As a former athlete, mother, model, and entrepreneur, Latoya Janae Buckner wears many hats, but her passion for fashion and inclusivity is how she made a name for herself. As seen on Instyle and Byrdie, her fresh-off-the-runway brand, Nineth Closet, distinguishes itself by being branded for taller women, like herself.
Buckner shared more at her recent pop-up previewing her recent F/W ‘21 collection before its October launch.
Can you share a bit of your background and how this [brand] started?
My name is Latoya Janae, I was born and raised in the DMV area. I’ve done basketball, track, and field volleyball. When I was younger [I had to] compromise a lot. So as I got older, I went to college for basketball, and then after I finished college, I did some modeling and realized there was still not much clothing for tall women, or I felt like they just weren’t stylish enough. So that’s what prompted me to want to start Nineth Closet.
What is included in this upcoming launch?
I wanted it to be versatile, unique, and swaggy for us tall girls. With mixes of faux leather, cargos, and denim, I wanted there to be pieces that speak to the Nineth Closet woman’s personal style. Whether your style is sporty, girly, or even androgynous. I always aim to create trendsetting looks never been seen before in tall fashion.
What are some of the tall girl struggles and how did they affect your confidence and self-image?
I was always tall and skinny, so, I got teased. It does mess with your mind a little bit. You notice people always have tall jokes, some very offensive. Then when it comes to shopping, that’s [even worse]. That’s why I’m so keen on making sure that l keep my customers happy and give them things that are different. Because we want some things that look like they came off the runway too.
What do Nineth Closet’s size ranges look like?
36 to 41 inseam-wise, [though] we are expanding sizes because all of us tall girls are shaped differently. Now our jeans go from size two up to 20. So I’m expanding in sizes as I go, to know what my curvy girls and plus-size girls need.
What does inclusivity and incorporating it into your brand to revolutionize fashion mean to you?
For so long tall women have been overlooked. I look up to the plus-size women for speaking up, like Ashley Stewart and those brands that have made themselves a home for them to shop. I just felt like a lot of stores are adding plus size and petite, [but] where are tall ranges? So I try to create that space for tall girls to come to and feel like they’re at home.
As far as what’s next for Nineth Closet, my goal is to do more collaborations with other brands aligned with the same vision and also, start brainstorming on the next addition to Nineth Closet: menswear looks.
