Latrice Delgado-Macon Cultivates Community Through Style

For Latrice Delgado-Macon, the founder of Detroit Fashion Community, her love for fashion carries a deeper meaning.
28
Latrice Delgado- Macon’s Detroit Fashion Community nonprofit gives scholarships to fashion-inclined high school students in Detroit. // Photograph by Sal Rodriguez

Detroit-born Latrice Delgado-Macon got her fashion start in 1999 styling music artists (who during her career have included Royce Da 59 and Missy Elliot, she says) and has spent the last 25 years cultivating a multifaceted career that includes giving back and shining a spotlight on mental health.

“Sharing my journey is essential to empower others on their paths in the fashion world,” says Delgado-Macon, who founded her business, The Styling Closet, in 2005.

One way she does this is through her nonprofit, Detroit Fashion Community, which hosts educational events and networking gatherings and provides scholarships to Detroit public high school students. “They give us their stories [via submitted essays], and we award at the end of the year three checks for $2,500.”

In addition to running The Styling Closet and being an influencer and a personal development mentor — a role that puts her in front of students to talk about mental health — the West Bloomfield resident has been competing in pageants. Most recently, she won Ms. Royalty International 2024-25. It’s the platform to advocate for mental health awareness that pushes her to win the crown.

“I went through a lot when my brother passed away,” says Delgado-Macon about her sibling who died at 32. “I was mentally checked out. I want to tell people … you are not alone. You have resources. It takes a long time to get over a loved one. You don’t know how bad it is until it happens to you.”

My personal style …

Feeds off my mood. Whatever I feel like that day is what I am wearing.

My most important piece of shopping advice is …

Be smart. Have an accountability partner and go in with a strategy.

Three staples that should be in every woman’s closet are …

Blazer, simple black dress, and the perfect shoes that you can walk in, like kitten heels.

The person I credit most for my introduction to style is …

My grandmother. She taught me how to sew and gave me the background of the fashion industry.

I love clothes because …

I can change up my style every day. I can put on something flirty, trendy, or plain and black.

What most excites me about the future of fashion in Detroit…

We are the big fashion city now. It’s different, beautiful, historic — like the train station.

My go-to style for work:

Look chic every day. Put on neutral colors and kitten heels so I’m comfortable.

My signature pieces of clothing are …

Baggy pants and a crop top. So cute.

Shops and brands I love:

Marc Jacobs; any boutiques that have cute little girly, flirty clothes or with one-of-a-kind pieces; thrift shops. And On and Off the Runway is an online boutique [based in Michigan].

I can’t leave the house without …

Mascara!

When I need inspiration, I …

Get on a plane and travel. New York, Chicago, California, and even Texas. I love going Up North and sitting on the beaches to get my mind right.

My advice for aspiring fashion stylists is

Create your own styles. Be you. Take your time and play with it. Play dress-up everywhere you go. If you don’t have clients, work with your friends first.

Visit Detroit Fashion Community at detroitfashioncommunity.org.


This story originally appeared in the January 2025 issue of Hour Detroit magazine. To read more, pick up a copy of Hour Detroit at a local retail outlet. Our digital edition will be available on Jan. 6.