Sports and fashion — there were times when these were considered two different sides of the coin. A stereotypical ideal existed that sports icons cannot be stylish. While being a fashion designer wasn’t always the first choice of Ex-Olympian Tabia Charles-Collins, she always had a passion for fashion and she is now living out her dreams with her bold and extravagant clothing line — Anisah. From Olympic athlete to fashion designer, the journey wasn’t easy for her, but no hurdle was big enough to hold her back from achieving her goals, passion, and dreams.
A Bit About Charles-Collins’ Career History
As a child, Tabia Charles proved to be a talented athlete. While completing her Honours BA from the University of Miami, she became an NCAA Champion and 12-time All-American. After completing her graduation, Charles returned to Canada and continued her athletics training and education. From 2007 to 2010, Charles competed professionally for Team Canada and Nike, becoming a Canadian record-holder in both long jump and triple jump. Her athletic career sparkled when she competed at the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, China. Unfortunately, her athletic career came to an abrupt end after she suffered a career ending injury. However, Charles refused to give up on her career and pursued a profession outside of the running track. After completing an advanced diploma in Human Resources from Centennial College and a master’s degree from the University of Toronto, she decided to enter the field of Project Management.
In 2017, Charles married her childhood and fellow track star sweetheart, Dennison Collins, and officially changed her name to Tabia Charles-Collins. While Charles was on maternity leave, she created “Anisah” — a beautiful and bold clothing line for men and women. Charles-Collins, along with her husband, are also in the process of developing an athletic training program.
About Anisah by Tabia Charles
According to Charles-Collins, Anisah is a bold brand that represents the individual who wants to stand out and make a statement. She adds, “It’s also a brand that is still evolving and growing so you will see some new designs, colors and patterns in the new season.”
Charles frequently posts on social media platforms to promote her brand and give her audience the opportunity to connect with it.
Charles-Collins’ Inspiration to Start Her Own Clothing Line
According to Charles, her passion to do something that she truly loves inspired her to start her own company. She said, “Before starting my company, I was more so driven solely by money, and not driven by actually doing what I love. After going on Maternity leave and enjoying all the time spent enjoying my home, my family and my free time, I realized I wanted to do more of the things that bring me joy. Most importantly, I want to be an example to my son that you can make money from doing the things that you love.”
The Primary Targets of Anisah
According to Charles, her primary targets are women who are true fashionistas and daring individuals. While the brand mainly targets women aged 25 to 45, there are practically no age boundaries and all women can choose to rock their look with Anisah outfits.
Her Achievements
Charles says that her biggest achievement is making back the investment that she has put into her business. She expressed that making money from her brand and seeing people wear her clothes is what gives her feelings of content and joy.
Advantages of Working from Home for Tabia Charles
According to Charles, working from home gives her the freedom to create her own schedule. Charles loves the flexibility of working from home because she can multi-task and focus on other priorities without any outside distractions.
Charles’ Outlook for the Future
Charles has a very optimistic outlook towards the future of her clothing line. Her vision is to expand her business and make a fortune that was comparable to the salary of her previous 9 to 5 profession. She also sees herself helping other people work towards building a business from their own true passions. For more information about Tabia Charles, visit www.anisahbytabiacharles.com.
