Published on October 20th, 2015 | by Jameelah "Just Jay" Wilkerson

Who is Miss Kayana Reid “Chastity Divas”?

Tell me a little about yourself Miss Kayana Reid.

My name is Kayana Reid, I am 13 years old and in the 7th grade. I have 6 sisters and 7 brothers. I love to draw and design things and want to be famous in the Fashion Industry and CEO of my own company.

What made you choose the name “Chastity Divas” for your clothing line?

I came up with the name Chastity Divas from a fun 10 week program my God Mother Terry Arrington enrolled me in. The program taught young ladies how to keep themselves pure, clean and to be chaste after God, which means Chastity and that’s how I came up with the name Chastity. My mom thought of Divas. I want young girls to know that can be chaste after God and beautiful too.

With such an inspirational story behind the reasoning of your clothing line, tell me a little about that. What made you choose fashion in such a difficult time?

When my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer I took it hard because I thought she was going to die. I was not handling that process well so I had to visit a therapist. Drawing became one of my outlets and put me in my comfort zone. Since I love clothes, jewelry, shoes and makeup it was easy to think of something fashionable to design.

You give a percentage of your “Chastity Divas” proceeds to cancer patients at St. Vincent’s Hospital “Swim Across the Sound correct? I take it that your mother and her strength has a lot to do with your decision to do this?

Yes, I admire the strength, faith and determination that my mom showed and that inspired me to design my own t-shirt to help my mom financially. I submitted my t-shirt design to St. Vincent’s Medical Center ‘Swim Across the Sound’ Foundation which is dedicated to raising money and awareness for cancer research, prevention and treatment! We felt giving a percentage of the t-shirt proceeds would be giving back and helping others who supported my mom during this devastating time.

So I heard that you have 7 brothers and 7 sisters, how do you find the time to get any work done? Are they big on helping?

There is only 6 of us at home now, the others are grown up and live in different areas. I can get my drawing and designing done in my secret hiding place – my bedroom. When I lock my door it is like paradise – a place and space for no one but me!

You are so young and most people twice as old as you have yet to accomplish things that you’ve done. Where do you see yourself in 10 years? Is it your dream to be one of the nations’ top designers?

In 10 years I hope I’ve completed fashion and design school, my Chastity Divas branding (clothing, jewelry and children’s books) is out there, and I have a store. I pray I am one of the nation’s top designers.

Your designs are already gracing the stages of HUGE events such as Jersey City Fashion Week. Have you had that moment where you’ve felt shocked that you were the person to design that look walking down the runway?

Yes I felt shocked, emotional but proud.

Last but not least, HYPE want to know… What’s your CRAZIEST “Where they do that at?! Moment…

I was at Six Flags Amusement Park and my friends where going on the rollercoaster. I wanted to go but I thought I was going on the small one and ended up on the Batman –the Dark Knight. The crazy thing is I wore flip flops not really didn’t plan to go on any rides. I got on the rollercoaster but at the end I was so embarrassed to realize my flips flopped off and I had no idea what happened to them. “Where they do that at?”

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