O’Neal Raleigh is an influencer, stylist and up-and-coming fashion designer based in Los Angeles, CA; having developed a knack for creating unique and eye-catching pieces either from scratch or from previously owned clothing, he started documenting his creations on Instagram under the moniker @the_blckranger, and as quickly as he gained a following he also gained clients; his customers admire him not just for his effervescent, off-kilter and aggressively expressive design approach, but also for his resourcefulness—as one client puts it, “O’Neal can take your grandmother’s tablecloth and whip it into a piece of couture worthy of being worn to the MET Gala”—and his commitment to sustainability and recycling (the deconstructed-then-reconstructed robe-like piece that he wore for this shoot, his take on “grunge, redefined,” was made from seven old flannel shirts); O’Neal takes pride in his intimate approach to customer experience, and likes getting to know his clients inside and out in order for him “to create unique apparel…that will allow the individual’s inner confidence and personality to shine;” asked what his most memorable customer feedback was, he said that it was from a client of his named Eric Mitchell who, prior to meeting O’Neal, had admitted to being afraid of color and to having no fashion sense, and who had left a testimonial saying, “O’Neal introduced me to colors. He dressed me in yellow pants, a pink shirt, a nice vintage belt, and pair of fresh white sneakers. I looked so good that I broke up with my boyfriend that day. I’d never felt better!”; at the moment O’Neal makes one-off custom pieces for individual customers, but he plans on launching a capsule collection one day; he is also working on his styling portfolio and he hopes to be able to work with or for industry bigwigs such as Law Roach and Jason Bolden one day, if only to pick their brains and gain more insight into the business side of styling; he is also considering branching out of fashion and dabbling in interior design; O’Neal is active on his Instagram, so follow along as he showcases his creations; click here to inquire about getting a custom piece or to book him for a styling session.

Photographed by Angelo Kangleon in Los Angeles, CA, on February 14, 2021, with social distancing precautions in place; some of these photos were taken using 35mm film (Fujicolor PRO400H)