Social media does a great job of camouflaging the road to success by dazzling viewers with glitz and glamor but falls short in addressing the reality of the seemingly unending grind and hard work. However, Draya Michele navigates this rough road with grace and aplomb, while maintaining her integrity and direction. Michele explained to rolling out how she used the “reality” of Vh1’s “Basketball Wives” to promote her million-dollar businesses.
After debuting her partnership with Femme Los Angeles, Michele also discussed her vegan shoes and upcoming movie that is set to premiere this holiday season.
What inspired your transition from reality TV to strictly just focusing on your business of fashion?
I was a businesswoman first. Most people don’t know that my idea of having a swimsuit company came before reality TV. I used reality TV as a catapult to help advance my career because I wasn’t able to do it from Pennsylvania. When I got the opportunity to do this reality show, I knew that would be my chance to go to LA and start my swimsuit line. Reality TV just assisted in that.
How would you describe a vegan shoe?
Vegan leather just means it looks like leather, but it was not made from any animals. It’s just the more updated version of saying pleather but it’s made with higher quality materials. The vegan leather that we’re using now is completely different. It looks, feels and is durable, like leather.
Aside from being a designer, you are also an amazing actress. Can we expect to see you in any new shows or movies anytime soon?
Yes. It’s almost the holiday season which means holiday movies are coming soon. I have a big Christmas movie coming out. It’s called the Sound of Christmas and stars myself, Ne-yo and Serayah. I’ll give you a little spoiler. They’re gonna be singing. This movie is a Christian musical film, which is different, new and exciting for me. There’s a lot you can expect from me for the holiday season.
What advice would you give your younger self?
I would tell her that the Internet is a gift and a curse, so be careful. What you put out there on the internet is like a log of your life and you can see progress, but you could also see the regress. Luckily we have social media so we’re able to curate our lives and share the best parts of ourselves. I would tell myself to be mindful of the things that are put out there because they can stick with us forever. It’s ok to be “woke” while also being quiet on other things. It’s important to read the room because people will hold you accountable.
