We had the good fortune of connecting with Aaliayah Ivy and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Aaliayah, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
My thought process behind starting my business was to give myself a broader creative outlet to express myself aside from style blogging and social media. I was always very present online when it came to fashion and I knew I wanted to break into fashion business once I finished school. Though entrpreneuership was daunting to think about initially, I grew to love the idea of running my business, creating freely and developing my craft and skills. When I started Citizen Fatale, the world was in the thick of the pandemic. 2020 put my back against the wall and it was painfully clear that if I didn’t find a way to make income and express myself creatively, my finances and mental health would suffer. My business started as an escape from reality — turning my passion into profits where I could curate art in the form of handbags.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
My business is a black owned, woman led and operated accessories brand with a global mission to empower women to embrace our authentic selves, to be unapologetic about who we are and to love the parts of us that society tells us not to.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I love the Biltmore area in Phoenix and Old Town Scottsdale. I am from New York City so being in these areas remind me of home. From the luxury shops to the fine dining and lounges/clubs, these 2 parts of AZ are sure to be the hottest spots to be for daytime fun and nightlife. If I had to create an itinerary of outings for friends and family visiting, I would include Brunch at Palma in Phoenix, shopping at Saks Fifth Avenue in Biltmore, sightseeing/hiking at Papago Park, lunch at Toca Madera, a movie at Harkin’s Theatre in Fashion Square Mall in Scottsdale, dinner at Dominick’s Steakhouse in Scottsdale Quarter and a fun night out at Casa Amigos in Old Town.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want to shoutout Doll’s Kill for selecting me as their brand partner and giving me the opportunity to get Citizen Fatale products out to the masses on their site and expanding brand awareness.

Website: citizenfatale.com

Instagram: @citizenfatale and @aaliayahivy

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