R-JENERATION: D.Fame entrepreneur creating fashion family

To change that, Dennaya Famous, 25, started online fashion boutique D.Fame, which specializes in vintage apparel. She’s also planning a second store, the consignment shop Definition LV.

Famous says D.Fame has turned into a lifestyle and represents who she is as a person.

"For me, D.Fame is not just a way to make money, but a way to give back to my community in a creative and expressive way," Famous said. "Others do it through music, dance, theater or politics. For me, it’s fashion. It’s what I know and love."

D.Fame specializes in vintage clothing because Famous said she wants the store to remain authentic and original.

Breanna Goodall, Famous’ assistant and model, said, "We’re taking our vintage and reinventing and innovating it."

Famous said her mission to encourage others to give back to the community keeps her going.

"Inspiring others to pursue their dreams or chase their goals is more fulfilling for me then any profit the store could ever make. Most people go through their entire life without discovering their passion or purpose on this Earth, and I feel as if it’s my duty to push everyone who comes in my path in the right direction, starting with my city."

Famous has built a team of seven interns, including photographers, videographers, graphic designers and creative and marketing directors.

Dominic Grizelle, D.Fame photographer, got involved after he found Famous through online networking.

"My goal right now is just to inspire other people, and not be famous, but to be successful and evoke a whole different perspective when it comes to men and fashion," Grizelle said.

Goodall added, "D.Fame is a fashion family, just a group of young people trying to get out there, trying to do what they love, what they’re passionate about – vintage apparel. "

Interns said working at D.Fame has given them opportunities to meet big names in fashion.

"You never think you’re going to meet these people," Goodall said. "You always see them in magazines, and finally meeting them is kind of surreal."

D.Fame met rapper, record producer and fashion designer Pharrell in February while the Men’s Apparel Guild in California (MAGIC) convention was in Las Vegas.

The store gave Pharrell a bracelet from its new accessory line. Other notables who have D.Fame accessories include rapper Diggy Simmons and pop star Justin Bieber. The store also styled rapper and street wear fashion icon A$AP Rocky, and rapper and producer Chase N. Cashe wore a D.Fame American flag jacket during a performance on the Club Paradise tour with rapper Drake.

Cashe said the jacket went with the rest of his wardrobe.

"I had just got the Jeremy Scott (Adidas) flag shoes, so I made that my stage wear," he said. "I (mess) with (Famous’) stuff. I like what she got going on, like taking vintage Levi jackets and adding a touch to them."

D.Fame’s team says fashion is who they are and how they express themselves.

"Art is basically to me about how you express yourself and individuality, basically the style," said Darion Famous, Dennaya Famous’ brother and a D.Fame partner. "To me, you have art in the way you dress, the way you represent yourself, what’s creative to you."

Dennaya Famous said D.Fame is only getting started, even after two years in business.

"From the outside, people think it’s like this huge thing, but to me it’s like we still have so much work to do to keep building and making it bigger and bigger," she said.

This year, the D.Fame team says it hopes to continue with the store’s progression and success in the fashion industry.

"We’re looking into doing more things and being more active this year," Dennaya Famous said. "It’s just about timing. We’re so focused on getting our name out there as designers and building the brand. We’re just trying to focus on one thing at a time."

Darion Famous agreed.

"D.Fame is a big part of me. I mean, it’s my name. I can’t even describe how much it means to me. This is my baby, and I’m going to do whatever it takes to get us to the top."