From Foster Care to Paris Fashion Week

From Foster Care to Paris Fashion Week

By: Emma Greene

Timber Heard, local craftswoman, artist, and University of Mississippi student, is making history. This fall, Heard is headed to Paris Fashion Week where she will present purses and accessories from her brand, Talitha Kumi Jewels. This presentation will make her both the first female and the second Black Mississippian to have their designs featured at the event. 

Heard has been crafting, designing, and sewing since she was 8 years old. During the pandemic, she took a leap of faith and founded Talitha Kumi Jewels. “I woke up on a Sunday morning and thought, ‘You know what, God, I know how to craft,’” Heard said. “And Jesus said, ‘I gave you this gift.’ And I knew how to build a website, so I thought, ‘Okay. Let’s go ahead and do this,’ and here we are.” Since taking her skills to the next level, she and the brand have grown a dedicated and diverse customer base across the United States. 

Heard’s hand beaded purses, jewelry, and accessories will be presented at Paris Fashion Week by Flying Solo, a New York based fashion house. Her unique line was one of 70 selected from nearly 4,000 applications to Flying Solo’s program. Heard’s designs will be presented on October 1 at La Galerie Bourbon in Paris.

Heard grew up in the Mississippi foster care system and attended seven different high schools, graduating on time despite her inconsistent education. Constantly uprooted, personal faith became a pillar in Heard’s life. The brand’s name, Talitha Kumi, comes from the Bible’s book of Mark. 

“Mark 5:41 is where my brand’s name is first seen,” Heard said. “It means ‘little girl, get up.’ Foster care was very turbulent and traumatic, so my brand is a big part of me getting up from that. I want to help other women get up as well through my work.”

While she inspires other women, Heard draws her own inspiration from not only faith, but every aspect of her life when conceptualizing new pieces. “I draw inspiration from things I watch and see,” Heard said. "Right now, I’m working on a piece that was inspired by Japanese culture. I recently took a Japanese class and wanted to do a beaded piece in regards to my time there. I have a newfound appreciation for the language and culture.”

Once inspiration has struck, Heard begins the design process. Customers may be surprised to know that Heard’s intricate designs are created “entirely freehand,” without a machine or sketches, evolving as the piece takes shape. 

“I never measure — even to this day,” Heard said. “Of course, I know how, but when I was little I would trace myself on the fabric of dresses I wanted to make and when I cut them out and stitched them together, they always fit. Now, as a seamstress, I don’t use patterns or pins, I just go for it.”

In preparation for Paris Fashion Week, Heard has spent many late nights sewing, saying that “sometimes 4 a.m. passes” before she thinks to put work down for the day. With fashion week less than two months away, she expects to see many more sunrises before she departs. However, these sleepless nights do not seem to bother Heard. 

“I’m making state history,” Heard said. “And on top of that, I’m just excited to be getting out of the country and traveling! It has been a dream of mine to see the world. And I get to take my best friend with me. Buying the plane tickets felt surreal.”

Heard looks forward to seeing landmarks such as the Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame, and the Eiffel Tower, but she is most excited to explore one of her other hobbies, photography. “I’d love to photograph old libraries, the catacombs, and graveyards.”

To other aspiring designers, Heard had this advice to give: “My first step in creating a brand was consulting Jesus about it, but make sure it’s what you really want to do first. You need to know you have the drive and creativity to keep your business going.”

Heard’s hand beaded purses and jewelry pieces can be found on Instagram @talithakumijewelry, on the Facebook page, “Talitha Kumi Jewelry,” and on the website, talithakumijewels.com.

Thank you to Timber Heard for sharing her incredible story with us. We can’t wait to hear all about Paris. For more articles like this, keep reading Square Magazine. Follow us on Instagram @um.squaremagazine for exclusive content!

Photos by Kaitlyn Steinroeder.

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