The Scoop with Tanya Flanagan

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Unknown Speaker 0:26
Good morning and thank you for joining me for the scoop with Tanya Flanagan. I'm so happy you decided to wake up and start your day with me. Here on the scoop, where we talk about life, joy, funny moments, trending topics and so much more. We promise to keep you in the know and find out what you know. So let's get started.

Unknown Speaker 0:54
Good morning. Good morning and welcome to another Sunday morning here on KU envy 91.5 Public Radio. I want to say thank you for waking up on this beautiful day and joining me for another one of our conversations here on the scoop. I'm delighted to have my guests in the studio with me today. Mr. Darian Weatherspoon.

Unknown Speaker 1:13
Hello, everybody.

Unknown Speaker 1:15
What is so exciting about Darien is what he does, it intrigued me I was trolling through Facebook, just looking at some really cool things. And every so often you see something interesting, and I saw this extremely handsome and fashionable young man. And as I looked deeper, I realized he was responsible for his own fashionable flair with a silver spoon, clothing company, and I thought, Wow, he looks so young and he's so talented. I want to know more. So I invited him to come and join me for a conversation. Hope that you will find it interesting. And maybe even find your way to Silver Spoon clothing company to see if he can't give you some of the flair that he has. So Darien you are actually really young. You look so young to me. And thank you again for getting up so early on a Sunday to talk but tell us a little bit of who you are, where you come from and how you came to be in this space.

Unknown Speaker 2:11
Oh, yes. Well, my name is Darren Darren Weatherspoon. I'm the owner and creative director of silver spoon clothing company. I'm born and raised here in Las Vegas. We attended Canyon Springs High School, graduated from there, went on to attend the illustrious Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta, Georgia, majoring in fashion design. While I was there, I was able to graduate honors when multiple awards, Mr. fashion department I was also able to play football while I was there, I was the first ever football player to math major in fashion design, in NCAA history, bunch of accolades as well. Once I graduated from Clark Atlanta University, I went on to work from being an unpaid intern all the way up into being the Creative Director for a major fashion house. And Atlanta Georgia worked there built that company to millions dollars of evaluations got sick with COVID decided you know, I want to come home, start my own business and turn to my letter of resignation took a leap of faith move back home to Vegas and start a silver spoon clothing CO and it's funny that everybody says how young I am because I am only 27 years old.

Unknown Speaker 3:26
First I want to say congratulations to you. It takes a lot of courage and a lot of faith to walk into a space and go after your dream. And a lot of people aren't your age may not have had the courage to do so. I also think that your age is the perfect time in life to try things because you have time to recover from what you do if you don't feel like it goes well like you have time. What was probably the most frightening thing for you when you made this decision? Because you how were you when you started with the fashion house that you're talking about and was it exclusive to Atlanta or was it like you know how Gucci is everywhere but or Versace is

Unknown Speaker 4:07
everywhere. He's slowly growing. My brother Miguel Wilson I'll even say his name again Wilson based out in Atlanta Georgia. But when I graduated from college I was 21 years old took the leap of faith working with him it was very funny story I ended up working with him because at first he said no and I just wouldn't leave and I went work there every single day night in and night out stopped going to classes even just go work there and from there fixed a lot of things implemented systems built his company as I stated before well I'm gonna say built his company because you work

Unknown Speaker 4:44
to learn but I mean it's a smart thing to work to learn a lot of people say don't work to make money when you're young work to learn so that as you get older down the road, you are working for yourself making money so yeah,

Unknown Speaker 4:56
then you know at 23 23 or 24 years old, I decided to take a leap of faith and just, you know, come to got packed up my car, drove back home to Vegas and start a silver spoon clothing Co. And the question you asked what was the most frightening part? I mean, when you go from not saying I was living rich or anything, but you know, I was young, making a little bit of money, and to go from that to zero, and then coming to a city like Las Vegas that isn't like Atlanta at all, but you know, I had reasons for coming back home. And then I think that where I am now as example a testament to okay, my reasoning is starting to make a little bit more sense.

