Flo Milli before her 2022 Miami Art Basel performance
Flo Milli's influence knows no bounds. Since her debut, the Alabama native has engineered a solid brand falling along the intersection of megawatt talent and a concrete work ethic. Whether creating music centered around women's empowerment or delivering fiercely clever rhymes, she's undoubtedly made her mark in the music industry. That's why it should be no surprise that she's taking her arsenal of talents to another arena — fashion. Flo Milli recently debuted her line of Cheetos-inspired sneakers in collaboration with Whitney House, creative designer of The Creative Era. The sneaker line was exclusively unveiled at "Yachts Beats and Art" aboard the SeaFair mega hosted by Cheetos and Rock The Bells at this year's Miami Art Basel. The rapper was excited to partake in this collaborative effort because of her affinity for sneakers and the iconic snack brand.
"Little do people know, I love sneakers; even though I just started wearing heels, I love wearing and performing in sneakers, and they've always been my thing," Flo Milli told For(bes) The Culture. "I also thought the collaboration was dope because I love Cheetos and used to eat them as a child, so that made me want to do this. I feel like this is the start of something bigger, and I'm looking forward to doing more things in fashion."
Regarding her favorite part of the sneakers' design process, Flo Milli said it was collaborating with House.
"My favorite part had to be getting to know Whitney more," Flo Milli said. "Just knowing her story made me want to collaborate even more. We actually share the same astrological signs; I'm really into stuff like that."
Throughout her career, the musician has not only received praise for her music but for her fashion sense as well. Slowly but surely manufacturing a style as unique and brilliant as her sound, the MC looks to her predecessors, Missy Elliott, Aaliyah, and her big sister, as significant influences on her style.
"If I'm being honest, I got lucky because I never really had a personal style. I'm from Alabama, and we don't have that many resources when it comes to styling," Flo Milli said. "I really do love Missy Elliot because I get compared to her a lot, especially regarding style. I also love Aaliyah's style, and I feel like we have similar styles sometimes when it comes to me wearing baggy clothes. Lastly, I would say my big sister, because I've always looked up to her."
Flo Milli, Jenna Tyson and Misa Hylton
The "May I" rapper may have catapulted herself into the hearts of many fans worldwide, but she's also garnered that same support from legends in the hip-hop and fashion industries. Misa Hylton, founder of the Misa Hylton Fashion Academy and the architect behind many of the iconic looks worn by Mary J. Blige, Lil Kim, Missy Elliott, and more, has nothing but admiration for the performer. Hylton, who lent her creative vision to Flo Milli's style on many occasions, saw her greatness from the beginning.
"When I saw Flo Milli and heard her music, and I saw her style, and I saw her natural beauty and talent, that's what I see in all of my clients. I just see the great things about someone when they stand out, and I just feel like that's just my gift and something that I've been able to see from Biggie Smalls, Mary J. Blige, and many others. I started with so many folks from the beginning, and I was happy to be a part of the beginning of Flo's career, and I'm even more excited about Jenna Tyson now, being her stylist and them creating a lane together and making noise."
