that we are disposing of our stories, and of our history.
images: Desiree Venn Federic and Donovan Gerald
When did you know that fashion was something you were passionate about?
I have always been passionate about fashion but my understanding of it has definitely evolved over the years. Beyond what I wear it also trickles into how I live my life, what I like to surround myself with, what my home and whole environment feels like, the books that I read, the type of music I listen to. All those things affect the way I dress, and vice versa. Growing up with my grandmother, who was always immaculately dressed; she would be going to the market wearing something that no woman going to the market should be wearing (lol). She was impractical and that was my understanding of fashion, and is still my understanding of fashion. It doesn't have to make sense to anyone else, but to you. My impracticality is more for my own sanity, where I can look at my ensemble for the day and say "Oh you look great today, and smile."
What has been your biggest accomplishment to date?
Staying melinated and staying sane (lol). Remaining unapologetic in my Africanness in a world that has tried to strip it from me. I've been challenged and almost put in positions where I have to pick one. I have to pick either my Africanness or America. I have to pick a western aesthetic, or a global aesthetic, and it's been a consistent dialog from the time I was a child, even to present day. Because people are most comfortable when they can easily identify you as one thing. When I think of my Afrianness, I think of the diaspora, I think of world people. I fought immigration for like 7 years and that I view as my greatest accomplishment. It was surviving and holding on to what I believe in; which is, there is nothing wrong with my blackness or my Africanness which is what this country kept telling me. Toward the end of my immigration battle, they arrested me and put me into a jail for six months. The concept for Nomad was envisioned when I was sitting in solitary confinement in 2013.
What advise do you have for others aspiring to do what you do?
I would say, knowing yourself, and knowing what moves you is really important. Knowing what interests you, what your own ethics are. In this industry that is beauty, art, fashion; if you don't have a strong spiritual foundation, you will get caught up. It's a very limited reality, limited experience, and very surface level. If you don't know that when it comes to making a decision if you're going to choose human life and betterment, or money, and wealth, then you're going to find yourself in a really messy situation.
You can learn the steps to become a designer, or anything. You can go to school to learn these things, but school doesn't teach you how to value human life, or how to respect yourself, or how to respect your creator, and those things are more critical to success and our growth than anything else.
Life quote: If there was one quote that summed up your view on life, what would it be?
"I can either bring out your light, or your insecurity, tread consciously with my spirit." ~ xoDVF
To stay in touch with Desiree via Instagram and twitter follow at @xodvf. as well as her company @nomadyard. If you are ever in Washington, DC pay the beautiful space a visit at 411 New York Ave NE, Washington, DC 20002 www.nomadyardcollective.com
I've known Desiree for some years now, and to be able to see her continued growth is such an inspiration. I remember meeting her at a fashion event, and being taken by style, beauty, and warm personality. Desiree is such a strong, well rounded, genuine individual; and I am happy to say that I know her. Thank you Desiree for being you. For building and creating spaces for collaboration, exploration, and for starting a dialogue on important issues in our community.