Unknown Speaker 5:44
How would you describe your fashion? How would you describe it to someone who said, what type of clothing do you make?

Unknown Speaker 5:50
I would say, I'm a classic gentleman's wear. You know, I'd make it a little bit more flamboyant. My company was built off of two pillars individuality and exposure, the individuality piece is I make custom pieces that are testament to you, you know, I tell guys all the time, you know, there's this thing going wrong needs a blue suit, a black suit, in a gray suit. But then there's different levels that like if your personality is a bubbly personality, why are you downing yourself with this black suit, you know, if you're gonna do a black suit, let's do something, you know, different with it. So that's the individuality portion. And then the second pillar of my company is the exposure part. My goal and why I even came back home to Vegas, from Atlanta is to expose people to the world of luxury, the load world of exclusiveness especially young people, you know, my thing is, you know, people like my age, when I say young people, my peers to you know, understand what is true luxury, true, you know, exclusivity and things. But also, you know, my I have, I have a philosophy that if you get a young brother, or sister because I do men and women's clothes, you get someone at 1819 years old, that's, that's now their new standard. So that goes into making my that was my train of thought that goes into me believing that

Unknown Speaker 7:20
you can bring them to where you want them to be in terms of you're exposing them to something that they might not otherwise not understand exactly elevates what their expectation is of how they should present themselves. And you're part of cultivating their brand. So you helping each person sort of cultivate their own individual brand. Exactly.

Unknown Speaker 7:38
You know, and, you know, my mission statement is to raise society standards, sophistication, one garment at a time, especially here in Las Vegas. I mean, when you come from a culture like Atlanta, where you know, everybody is hustling everyone is making money. Everyone is doing something to bustle, but everyone is like a gentleman. You know, there's more people that wear suits, you know, they care, you know, they walk different, you talk different. And then you come back, come here to Vegas, and everybody sees it just a transient town party town relax. Yeah, but then reality is there's a lot of money here in Las Vegas. There's a lot of successful people here. And there's a lot there's a level of sophistication. I believe that the city of Las Vegas and really the entire west coast of the United States is lacking that I believe people just haven't been exposed to it. And once you get exposed to it again, that makes your new standard.

Unknown Speaker 8:27
Okay, um, so, for me say there are certain people iconically to me, historically. Iconic Lee symbolizes fashion. Jackie Oh, Coco, Chanel. Dior, what were some of the things that are there things like that that inspire your design? Because I'm assuming you're creating from ground zero look. So are there certain fabrics that you like to work with? Do you go through phases where how you know in different seasons, people will introduce colors? Do you ever have like, this is this season's you know, collection or in this is the color Brecker that you're working in? Do you ever do things like that are you really just kind of so customize and so individualize it's whatever a person comes in and says, I really want to do something in wine or I want to play with orange What's that called? Blood Orange and Shamp you know champagne, a blood orange and wine together, do you then say it's a

Unknown Speaker 9:34
mixture of both my primary is of course the custom aspect, the the ability to take what your vision is and enhance it. But I do create my own collections. Seasonally, spring, a spring summer collection and fall winter collection. And my inspiration really just comes like I said from just the classic gentleman. I love the Tom Ford look the Abidjan. How's to be John? That's my favorite clothing brand. Celine I love those you know the classic gentleman's just look. And you know, the original Gucci from I'm actually studying Gucci now although Gucci his philosophy towards fashion and business you know vibrant colors, but let's make sure we keep things traditional classic. I love that style.

Unknown Speaker 10:26
So what do you do for fun? When you're not doing this? Like how does that play into your designs? Like do you ever just like work in? Like when you're out like what do you see that? Well? Do you ever see something you go I like this color or? I don't know you're at the beach and for some reason, like some flowy you know, I'm saying like, are you ever inspired by the things around you to create something and if not for a client for yourself that you then showcase by wearing and other people want it all the time? No.

