Meet Faith R. L. Leonard

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Faith R. L. Leonard a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Faith, we’re so appreciative of you taking the time to share your nuggets of wisdom with our community. One of the topics we think is most important for folks looking to level up their lives is building up their self-confidence and self-esteem. Can you share how you developed your confidence?

I’ve found for myself particularly that having a healthy balance and understanding of self-confidence, self-esteem, self-respect and self-worth is a forever ‘work-in-progress’, especially as a woman. Like many precious treasures, it must be maintained. As a 29-year old, Black woman, I can say that I do love where I currently am in the confidence and self-esteem department, but if you would have asked me how I feel 15 years ago, or heck, even a year ago, I probably would have just went silent and began to cry.

Developing my confidence and self-esteem has had to be more than just cultivating and maintaining my outward appearance, although vitally important, the work that I have had to do most has been internally; mentally and spiritually. I am still developing these things but I truly find that understanding and seeing myself the way God sees me, knowing that I am not only loved by my treasured family and friends around me but also by God, Himself, has made all the difference and led me to passing a checkpoint, knowing I am at a “point of no return” when it comes to going back to certain lowest of lows. Cultivating my relationship with God, going to therapy for almost 10 years and committing myself to the process of sitting with me and learning to love me has made all the difference.

As much as I had low self-esteem and insecurities in my preteen and teen years for being really tall, extra skinny, and wearing glasses, I myself am still surprised that there was a morsel of self-esteem and confidence there because no matter what, I was always expressive in my clothing. As a young girl, I have always had a passion for fashion and art. Even though I was bullied a little in school, I don’t know how, I still had the confidence to wear and style clothing however I wanted to. I guess you could say it was an escape for me.

My personal relationship with God and my love of fashion, expressing myself with what I wear, are two cardinal ways that I have developed and continue to maintain and build my confidence and self-esteem to this very day.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I am Faith R. L. Leonard, founding Fashion Designer & Wardrobe Stylist, The Fashion Pedestrian. I was born and raised in Pensacola, Florida. I have an extensive background in business, retail, and banking. I studied Business Administration and Marketing at Florida A&M University’s School of Business & Industry and Columbia Southern University. My passion for fashion is complemented by my love for Jesus, food, and motherhood. As a dedicated mom to three beautiful daughters, I balance my professional life with my personal interests, which include going to the gym, cooking, baking, and karaoke. My creative talents and passions extend far beyond fashion, art and styling to philanthropy as well, making me a multifaceted and inspiring figure in my field.

Professionally, I am focused on extending my reach as a wardrobe stylist and expanding my brand. In my personal life and professional life, I have a true passion for helping people, especially women and young girls. As a stylist, my goal is to awaken and build confidence in women to be the best, beautiful, confident, healed version of themselves through fashion. I truly believe that when you look good, you feel good. I want women to step out of the box and realize that they can wear “this” and they can where “that” and to debunk all the voices in their heads and in society that say “red lipstick is not for everybody” or “only people this size can wear ruffles”. No. Anyone can wear and rock anything that they want to. Fashion and style in very psychological and I have found that a lot of people wear or don’t wear certain things because of negative things that people have told them and I work to dispel that and unlock confidence in people to be who they want to be and express that in their clothing how they see fit, much like myself. I am replicating that trait in myself, in every client I work with,

The same goes for myself as a designer, I want to create pieces that do the aforementioned things. I have designs that span from merch to high-fashion, avant-garde pieces and I look forward to debuting it to the world in the next few years, a short-term goal of mine.

Personally, I am walking through one of the hardest seasons of my life, newly divorced, single mother to 3 wonderful daughters. I am rebuilding my life from scratch. But it is the best, most beautiful, challenge of my life simultaneously. While I have all the reasons in the world not to do and work on the major projects I am working on, I am reminded by two things; God’s promises are “yes and amen” and “one monkey don’t stop no show” haha. Meaning, God has given me a glimpse of my purpose and the life He has called me to and they will come to pass, I will push on to do my part to be who He has called me to be and go for the things He promised me in this life, no matter what things currently look like. Also, one “hiccup” in my life, such as a divorce from a partner that gave up on our family and marriage, will not fully derail and destroy the “show”, my purpose in life to be an awesome mother and great designer and stylist. I refuse to let it stop me.

With that being said, for my 30th birthday this year, I am hosting my first ever gala and fashion show, “The Fashion Pedestrian Presents: Faith’s 30th Birthday Give Back Gala Fashion Show”. This event is the intersection of the love I have for giving back to my community and my passion for fashion. I am raising $10,000 to the well deserved, non-profit organization, Safe Women & Girls (SWAG), founded by Pensacola, Florida native, Santoria Abrams. The best birthday gift I can get this year is to give back to those truly uplifting the downtrodden in my local community. I had the pleasure of styling a colleague and now good friend of mine, Jessica S. Smith for her 30th birthday, “Jess Gives Back” Gala a couple of years ago. She inspired me so to put on this event, as well as my family, 2 best-friends, and daughters. My little village continues to inspire and teach me the importance of giving, lifting as we climb and to follow my passion and calling to the fashion realm daily.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

I talk so much that I have already answered this question and probably others haha!

(Cultivating) My relationship with God, going to therapy, and staying true to my passions, talents, and who I am at the core.

I would definitely advise people to give therapy a try, seek out free and low-cost therapy resources around them to take advantage of.
I advise people to surround themselves with positive, goal-oriented individuals and organizations. My village has helped me a great deal, my friends, and like-minded individuals that are currently walking through parallel paths. This keeps you encouraged, is a thermometer and can give you the positive reality check you need when you begin to doubt yourself and your abilities, and/or deviate from your goals.
You are what you eat, and I am not referring to food only. I find that the information we consume whether its music, social media, the news definitely has an impact. I find that shutting those things out, especially when they are negative has helped me and many others on their journey to continue to positively develop your confidence and self-esteem.

Who is your ideal client or what sort of characteristics would make someone an ideal client for you?

Again, because I chitchat so much, I have already somewhat answered this haha!
As I mentioned earlier, as a stylist, my goal is to awaken and build confidence in women to be the best, beautiful, confident, healed version of themselves through fashion.
Therefore, my ideal clients are women wanting and needing a confidence boost, that affirmation that they are enough! Everything they want and need is already inside of them. When you look good, you feel good. Let me style your cape so you can go out into the world and conquer all; be the best mom, wife, fill in the blank, YOU that you are meant to be! I am open to styling all genders of all ages, however, and have done so!

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