Danielle Brooks has retired her Orange Is the New Black khaki prison garb in favor of something a little more luxe.
The actress best known for her role as Taystee on the hit Netflix show has stepped into a new role: that of designer. In collaboration with luxe plus-size distributor Universal Standard, Brooks has created a capsule collection!
Each collection acts as an answer to the question, “What has been something you've always wanted to wear but always have trouble finding in your size?"
And let me tell you, the three-piece collection is filled with on-trend, size-inclusive, universally flattering styles that all absolutely slay! Read on to see what the actress/designer had to say about each piece.
In My Overalls
“The overalls were a no brainer," Brooks told PeopleStyle. “For years I have looked for a pair of overalls that weren't too baggy in the crotch, that presented some type of wow factor and that weren't too long in the body. This one will be sure to satisfy every woman who has felt like me."
Devil In A Shirt Dress
“The shirt dress was inspired by one of my fashion icons, Solange Knowles. Too often, I'm not able to wear the cool unique statement pieces that I see because they never run in my size. This piece will have people asking you, 'excuse me, where did you get that?!'"
Sweater Weather
“With this piece, you are able to dress it up, dress it down, wear it off the shoulder, and even rock it as a chic hoodie," she explains. “It's what every woman will be looking to wear for fall."
The Universal Standard x Danielle Brooks collection, in sizes 10-28, is available now at Universal Standard. Grab 'em while you can.
What are three go-to pieces in your capsule collection? Let us know in the comments below.
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While speaking to xoNecole, Eva shares that she’s a lot like the beloved 1994 character in many ways. “Lyric is so me. She's the odd flower. A flower nonetheless, but definitely not a peony,” she tells us.
“She's not the average flower you see presented, and so she reminds me of myself. I'm a sunflower, beautiful, but different. And what I loved about her character then, and even more so now, is that she was very sure of herself.
"Sure of what she wanted in life and okay to sacrifice her moments right now, to get what she knew she deserved later. And that is me. I'm not an instant gratification kind of a person. I am a long game. I'm not a sprinter, I'm a marathon.
America first fell in love with Eva when she graced our screens on cycle 3 of America’s Next Top Model in 2004, which she emerged as the winner. Since then, she's ventured into different avenues, from acting on various TV series like House of Payne to starring on Real Housewives of Atlanta.
Je-Caryous Johnson Entertainment
Eva praises her castmates and the play’s producer, Je’Caryous for her positive experience. “You know what? Je’Caryous fuels my audacity car daily, ‘cause I consider myself an extremely audacious woman, and I believe in what I know, even if no one else knows it, because God gave it to me. So I know what I know. That is who Je’Caryous is.”
But the mom of three isn’t the only one in the family who enjoys acting. Eva reveals her daughter Marley has also caught the acting bug.
“It is the most adorable thing you can ever see. She’s got a part in her school play. She's in her chorus, and she loves it,” she says. “I don't know if she loves it, because it's like, mommy does it, so maybe I should do it, but there is something about her.”
Overall, Eva hopes that her contribution to the role and the play as a whole serves as motivation for others to reach for the stars.
“I want them to walk out with hope. I want them to re-vision their dreams. Whatever they were. Whatever they are. To re-see them and then have that thing inside of them say, ‘You know what? I'm going to do that. Whatever dream you put on the back burner, go pick it up.
"Whatever dream you've accomplished, make a new dream, but continue to reach for the stars. Continue to reach for what is beyond what people say we can do, especially as [a] Black collective but especially as Black women. When it comes to us and who we are and what we accept and what we're worth, it's not about having seen it before. It's about knowing that I deserve it.”
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
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Feature image by Leon Bennett/WireImage
