A year ago, I was fucking around on my business instagram account, posting ridiculous memes and thirst traps (not my own) for my followers to love me or hate me for. It’s usually a combination of both. On that particular day I had come across some proper eye candy (ahem, Timeekah Murphy aka “Murph”) and reposted the image with the same level of thirstiness my followers were about to endure. It was no surprise when like after like swiftly came pouring in as we lesbians swooned over this gentle-womxn in her androgynous, top-of-the evening attire.
To be honest, I didn’t even know who the hell I was reposting. I just knew the fellow queerdos would share my affinity for her—imagery. A closer examination of Murph’s page proved to be impressive. Turns out Timeekah Murphy is the CEO and designer of the fast-rising, high-end fashion brand Alani Taylor Co. Now before you write this off as some stalker ass blog piece—just know this is headed somewhere culturally significant—but also know I had to ask if she had a girlfriend. I’m a huge advocate of shooting full court shots.
I didn’t expect a response. So when she offered up the #singlelife hashtag in the comments all inner G left and I melted—then I quickly remembered I was on my business account and kept it kosher. The next comment was from an individual who we’ll refer to as NYC Shordie. NYC Shordie said something about Murph being “fine as hell” and we became screaming teenage fangirls in the comments from there. Murph then responded to NYC Shordie’s comment and inadvertently put her into shock—you know cuz we’re fan-girled out. NYC Shordie then went on to state how she didn’t think Murph would ever speak to someone like her. To which Murph replied (I know I’m shout-out AF):
In that moment I realized I fucked with Murph on a people level. In that moment Murph lifted the fabric between fan and fashion guru. Not to make her sound like Jesus, but we could all accomplish a thing or two by walking in her footsteps. The presumed barrier between those in their respective spotlight being unreachable is a testament to how we as people block our blessings. Some call it Imposter Syndrome. Some call it low-self esteem. Whatever you call it, it’s in the entire GOT-damn-way.
Check out this thought-provoking read “Stop Telling Women They Have Imposter Syndrome.”
Regrettably, NYC Shordie’s comments have since been removed (deleted account) however, the way Murph virtually put that woman in a GEWD place: priceless. NYC Shordie’s entire perspective changed at that moment. (I hope she’s out in the world baggin celebrities and conquering dreams now).
For those of you who put up your own invisible barriers, blocking blessing after blessing: let’s rap about manifestation for a minute—through the eyes of Murph. Newark, NJ born Timeekah Murphy had been designing far before the first A-List celebrity team ever hit her up. She constructed pieces to pass the time during her 12 year service in the U.S. Military. In 2016, she departed from the military and made the decision to focus on fashion—with no formal fashion training might I add. It wasn’t until her daughter, Alani Taylor Murphy, was born that her passion for fashion finally had a direction and a solid vision for where she wanted to take her brand.
Now fast forward to 2020—just four years after the launching of the Alani Taylor Co. brand.
Visualize being Timeekah Murphy and your phone rings. At the other end is someone representing Fashion Stylist Zerina Akers. For the non-fashion junkies, Akers is best known for her work with The Queen B herself: Beyonce Knowles. Are you screaming yet?! Murphy didn’t know it at the time, but the dress she designed in collaboration with Déviant La Vie would go on to be a part of Beyonce’s visual album Black is King.
Murph Lost Her Voice and Her Mind at first Glance of Beyonce in Her Dress.
Edible Podcast: What was it like when you got the call to design for Beyonce’s dress in Black is King?
Murph: “It was insane. But that was the second time we had did something for Beyonce. I think the first time is where all of my excitement came from because, again, when I talk about the manifesting, I have a prayer box. And I put all of the things I want to accomplish in that prayer box. So every year I put twenty things in my prayer box for that year. That year— or the year before I had just moved to L.A. and before I left I was packing. I was living in Texas at the time. And I put ‘I want to design for Beyonce’ in my prayer box. And a year later I go to the prayer box and that’s what I pull out. We had did Lion King for her…I was on Cloud 10 for a good two weeks when it did happen.”
“…but when Black is King came out that meant more to me because it was my brand attached to it this time and it wasn’t like I was living through something else that wasn’t attached to my daughter. Because I started this whole thing for my daughter…When Black is King came out and I seen that image of her <Beyonce> standing there—or first when they were carrying her—is when I completely lost my voice…and then when she started walking towards the camera I lost my mind.”
The Reality and Power of Manifestation.
Murph: “I believe in the universe man. And nobody can tell me different because I see it happening in my life and in a lot of other people’s lives around me. When you put that energy out there and you say you wanna do something and know…God is saying you can have whatever it is that you ask for at any given moment. So When I look up to the sky and I say: I want to do this or I want to do that. The same way that we get on our knees and pray and we say amen, is the same way that I look at life within itself. I was taught that if you gone pray, don’t worry and if you gone worry don’t pray. And I live by that.”
Who could be worried when a part of your day included flying to L.A. to design Da Baby’s baby’s (say that three times as fast as you can) very own red carpet dress? According to Murph, he personally hit her jack to request her services in designing a last-minute dress for his daughter’s stunning red-carpet event. She looked like Black Royalty in the making.
Murph Tells Edible Podcast about the Call to Design Da Baby’s Daughter’s Red-Carpet Dress.
Edible Podcast: “So you designed a piece for Da Baby’s Baby?”
Murph: “He wanted to do a red carpet event for her because she wasn’t able to go to the Grammys. First of all his red carpet was better than the Grammys’ red carpet. Let me first say that. This man went above and beyond for his daughter and he wanted a dress for her…it was crazy and that’s why I look the way I look right now…I just hopped on the plane with what was on my back.”
Timeekah Murphy on Luck.
Edible Podcast: “Do You Believe in Luck?”
Murph: “I don’t believe in luck. I believe that once you put something in the atmosphere and you keep continuing to bust your ass for it the universe has no choice but to give you what you deserve.”
Luck or no luck, Fashion Nova Cares and Megan Thee Stallion just donated 25K to four independent designers one of the recipients being Alani Taylor Co. I literally just read the news as I was working on this piece. Talk about the universe. HELL FUCKING YES MURPH!!!!!!! Fashion Nova and Meg plan to award a total of $1 Million throughout the month of March for their Women on Top initiative during Women’s History Month.
In honor of Womxn’s History Month we salute Timeekah Murphy for her service in the U.S. Military and her passion to build a legacy for Blacks, Womxn, the LGBTQ Community and most importantly—her daughter. Happy Womxn’s History Month.
“We have to shed light on our Black Women because we’ve had it hard. And it’s time for all of us to start supporting each other to get us where we need to be. You know it took a long time for us to get here but now with our generation we can create a lot of change…everybody is starting to understand that black people are powerful.”
Timeekah Murphy, CEO, Alani Taylor Co.
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