Surviving A Near-Fatal Car Accident, Maya Winston Is Committed To Purpose With His Luxury Fashion Brand
Maya Winston’s life is proof that miracles do exist.
For the Jamaican-born, New York-raised entrepreneur, defying all odds has a whole different meaning after surviving a bad car accident in 2013.
“I live a life of gratitude,” he told aspireTV. “What a lot of people don’t know about me and I rarely ever share it, was that last year, 2023, was the 10th anniversary of me surviving a bad car accident where I was leaving the launch party of the very first clothing brand that I ever created.”
“I broke every single bone in my face and had 5 reconstructive facial surgeries,” he continued. “So, my whole life… I live it in immense gratitude because I feel like I’m getting a second chance at life and I am grateful for it all.”
Walking in purpose after surviving the unimaginable is something that Winston does not take lightly, which is why his self-titled fashion company was created to “spread positivity and be of service to whatever may come from all of this.”
As someone who was immersed in fashion at an early age thanks to his mother and sisters, Winston wanted his brand to be a direct reflection of what Black women stand for.
“I grew up with multiple sisters and a Black mom and it was all about representation and what we consider luxury,” he said. “I grew up in a household where fashion was at the forefront. My mother would always say stuff like, ‘We may not have much, but we sure got clothes.’ And that was always the funniest thing to me.”
Winston continued: “I just wanted to have a brand that represents what Black women stand for in the quality and having these world-class experiences while being authentic. That’s where Maya Winston came in. At times, we always try to come up with creative names or things we think are going to be catchy and trendy, but to truly be authentic in the whole process and everything I’m going to touch with the brand, it was just a matter of this being a true representation of myself… that’s why I went with the self-titled name. Maya Winston is my name. My name is Maya Winston Lawrence, but Winston is my middle name, which is also my father’s first name so it represents a lot.”
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With the brand being an extension of himself, Winston wanted to incorporate the bright colors to pay homage to his Jamaican heritage.
“My little sister was born here in America, but I was the first one to get the opportunity to come to America and I’ve always held on to my Jamaican background. I’m really from the yard, you know? That’s what I want to represent and that’s how I want my family and my culture to be represented,” said Winston.
Despite never considering himself a fashion junkie growing up, what Winston did know is that he had somewhat of a Midas touch, excelling at anything within arms reach starting with sports.
“My father was a big sports fanatic, while my mom was a fashion junkie,” he recalled. “I always felt like my father, but in reality, looking back on certain things, being creative and being able, just like anything I put my mind to, I was always good at no matter what. I’ve always been the main character in all aspects and that’s my mom’s trait.”
From sunnies to wallets to the infamous Maya Winston bucket bag, the brand was developed to allow people from all walks of life to get a glimpse into a life of luxury.
“We’re coming from backgrounds where we’re not always born into having access to the top luxury houses that we come to know and love,” he explained. “I want the Maya Winston company to be accessible and luxurious because I was raised to know what it’s like to not have it all, but still look well put together. And I just think about me, my peers, my sister’s peers, and just my friends in general knowing that we don’t have to go and spend our last on something to look good when we can look good and have the same quality.”
Click here to shop with Maya Winston.