Unknown Speaker 10:58
I mean, a lot of my designs comes from you know, Well to answer your question in order to answer your question in order what do I do for fun a lot of times I like to you know, smoke cigars a member of the greatest cigar lounge in Nevada tap and ash cigar lounge,

Unknown Speaker 11:18
we do love tapping. So given that to tap in as to Melbourne and the current

Unknown Speaker 11:22
Yes, so I'm a member there just a lot of my fun is you know relaxing tapping ash I read a lot I'm scholar have a library. That I mean, that's fun to me, I like to you know, I like silence I like peace. And in that, you know, one of my Happy Places is you know, like Lake Las Vegas. And I'll go there sit in silence and I just come up with things concepts, from my studies, my research, and that's that plays a huge part into my designs.

Unknown Speaker 11:52
So comfort but gentleman, stylish, easy to move. Okay. Do you ever look at people and say, This is a color that will work? Well for them, too? This is a fabric? Oh, absolutely. I

Unknown Speaker 12:06
mean, that's where my degree comes in. You know,

Unknown Speaker 12:08
I have to start out there. If I were if you were picking a color for me, what color would you choose? Well,

Unknown Speaker 12:13
for you, there's, there's actually a brown in my collection that like matches your skin color perfectly. Because I love the monochromatic look I've been working on. I've been working on that. As well as there's a couple there's like one or two yellows that I think would work with you. It's a difficult color to work with. But I have I have a yellow that I think would look really nice. In my Happy Places.

Unknown Speaker 12:38
I like that you chose that. Yes. Well, I

Unknown Speaker 12:40
mean, in that I also like when I was in college, I studied anatomy, I also studied culture and society. I do a lot of study and read research on psychology, analyzing people body language. So a lot of my clients, when they come in, I can tell them, I could just tell by your posture, your former military, or this doesn't work for you because XYZ and that's what I pride myself my business on is creating that personalized relationship based on just information data. And that's why I study like when I tell people as a designer, yes, I'm pretty incredible. But I'm even better at analyzing things, seeing what works, listen to your voice, listen to your design, what you want in a design, and then I enhance it.

Unknown Speaker 13:28
I love that. I love that. Because if the person is at home thinking, you know, I'm a woman, I love fashion, I probably have slumped down a bit. Because as women, we always have more than we need, right? Women always almost always have more than what we need, right? Instead of having two pair of black shoes, we have like 25 pairs of black shoes, because the one black shoe never goes with everything. It's gotta be that shoot. Exactly. And so you sit and you think stuff like Oh, I remember one time I wanted a yellowish colored linen suit, right? But it wasn't where the yellow was like a muster, but it was just like this golden color. And you start high and low until you find it and it has to follow just the right way. But how fun would it be to come into someone and talk about this. And then you create this I don't have to troll around until I see it.

Unknown Speaker 14:26
And that's really what my business comes in. I mean, I have a philosophy that every man and really woman needs four people in her life and these four people you keep with you forever and you never lie to him. Okay, your lawyer every every man needs a lawyer Okay? Every man needs a doctor. Okay? Every man needs a barber and you don't cheat on your barber you don't you don't you don't leave go To Nowhere else people don't cheat on environments though dear and that's why they here looks bad.

Unknown Speaker 14:54
Come back the pay to cheat up sound card stores. And

Unknown Speaker 14:57
that's why barbers look at him a different way in the fourth part Listen, everybody needs they need to tailor. And in my sense, was silver spoon. And

Unknown Speaker 15:04
I do agree with you because there's a certain level of elevation like I have, as I get older, I even apply it sometimes to everyday attire, depending on what it is. But people always say to me, Oh, where do you find these gala dresses? Well, probably the more common places you find gala dresses, at least for me. But there's a point where no matter what it is, at that moment for that type of occasion, I always call for alterations. Well, then that's one of the reasons why I need a private tutor. So my name is something amazing just for me. Yes,

Unknown Speaker 15:38
like my business. I tell people, I am a private tailor, and a concierge designer. So Silver Spoon clothing. I mean, 2020 for our business model is based. We only take on your clients.

