Undra Celeste New York: Modern Workwear That Speaks
Founder and Creative Director, Undra Celeste, of Undra Celeste New York knew at a young age that she was destined to become a successful fashion designer. Bred from a huge Guyanese family filled with stylish women, it has always been in her blood to see a vision and create it. Equipped with a business degree from Howard University and almost two-decades of experience in corporate fashion, she utilized her skills and education to create her brand.Undra Celeste New York is a modern workwear brand for women of color that encourages self-esteem and confidence.
Check out Undra’s phenomenal journey and motivational spirit!
What inspired you to create your own brand?
I always loved two things–fashion and entrepreneurship. As a young child, I loved making and selling handmade goods like friendship bracelets and paper dolls. As an adult, my passion only grew stronger. Having a fashion business is the natural progression of the two things that I was good at and always enjoyed. I went to Howard University for business and worked in corporate fashion for 15+ years. During that time, I had the desire to transform my vision of what I wanted to wear to work into a reality. I aspired for clothing that empowered and that increased self-motivation, which is why I created Undra Celeste New York.
What message do you want your brand to convey?
It redefines modern work for multicultural women. I want Undra Celeste New York to be the go-to brand for workwear that invokes an unapologetic presence. I want my customers to make a statement and be heard even before they physically speak. When women wear my clothing, I imagine their confidence in the workplace. When you wear Undra Celeste New York, you mean business. You will show up to work everyday in excellence and shine through modern, bold, and fun workwear. It's necessary for women of color to be confident in who they are by infusing the culture, personality, and pizzazz that makes them feel the most comfortable. Clothes are an inspiration and motivation.
How has your brand evolved since you began Undra Celeste?
I started the brand in 2016 but the messaging, branding, and aesthetic was not fully established.
In 2018, when I had the collaboration with LeBron James, Harlem's Fashion Row, and Nike, I thought my brand would skyrocket into the stratosphere. Although it was an amazing experience and I gained great relationships, it didn't happen. We had so much press, notoriety, and interviews from Good Morning America to Oprah Network but I didn't see much traction. I had to reevaluate and understand what my brand was missing. I went back to dissect the DNA of Undra Celeste New York to really understand the customer profile and messaging. For my next collection, I did a showcase at the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) in New York and one of the buyers mentioned to me, "Wow. This is really cool workwear." At that moment, I realized my brand identity– modern workwear. From that point on, I had released collections with that messaging and my business doubled within the next year. I finally found my niche. The press and exposure from the collaboration was great, but my brand lacked the solid foundation it needed to soar. Since then Undra Celeste New York has grown tremendously as a modern workwear brand.
Has your partnership with Saks Fifth Avenue been a dream come true?
As designers, we always have our holy grail of retailers that we dream to be showcased in and Saks Fifth Avenue was one of mine. They have an awesome team that has helped me move my brand forward. Undra Celeste New York has a small team so it can be challenging at times.
Everyone has a Newark story…What brought you to the city, and what is your favorite part about our local community?
I'm originally a Brooklyn girl -- born and raised. It has always been hard for me to go to new cities because I have a very high expectation of what I want. I actually moved to Newark because of my husband. We bought a house and although it was a transition, I love Newark. The most exciting part of the city has actually been my experience with Makerhoods. I craved a community feeling and I found it. I'm a creative person who loves creative energy so I searched for that exact environment. When I visited the Historic Krueger Scott Mansion, I loved everything that Makerhoods stood for. I am really excited to connect and be a part of it and I look forward to interacting with other creatives.
How will you leverage your resources as an entrepreneur with a design studio in the Historic Krueger-Scott Mansion to expand your brand?
There are so many things I am excited to do in the mansion and Makerhoods overall. I can't wait to collaborate with other Makers and offer mentoring to the community. I want to help build the community and be a resource. The mansion is beautiful and also provides me with the opportunity to create content for my brand.
Diamond Cheek, Digital Marketing Coordinator
Diamond Cheek is currently studying Digital Marketing in the Masters Program at Rutgers University-Newark. She has also received her Bachelors of Science at Rutgers in Leadership and Management. Over the years, digital marketing and content creation, have become a passion of hers which has lead her to apply her skills to the virtual and physical business world.