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Monrovia – For most people, their unique sense of style and fashion sense comes from flipping through the pages of Vogue, Essence and other magazines, but for Mu K. Reeves was a natural.
as if Gboko Stewart, [email protected], Contributing writer
“I was concerned as a child. [about] What I always wore as a child,” he says. “I knew I was a creative person.”
Lemu K. Reeves, 43, is the creative director and CEO of the aptly named luxury Australian fashion brand, LK Reeves.
In the year Founded in 2020, the fashion company showcases high-quality luxury clothing made from the finest fabrics around the world. It features hats, bags, scarves, dresses, trench coats embellished with Swarovski crystals, tote bags, etc.
All this, he owes it to his late mother – the driving force in his life – who was a fashionista and loved to adorn herself in brightly colored clothes.
“My late mother loved fashion, colors. I knew in my early years that I wanted to design clothes for the world. I have loved artistic work since childhood. My late brother Nahnkarmu was a great artist – he could draw anything you asked him – he made wonderful paintings.
But he was often oppressed by his name. Lemu, a traditional name from the Pele tribe of Liberia, meaning ‘under your heart’, is commonly given to girls and is considered strange when a boy bears the name.
Growing up in war-torn Liberia, the Australia-based Liberian fashion designer says his aesthetic eye for beautiful clothes has always been there – a trait he believes he inherited from his late mother and brother.
“My mother had a tailor who came to our house and made her clothes. At an early age, I began to see clothes being constructed and how my mother respected the work she did for him. We all welcomed him and made him part of our family.
His childhood was full of bright colors as he was surrounded by love, discipline, manners and laughter by his parents, where he was occasionally seen in the many wars that the country fought. “I was a happy and disciplined child. Definitely not an A student, but still value education. We made the best of what we had and were grateful for everything.
He explained that his parents were strict disciplinarians.
This led him to graduate from Cuttington University with a degree in Management and enter a life of service.
Fashion designer He disclosed that he enlisted in the Naval Unit of the Liberian Armed Forces in 2008. “First, I knew I was going to Liberia to establish myself, so I wanted to serve my country in any way possible.”
In the year
“When I arrived in Australia, I had no idea what my life would be like if I stayed in Australia. What I envisioned was full of good things, victories and joy – it was huge. I had to make another decision and I did.
Australian life, he recalls, had many bumps in the road. He couldn’t afford anything as small as a coat to combat the country’s harsh winters. According to the fashion designer, he took charity bins to his grave in a bid to keep warm.
“I also found a winter coat in a charity bin as I couldn’t afford a winter jacket in Australia. I still wear the coat today and it reminds me of my travels in Australia and my appreciation of well-tailored clothes, great fabrics and design.”
Finding work as a volunteer at Aged Care Homes, he later found work as an assistant and progressed to construction manager. After completing a fashion course at the Fashion and Business Resource Innovation Center, Arizona USA, he studied tailoring at Nepean Community College in Sydney.
Armed with such knowledge, Reeves established LK Reeves Pty LTD. While it doesn’t cost an arm and a leg for a dress or trench coat that many consider luxury by any standard, it sure isn’t cheap as chips. The brand continues to design clothes for many high profile pageants including the Miss Sahara Pageant in Sydney.
Looking back, his struggles from childhood were the way to start the Elke Reeves fashion line that is slowly turning into a global brand built on the moral values his mother instilled in her children.
“We wanted a brand that would shed more light on the ethical practices in the fashion industry. I wanted to build a brand that would bear my name because of what our society thinks should be given to a girl, Mu (a traditional name). I wanted to send a message of comfort, confidence and uniqueness.”
As Reeves expanded his clothing line, he caught the attention of Liberian socialite and influencer Benita Ure. Ure, the CEO of Liberia’s largest social media blog, Liberian Social Media Blog, said her fashion line was suggested to her by her followers.
“When I came across his page, I noticed that not only is he working hard to promote Liberian craftsmanship, but he also has amazing quality clothes at affordable prices, so I had no choice but to support him,” she said.
“My favorite will always be the trench coat because it’s never been made anywhere else in the world and it shows a western style. However, it’s covered from skull to toe in all things Liberian – I love it!”
For Reeves, this big mile means a lot because it’s an inspiration to walk humbly. “I am the creative director of the next global brand. It comes with a lot of pressure and stress. I thank God for giving me bigger dreams than I could have imagined.”
And every day that comes, he believes that it is an opportunity to return.
“With everything life throws at us, it’s still beautiful to live your dreams. I’m happy every day because I know for sure that we’re on the right track and it’s successful. I see a lot of growth, success and giving back to the world and our communities.”
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