The Designer Behind These Custom Chloe x Halle Looks Pulled It All Off in 24 Hours
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Aazhia Rhy has had quite a year — unlike most of us, in a good way. The TLZ L'Femme designer not only dropped over 10 capsule collections, she's dressed a handful of celebrities, including R&B sister duo Chloe x Halle at the BET Awards and Kylie Jenner (with her daughter Stormi!) for the cover of Vogue Czechoslovakia. After cementing her position at the forefront of fashion's next generation, Rhy is now in full-on expansion mode for 2021. "Sometimes you don't realize everything you do because you're just going through the motions," she tells POPSUGAR.
Before launching her label, Rhy was a style icon in her own right. Known for sporting daring, early aughts-inspired outfits, the designer often served her own muse, and has been expressing herself through fashion from a young age. It was Rhy's sister, Janaé Rice, who first put fashion design on her radar after introducing her to the art of re-working clothes. "My looks were important to me," Rhy says with a laugh. "My dad would see me leave the house in Wranglers and a white T-shirt, but I'd have a Clueless[-inspired] outfit in my backpack: knee-highs, a plaid skirt, and hair stuff to match." The cult-favorite '90s film is a fitting favorite for Rhy, who has developed her own nostalgic aesthetic with her clothes.
The TLZ L'Femme look can be identified by experimental silhouettes, body-hugging fabrics, and sexy cutouts reminiscent of '90s It girls.
Inspired by everything from colors in a cartoon to old episodes of Soul Train, the TLZ L'Femme look can be identified by experimental silhouettes, body-hugging fabrics, and sexy cutouts reminiscent of '90s It girls. At the 2020 BET Awards last summer, Chloe x Halle's matching bralette tops in high-shine vinyl practically screamed "TLZ L'Femme" — and fans of the brands quickly took to Instagram to say as much.
Doubling down on Black female creativity, stylist Zerina Akers amplified Chloe x Halle's high-fashion look with jewelry by Black-owned brand Jeblanc. "It felt really empowering to know that we can stick together and create these special moments," Rhy says. "Because it's always a little nerve-wracking." Not to mention time-sensitive. Rhy reveals that she had just 24 hours to create Chloe x Halle's custom looks, a riff on pieces from TLZ L'Femme's then-upcoming spring collection.
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The amount of work Rhy had taken on during the pandemic is nothing short of impressive, and interestingly enough, her career skyrocketed because of it. Who could forget Cardi B's viral "Coranaviiiirus!" video, in which the rapper dons a foil mesh maxi dress by — you guessed it — TLZ L'Femme. When the world was on hold, Rhy refused to be creatively stunted. "I have enough faith to know that the Lord is going to carry me through to the ultimate vision of my brand," she says. "It makes me happy to know that even if my customers buy an outfit to wear in the house, they'll still look cute."
"It makes me happy to know that even if my customers buy an outfit to wear in the house, they'll still look cute."
From an outsider's perspective, TLZ L'Femme's frequent drops and celebrity placements, from Beyoncé's Halloween costume to Billie Eilish's look in the "Lo vas a Olvidar" music video and Issa Rae's cover shoot for Paper magazine, indicate all is well. But it hasn't always been smooth sailing. According to Rhy, 2019 brought financial struggles that she thought may lead to the brand's untimely demise. "I was scared because I didn't want to lose what I wanted," Rhy says. "I would just sit and cry because I [felt like I] was letting people down." With business then at a standstill, Rhy recalls low points where she had only $10 to her name, struggling to complete tasks at the studio when she couldn't afford to hire extra help. "The only thing that kept me going was my relationship with God," she says. "One day, things started shifting."
Rhy has been unstoppable ever since. In fact, she spent the bulk of last year ramping up her inventory, and plans to take TLZ L'Femme to new heights in more ways than one in 2021. Fans of the brand can expect handbags and shoes in the coming months, along with Rhys's music debut (yes, you read that correctly). The designer — and singer — has released snippets of her recordings on social media, but hints that this year will mark the official release of her first single. Maybe fans will get an accompanying music video, too. "I'm excited because I know I've been working so hard," Rhy says. "I hope people enjoy it, because it comes from my heart. I'm excited to see it all come to life."
Ahead, take a look at celebrities wearing TLZ L'Femme.
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Chloe x Halle in TLZ L'Femme at the 2020 BET Awards
Kylie Jenner and Daughter Stormi Webster Sport Matching TLZ L'Femme
Cardi B Wears TLZ L'Femme for an Apple Music Campaign
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