Now Reading: Meet Aaliyah Taylor of Exalting in Beauty
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Meet Aaliyah Taylor of Exalting in Beauty
Did you ever do Perler Beads™ as a kid? Local Birmingham jewelry maker Aaliyah Taylor did too, and at just the right time in her adult life, they sparked a creative venture that has become a vibrant business.
In 2022, Aaliyah was named the Magic City Fashion Week’s Emerging Artist of the Year for her bold and beautiful “fuse bead” jewelry. Every set of earrings she designs and hand-makes for her brand, Exalting in Beauty, is a work of art — and, Aaliyah says, a love letter to herself and her customers. Get to know Aaliyah and her incredible jewelry!
First, tell us about yourself! Have you always been into making jewelry?
My family and I grew up in the Titusville area of Birmingham, where every neighbor was family, whether by blood or spirit. I grew up surrounded by some amazing, beautiful, bold Black women who embodied the act of “taking up space” while exuding such grace and kindness. My mother is my best friend, my muse. She inspires me every day. When anyone asks me about jewelry making, I point them in the direction of my mother.
I come from a line of creatives: great-aunts who were seamstresses, a grandmother who loved drawing, an aunt whose medium was her words (poetry and playwriting), and a mother who could take some leather and sculpt it to fit her accessory needs. Because of them, I couldn’t help but fall into the space of art and creativity — whether in fine arts, graphic design, jewelry design, or fashion design. They taught me to explore and embrace those findings that spark joy within me.
How did you find your way to founding Exalting in Beauty?
Whew! Cue the waterworks. Whenever I tell the story of founding and creating Exalting in Beauty, I’m amazed at the creative power of God — how He can turn something created out of desperation into a vehicle of purpose. I created Exalting in Beauty in 2013 while sitting on the floor of my late aunt’s den in Decatur, Georgia.
At the start of Exalting in Beauty, I was broke and broken; life was not going the way I planned. Yet, when I picked up those Perler Beads™, I was desperate and determined to create something that people would love and feel beautiful in; I was desperate for money — some type of financial relief. I was also desperate to find “me.”
Exalting in Beauty was born out of brokenness, created out of the need to exalt everyone’s uniqueness and beauty, even when they felt broken. It is a love letter to myself and everyone else. Creating and wearing my jewelry helped me remember who I am and create a brand to help those to remember who they are — that we are all beautiful, unique, and special — through the creation of my jewelry and fashion.
Your jewelry is bright, beautiful, and bold. Can you share a bit about your artistic style and where you draw inspiration?
Thank you! My artistic style has always been color. One of my favorite classes that I took in college was Color Foundations. This class taught us the beauty of colors and tones, utilizing gouache as our medium. That class ignited my love for colors and their use in my art. (Plus, my professor at the time encouraged me to “embrace” and “live” in color!)
This may sound cliché, but I draw inspiration from many things. As an observant person, my eyes are open to anything and everything that might pique my interest or spark my imagination. I’m drawn to patterns and unusual color palettes found in the closets of my mom and aunt. Pinterest is a great tool to help me find and organize inspiration, so that I can come back to those gems.
Tell us about being named the 2022 Magic City Fashion Week’s Emerging Designer of the Year. How has that impacted your creativity and career?
After three years, I’m still in awe of that night in June! It was a night that affirmed my existence as a creator and designer. My goal in entering the Emerging Designer competition wasn’t to win but to push myself to accomplish something I’ve been afraid to do: Take up space.
Magic City Fashion Week gave me the confidence and belief to do what I once deemed “impossible” or “unimaginable.” Through this amazing opportunity, I came away excited to embark on the challenge of growing and scaling my business, something I’ve been afraid to do since starting my jewelry business. That night, I proclaimed that I was “taking up space,” which has been the driving force in my life, impacting everything I do and create.
Are there places around Birmingham where local readers can find your jewelry?
Yes! I’ve created an exclusive collection for the 16th Cross Pearson Wearable Art Gallery on 1st Avenue North (next to the Essential)! Not only will our local readers find my jewelry, but they’ll also be able to see some of my one-of-a-kind fashion designs, which are available for purchase.
What do you like to do when you’re not working?
When I’m not working, I love swimming, especially early in the mornings or late in the evenings. I also love lying on the couch reading a book or watching some cozy British mysteries. Most of the time, when I’m not working, I try to do things that can calm my mind and center my thoughts, which keeps me from creative burnout.
Who or what is inspiring you right now?
Contemporary Artist, Kelechi Nwaneri; French Singer, Yseult; and anything made by Christopher John Rogers.
What is your best piece of advice?
Rest is not a reward but a requirement. Once we deprogram our minds from thinking and believing that we have to “work” towards rest, and embrace the fact that it’s a vital necessity, the better we will learn to be gentle toward ourselves.
Aside from faith, family, and friends, name three things you can’t live without:
My BritBox subscription, my 0.7mm colored gel pens, and my glasses (I can’t see without them!)
LIGHTNING ROUND!
Last delicious local meal: Manager’s Special-Fried Whole Wings with Fries & Green Tomatoes (“All The Way”: ketchup, hot sauce, salt and pepper!), from Green Acres on 4th Avenue
Favorite place to vacation: Helen, Georgia (specifically in the fall as the leaves change!)
Your go-to gift to give: Journals
Favorite recent TV show binge: Ted Lasso
Book(s) on your bedside table: Red Clay by Charles B. Fancher, Harlem Rhapsody by Victoria Christopher Murray, and my CSB Bible
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Birmingham women are doing inspiring work. Meet more of them over at our FACES archives!