Unknown Speaker 15:52
So where are you at now?

Unknown Speaker 15:53
Right now we're at 64 Oh, wow. And that client list revolves. You know, so if you were client 2024, I mean, 2023 doesn't mean your client 2024. And but in that it helps us create that personalized relationship where we're fitting you we're making sure we I know your personality. Like I have clients that I have a client, he gets a suit every single month. He has not been back in my studio in like, six or seven months. Because he doesn't he knows that I'm gonna pick some That's dope. Because I know him. I know his personality. I know where he lives. I know what he what car he drives, I know, these are the things. And I say every person needs those four things, one of them being a tailor. So

Unknown Speaker 16:35
how do you stay connected to it? I'm assuming is he's local or anything? So how do you stay connected to him body size? Is he really honest with you? He just doesn't lie to you

Unknown Speaker 16:44
not because so my system, I have a proprietary system, I guess you can call it? Well, I take your tape measure like any other tailor, of course, any custom tailor, right been that I work seven years developing a trial on pattern. So I have what call my trial and fleet. So in that I'm actually going to put clothes on and put pants on you put a jacket on you. And you're able to tell me I like this, I don't like this. I want my vest to fit a certain way. I want this to be the Certain Way before you even give me $1 I always say if I didn't give you a single penny of if you didn't give me a single penny before you give me that before you give me a single penny. This is how your clothes are gonna fit. And it's gonna fit phenomenal. Because again, that goes back into me studying for seven years developing this. And when I was saying that every person needs the tailor in her life. It's because most of the things that you need in your life needs to be custom and a lot of people say they can't afford it. Or I would say if you can't afford custom then you really can't afford off the rack. And what do I mean by that? Watteau guys? Okay, let's hit decent suit at Men's Wearhouse even Men's Wearhouse decent suit, maybe five 600 bucks. Okay, okay, you're going to spend an extra maybe $200 Getting with a good tailor getting alterations done. Okay. All right. So we're at 700 You're already at seven $800 Roughly. You could have put another $200 With that got a custom made it only fits you what you name one inside he gets picked the fabric. I get some of the finest fabrics in the world. And I don't overprice you know in reality I tell guys, my absolute starting at 799. I have a package for Las Vegas locals. That is a black suit and a custom shirt custom black suit and a custom black shirt for only $702. That's after Texas it comes that's exactly 702 So when guys go tell me Well, I'm with two men warehouse got this. You spent more money. Getting lesser quality things are the best way to explain it. Another way to explain this thing that you spend the most money, the most expensive item in your closet is not what you spent the most money on is what you don't wear. Because if you spend $1,000 on a suit, and you wear at 10 times, simple math value, it's $100 where you spent $300 on a suit, you wear it once which suit costs more. And, and especially here in Las Vegas, a lot of young, a lot of men don't dress up or wear nice suits because they don't even like the suits that they have they or they always say I'm having occasion wear suit, there's always occasion to wear a suit. It's good manners, but they don't a lot of times they don't like to wear them so they get it, wear it once and then that's it you get a quote, nice quality suit you're gonna wear that. So

Unknown Speaker 19:35
I have to ask because it bleeds into clearly into part of your personality. Your message is so centered around good etiquette, good manners and the gentleman. So in your philanthropic space I have to ask as part of your give back to because I also see a bracelet that you're wearing. This indicates you are a proud member of Kappa Alpha fraternity Incorporated,

Unknown Speaker 19:57
a frat so nicely named twice Okay,

Unknown Speaker 20:00
so with that, and cheers to you on that. It's part of your gift bag teaching young people etiquette and proper presentation. I mean, we're just naturally inbred that it's so a part of who you are. Absolutely.

