Tabitha Turay

Designer Bio

Tabitha Turay was born in Liberia to a dedicated single mother. She was adopted at the age of seven and brought to the United States, leaving behind her home, family and everything that was familiar to her. From the ages of seven to eighteen, she was raised in Michigan and struggled with loneliness and the separation from her mother. Immediately following her graduation from high school and her naturalization, she enlisted in the US Navy as an air traffic controller where she served for four years at NAS Oceana, Virginia. Following her service, Tabitha continued to travel and work many odd jobs while her desire for art and a better life flourished. After giving birth to a beautiful baby girl, she moved to Minnesota to pursue higher education and build the foundation of the life she wants for her and her daughter. It was here, with the support of her biological mother, that she enrolled and graduated from Minneapolis College. Her fashion brand, “Kloure,” has released a Spring 2023 collection titled “Bouquet,” a visual depiction of her journey of self discovery.

Designer Statement

My collection, “Bouquet,” is inspired by the season of spring. It represents the growth that accompanies rain; clear skies, flowers blooming, and freshly cut grass. The vibrant colors and patterns invoke the brightness of spring that follows the dark of winter. I believe that life, too, consists of different seasons, but through it all we must continue to grow, to have the courage to blossom and share our joy even when we have experienced sadness; own our light when we have dwelled in darkness. This collection speaks to those who, despite their experiences, are determined to create a world better than what they have seen, who “live out of their imagination, not their memory,” (Les Brown). They don their vulnerability with confidence, and have gone through fire to pay the price of self discovery.