When fashion designer Ricky Moore launched Nyla Elise, the entrepreneur knew that he wanted to do more than just realize his own dreams. He wanted to help be a beacon of light and positivity for anyone else who was looking to fulfill theirs, and he wanted to be able to help those who were facing tremendous hardship. Teaming with the Ronald McDonald House in Durham, North Carolina, Moore has found an opportunity to give back and he cherishes that opportunity.
“My daughter’s Girl Scouts troop was baking cookies at the Ronald McDonald House and I saw all of the kids they were baking cookies for and it touched me immediately,” he shares. “I felt like I had to do my part right away.”
So, the passionate fashion designer did what he does best — he came up with a creative design and created a new Nyla Elise letterman’s jacket. Stars like Michael K. Williams and Kevin Hart were among the celebrities who raved about Nyla Elise’s new limited edition jacket, and Moore had an idea for using his craft to help the people.
“We created a one of a kind series of hand-painted letterman’s jackets,” he explains. “They’re all limited edition. No one jacket is the same as the next. A portion of the proceeds is going to fund two families for an entire year at the Ronald McDonald house. Our goal is to put at least two families in and pay for their full stay for 365 days.”
“It’s a great organization and it’s been around for years and it’s right here in our community,” he adds. “Charity starts at home.”
With Nyla Elise, Moore is working to be an example to all businesspeople, entrepreneurs and creatives. But more than that, he’s working to use his art to further a sense of community — rooted in his belief that he is in a unique position to touch lives.
“As all artists, I’m sure, I felt like my art has the power to touch people in a way,” Moore shares. “I don’t know if all artists can say that they know exactly how their art will touch people … but I knew immediately from Nyla Elise’s inception that it touched people in a special way. It’s my job to continue to touch as many people as I can before my time is up.”
“I’d be lying if I said ‘Of course, I knew my talent and my ability would help people,'” he says. “But I never dreamed this in a million years. I give all the honor and praise and I thank God for putting me in this position. Most people say ‘I want to be rich,’ but I always wanted to be ultimately successful and use that success to touch and enhance other people’s lives. This is exactly what I wanted to be doing, touching people’s lives in a way that’s unforgettable.”
