Alumni Spotlight: Kahlana Barfield Brown

By Kelvin Childs

Kahlana Barfield Brown (B.A. ’04) is at the top of the fashion world. The School of Communications graduate and Alpha chapter member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. moved up the ranks from intern to fashion and beauty editor at InStyle before seeking other opportunities. The multi-hyphenate writer-editor-curator-influencer added “designer” to her portfolio through a collaboration with Target. She’s created 120 pieces as the first designer for Future Collective, Target’s line of apparel and accessories. Brown spoke to Beyond the Yard. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Why did you choose to go to an HBCU? And why was Howard the one you chose?

My grandmother was truly instrumental in my choice of my HBCU. She went to Southern University in Louisiana and went on to become one of the first Black principals in the Seattle Public School District. She said that her experience at her HBCU shaped who she became as a person. She was a member of Delta Sigma Theta and while I was growing up, she referenced so many stories and told us so much of who she was. 

When she retired, I was 12 years old, and her gift to herself was that she wanted to take all her grandchildren on an HBCU tour. She bought a Chevrolet van, and at that time, it was really something special because it was this big van, and it had a TV in it. We all packed inside this van and went on a two-month road trip from Seattle over the entire summer. We traveled to every single HBCU in the United States. I remember when I stepped foot on Howard’s campus, I knew it was where I wanted to go. There was something about the energy, something about the vibe. The Greek organizations were on The Yard and with my grandmother being a Delta I got to see the Alpha chapter and it just was beautiful. It gave me something to look forward to and to work for. It was really the only option for me. 

Social media has facilitated the rise of influencers and opened an avenue for people of color to direct the conversation of what is fashionable. How has that been good and bad for the fashion industry?

When I started in the fashion industry, there was no social media. And there was something about the industry that was almost like this secret society. There were gatekeepers; there was discretion; there were a lot of things that people didn’t know. I can count on my hands how many Black women were in prominent roles at that time. I knew that I belonged, always, but I also knew that there weren’t many people that look like me, and that I had to be strategic in how I use my voice. I think the thing with social media is that you have the support of a whole community to raise issues when they see problems. There’s something beautiful about that, and I think that it has forced a lot of change. Now you have a platform where you can do you; nobody is in control of what you do and what you put out there. And I love that it’s a creative space for people who traditionally haven't always been able to have a seat at the table.

On the flip side, one thing that I don’t love about social media is, I feel like everything is exposed, you know? There are things that are very special to me and things about our culture that I feel should stay in the family. It might just be how we braid our hair or how we get a specific hairstyle, and now there’s videos that show you step-by-step on how to do it. And there have been a lot of people – I call them culture vultures – but people who can Google or look on YouTube and see these videos and literally mimic the things that we do. This makes me sad.

Future Collective makes stylish, affordable pieces available in a wider range of sizes than other clothiers provide. Why do other companies persist in not doing likewise? 

I really can’t speak on why others do what they do, but I do know that when I decided to create my own clothing line, I knew size inclusivity was truly something that was a non-negotiable for me. That was something that had to happen.

That is something that I’m very proud of with Future Collective, that we’ve been able to have such a wide size range and be able to provide clothing options to women of all shapes and sizes. It’s something that makes me really happy because I feel no matter what your size is, you should be able to feel stylish, you should be able to find options just like anyone else. It’s something that has always bothered me about the fashion industry, and I knew when I was in a position to create something myself that I would make sure that I didn’t subscribe to that.

How did your experience at Howard University set the foundation for your career?

I believe wholeheartedly that Howard taught me to be relentless about the pursuit of excellence. Howard equipped me to be able to sit at any table and know that I belong. It was Howard that taught me to never be afraid to put yourself out there and be amongst the biggest because you can be that as well. Howard taught me to play big in everything that I do.