Photo: Andria Lindquist
Gregory De Anda is a designer who uses fashion as a medium to spread joy and self-confidence through his creativity. A talent that he realized early on but didn’t activate until young adulthood.
As a Los Angeles resident (via Oakland, CA), De Anda has steadily inched closer to the spotlight while establishing his very own design label, MANNISH. Over the years, the 38-year-old Black-and-Mexican designer has seen his creations worn by notable people including Trinidad James and Princeton Perez—with his work additionally featured on ABC News, Fashion Bomb Daily, and the Los Angeles Sentinel.
Having attended Montana State University, DeAnda received an “intervention-style” moment of clarity—early on—when his aunt communicated that pursuing fashion “wasn’t the best idea” for him. But since then, he’s stayed within his own creative lane and never looked back.
Photo: Andria Lindquist
Detailing his brand’s mission while reflecting on his professional climb to the top, De Anda says: “I envision MANNISH as a beacon of hope for those who don’t have a voice, for those in need of support and those in search of love; because self-love starts with how you look and feel.”
Read below for more of our exclusive Brother interview with De Anda discussing his MANNISH design label…
BROTHER:
How did you land on fashion as a specific career path for yourself?
GREGORY DE ANDA:
It was a medium I had been utilizing my whole life, but it didn’t set in until later how much joy it gave me to help other people get dressed and provide self-confidence through fashion. My “aha” moment was when I was about 20, and my aunt sat me down intervention-style to check in on what I was doing with my life. I told her I wanted to be in fashion and that’s what really spoke to me. She told me it wasn’t the best idea I’ve ever had and that maybe I should consider working in the medical field. That conversation flipped a switch in me and lit the fire that helped me understand that this is truly my passion and I should see it through. (Years later, she thanked me for not listening to her and was proud that I decided to be my own man.)
What motivates you creatively?
My curiosity for life. There are things that inspire me daily, that put me on journeys that I feel I have to see through. I’ve been very protective of my inner child and curiosity for a long time now, and I feel that both of those things help me keep my creative fire alive.
Photo: Andria Lindquist
Why do you think there are so many barriers-to-entry for Black and Brown talent within the creative industries?
I think it’s just a reflection of society — it’s difficult for a Black or Brown person to navigate in general. My job isn’t to focus on that, but to focus on creating art, blaze a path for those who come after me, and to bring as many along with me to create genuine opportunities for Black and Brown talent in this industry.
Based on your physical features, how do you respond when people ask you about your ethnicity?
I think I’ve been regarded as a human anomaly for most of my life, so being asked about my ethnicity doesn’t really faze me anymore. It took a lot of work to get to this point and to not take the question as an insult. To realize that my ethnicity means something in America versus what it means to someone in Africa—and just accumulating those perspectives—has brought me to a real place of serenity when it comes to people who are curious about my ethnicity. I embrace my ambiguity: I’m 100% Black, and I’m 100% Mexican, and I’m 100% proud of my background.
Who’s a person that stands out as a true source of inspiration for you?
I’d have to say my mother is one of my biggest inspirations. Just how much life was thrown at her early, and how she overcame everything—continues to work hard and always has a smile on her face—and how magnetic she is. It gives me a sense of pride that some people may forget my name, but they know hers or know that I’m her son.
Photo: Andria Lindquist
Where do you envision your brand taking you within the next two years?
I envision MANNISH taking me all over the world to meet incredible artists that I can help provide a larger stage for, or help the public understand them in a different light. I see MANNISH collaborating with major brands; providing our perspective on the world; working alongside more charities and nonprofits; and getting the message out through fashion in a way that doesn’t cause division but instead supports community. I envision MANNISH as a beacon of hope for those who don’t have a voice, for those in need of support and those in search of love—because self-love starts with how you look and feel—and MANNISH is here to help in that regard.