Unknown Speaker 20:14
I mean, my passion I will say as kids even though a lot of people call me a kid still, but my passion is young people. I serve as the guide right director for the Las Vegas Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi. For the Las Vegas kappa League, the elite chapter. And you know, we are grooming young men. My biggest thing is a futile as I stated before, if you catch a young brother, young, and teach him good manners, etiquette, how to dress putting on a suit. That's now his new standard. I was blessed enough to be mentored by the fallen. Dr. Michael Garrett. Dr. Bombay who just recently passed away, yes, well, he trained me he, he schooled me, he picked me from the choir, he taught me style, he taught me, you know, your belt and shoe should always match. He always he taught me how to tie a bow tie. You know, when you teach someone this young, that's another new standard. He explained to me a if you're going to wear a suit, make sure it's a nice quality suit. You know, as I went through college, and you know, studied, I learned, okay, this is how suits was supposed to fit. This is how it's supposed to look, this is the reason why there's a pocket here. This is a reason why there's event here, finding those reasons, these are all things that create the perfect gentleman. You know, and I believe that the only way you can create a perfect gentleman is doing it while they're young. So that's what my passion is. Kids actually have a program that I have with my business. I have a program, I want my business, that if you want to donate to a young kid, a young brother for prom homecoming, for every dollar that you donate, I will match that. I love that, you know, and that's and I don't have a nonprofit, anything. That's literally just me saying, Okay, I'll just take money from my pocket and do it.

Unknown Speaker 22:05
My, you know, if you could, though, because then you create the benefit to the Benefactor who's also pouring in. Yeah, I mean, so you should if you I mean, I am many people who know me know, I'm always connecting people. And we talked a little bit before we got into the show about having a great person in common. The late Tyrone Thompson, who was a huge, you know, champion for the community and giving back. And we worked in the same vein, we work in the same vein, I've done a bunch of stuff through the Urban League with the young professionals and just connecting people and I to hail from a proud organization within our divine nine, the one and only phenomena lustrous, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated. And so our work is always through all of our organizations to give back. But linking people up is a big thing for me. So people who have done their due diligence and setting up nonprofits if you ever want, and I know you know, as many people as I do, probably, but if there's ever anything I can do to help you. With that part of your, your foundation and your quest of what your legacy of what you're leaving behind and how you're influenced in the community. I'm always happy to do that as well. Absolutely. I think that's phenomenal.

Unknown Speaker 23:28
And I know that, well, I know for a fact that, you know those connections. And that's where I really want to push with my business is making connections having that relationship one on one. And as we grow and elevate ourselves as one as we grow and elevate as a people do that to someone else. And that's just as it's a growing concept. That's exactly actually why I only take 100 clients because I can pour into and learn from and vice versa. From 100 young men and young ladies, and I say young, that's ages from one to 100 once you hit 100 Okay, now you're old.

Unknown Speaker 24:13
Who am I my father, who was now 85 would love to hear that from you. Hey, he's young man. He is actually he's awesome. I just think it's really great the principles that you are applying to your work and that you're using in your life and pouring back into people and it's phenomenal this business that you started and the passion that you have behind it, and the way it sort of covers all areas of your life and how you give back I do want we have a little bit more time left in the show to make sure people can find you and I don't want you rushing through that part. So let's make sure we share your handles now we'll do them again a little bit before we close out completely but how can people get in touch with you get to know you'd be maybe become a client? Oh

Unknown Speaker 24:56
absolutely. Um, well if you're on social media or Instagram is is silver spoon.co again at Silver spoon.co My website is Silver Spoon clothing.co And I even do go as far as my, my personal direct so phone number is 702-234-2656 I'm very approachable. I'm not, you're not going to get an Assistant, you're not going to get any of my team you're going to get me directly so 702-234-2656 and against on Instagram at Silver spoon.co

Unknown Speaker 25:35
Do you have you mentioned having a team? Because I would imagine trying to manage 65 clients you have someone do you do have someone who helps you to create the garments that you're teaching how exactly to make things so you're building the house of Darien Weatherspoon?

