Reginald Thomas (Finding Aid)

Reginald Thomas

1957 -

Favorite Color: Navy

Favorite Food: Soul Food

Favorite Time of Year: Fall, Winter

Favorite Vacation Spot: Europe - Paris, Milan

Interview Length: 113 minutes

Interview Date(s): July 28, 2004

Interview Location(s): The HistoryMakers, Chicago, Illinois

Abstract

Fashion designer Reginald Thomas describes his mother's and father's backgrounds and details his childhood growing up in central Florida. Thomas shares some of his earliest memories and recalls becoming interested in drawing at a very early age. Thomas describes his childhood personality and explains his early interest in clothing and fashion, partly derived from church on Sunday and his sisters' doll collection. Fashion designer Reginald Thomas discusses the deaths of his parents and how he was subsequently raised by his oldest sister and her husband, who moved the family to the South Shore neighborhood of Chicago. Thomas describes the racial and class differences between Chicago and Florida and talks about how he adjusted. Thomas recalls his school years, discussing his burgeoning creativity and explaining how he was sometimes stifled. Thomas explains that his artistry eventually paid off in high school, when he became an award-winning photographer. Thomas then explains his decision to attend Northern Illinois University. Fashion designer Reginald Thomas discusses his schooling at Northern Illinois University and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, where he put on his first fashion shows and developed his sense of fashion design. Thomas names some influential teachers who helped get him started. Thomas also talks about starting his fashion business, Reginald Designs, and explains some of the early hardships of his business. Fashion designer Reginald Thomas details his design process and design technique, as well as sharing some of his philosophies about fashion. Thomas discusses fashion history, compares American fashion with European fashion, and explains why African American fashion has a unique place in the design world. Thomas also talks about some of his famous clientele and shares an example of one of his most controversial designs. Fashion designer Reginald Thomas reflects on his artistic gifts, his life, his family, and his career. Thomas counts himself as fortunate to have been able to make a living from his art, and reflects on his mother and father, who never got to see his success.

41 Stories (See Ordered Story Set)