Unknown Speaker 25:51
Oh yes, I mean, my my clothing is manufactured in Europe. But it's a huge supply chain, I have one company that houses fabric, get my silks from India. My shoes, my shoes are made in Spain. So it's a lot of moving parts. I have a very small team.

Unknown Speaker 26:10
But it sounds so awesome. And just so amazing. I mean, you're making you have shoes, you have perfect squares, you have everything, you have all everything. I miss this. It's amazing. And it's so awesome. You are just doing such a tremendous business. I mean, you're, you're so young, and it's just so impressive. And as I would, folks, I'm telling you, as I was just looking through Facebook looking at every time I pull up the page, and I see something that you are wearing, I am like that is nice, it's clean, it's it's different. It's unique. It's inviting, it's fresh, it's it's got personality, and it just speaks volumes to who you are, what you want to portray. And I didn't even know you. I just was like I was captive. And I do love fashion. Don't get me wrong, I was captivated. I mean, I have in the last year torn, both of my meniscus is on my knees. And so there's not as much fun as it used to be. And it will be fun again one day, but I do like the finish. And the finish for women is always

Unknown Speaker 27:12
the shoe. Yeah, my long line of shoes that I launched last year. So

Unknown Speaker 27:16
I'll have a casual life right now.

Unknown Speaker 27:19
Why me? Well, that's the benefit of my business. My business. I say, everyone hears me It says I'm a tailor. You can call me a private tailor. But really, I'm a concierge designer, my silver 100 And remember the silver 100. They didn't call me for anything, and I'm gonna find a way to make it. And in that, like I said, I'm a concierge designer when you reach out to me and say I need shoes. Okay, I have shoes. I need a tie. I have custom ties. There's nothing that I do not make. I don't really let me rephrase that. Stop that. Because I don't make hats. Don't think I don't make his heads. Okay. I actually had a very funny story.

Unknown Speaker 27:54
If I challenge you to make a hat I think you can make more than likely.

Unknown Speaker 27:57
I mean, I had a funny story. Like few weeks ago, I

Unknown Speaker 28:01
had a couple of minutes. So we have maybe a minute for this funny story. Okay, it was very ignorant.

Unknown Speaker 28:05
It was ignorant to me it was a lady that came to me and said that she needed a custom bra. She had large breasts and everything. So going to the store really was an option. I said, Okay.

Unknown Speaker 28:19
And you made three weeks later. There it is.

Unknown Speaker 28:22
I'm working with a chef now doing chef coats. Well, Lady fireproof, it's nothing that I can make.

Unknown Speaker 28:27
That is a story that is a testament that Darien can make anything that you might need. But what I want to say is thank you for coming to spend some time here on the scoop here on 91.5. This Sunday morning, it's been a pleasure to have you and to learn more about you. I'd like to at some point, have you back to talk a little bit more about how things are going and just what you're doing in the community and continue to shine the spotlight on you and all that you're doing. Absolutely. So thank you for taking,

Unknown Speaker 28:52
like I like to talk so you know whenever I'm free whenever you have

Unknown Speaker 28:56
an interesting story to tell and we have people in comments. So we haven't had a chance to really unpack everything and really get to be friends but I hope that as this relationship builds we become friends. That as you guys tune in to hear you also hear how our friendship evolves. I pray to our listening audience have a wonderful week and thank you once again for tuning in to the scoop here on 91.5k You envy public radio I want to thank you for tuning into the scoop with me Antonio Flanagan and I want to invite you to get social with me I'm on Facebook and Twitter. My name is my handle TA and YAFL a na GA N You can also find me on Instagram at Tanya almond eyes Flanagan and if you have a thought and opinion or a suggestion, don't hesitate to shoot me an email to tanya.flanagan@unlv.edu Thanks again for joining in. Stay safe and have a great week.

Transcribed by https://otter.ai