Nyla Elise is a grassroots company that started out in a one-bedroom apartment. The company prides itself on using local resources and continues to grow every day. Nyla Elise is not just the name of my clothing company, it’s also my daughter’s name.
I am a father of two amazing kids, a husband, a brother, a son, and I am the nucleus behind the Nyla Elise Clothing brand. I take the responsibility of being the best father possible very seriously. I don’t have the adequate words to truly convey how much I love my children. When I decided to start my own company, I knew I wanted to name it after something that had meaning, so I named it after my first born child. The name of my company is a proud and distinct representation of the growth and everlasting love that I have for my daughter. My wife chose the name Nyla after the Nile River
in Africa. The river is important culturally and historically and has been vital in regard to the development of civilizations. It provides so much to so many people – much like the future I see in both of my children. The true essence of Nyla Elise is more than a name, it is a blossom from a seed planted hundreds of years ago. A blossom designed to grow into a being that represents beauty, power, soul and strength. A blossom destined to be great no matter what adversity she may encounter. Nyla Elise is history. It’s all of us.My father, Ricky Moore Sr., used to take me to the football field when he was coaching and let me meet the players. On our way there he’d let me steer while he drove. We’d stop at 7 ELEVEN and I would get all the snacks my hands could hold. That’s one of the best memories I have of
my dad and it’s important to me to create good, lasting memories like that for my own children. Spending the first five years of Nyla’s life with her, up until it was time for her to start school was amazing because everything was a “first” for me, being that she is my first child. When she looked up at me after hearing the song “Butterfly Kisses” and said, “Daddy, I don’t want to grow up and leave you,” it made me cry. She’s definitely Daddy’s little girl! I remember taking my son on a plane for the first time – we were going to Disney. It was the best time ever! I loved seeing his eyes light up!(Continued on next page)
I undeniably love my kids and pride myself in making sure they know it. They are a blessing. My father used to tell me: “Be a stand-up guy. Be accountable. Your word is everything. Be kind and treat everyone special because everyone is
special.”I had a single-parent household and I remember that we always got by but we never got over – meaning we always had enough to eat but I was always aware of the hard work it took. It made me thankful. Watching my mother work tirelessly to make sure her kids had [what they needed] made me want to make her load lighter. That’s why I work so hard. I want to make my parents proud. I felt like it was on me to be great because my mom and dad sacrificed so we could have a chance at a better life. My father was homeless for two years, sleeping in his car and he never told us. He protected us. When he finally told us what he’d been through I was that much more proud of him. As a matter of fact, he said the song “Keep On Moving” by Soul II Soul inspired him.
I would tell new fathers …
- Quality time is more important than money. Spend as much time as you can. By paying close attention you’ll learn so much.
- Let your children know that you love them tremendously. The security of knowing that they can count on you is priceless.
- Build a relationship with your kids that is so solid nothing can come between it.
I want to tell my father thank you for teaching me how to be a man, for showing me the right way. He could have given up. I thank him for being there for us and sticking it out and not leaving/running from his responsibilities. In a lot of ways his shortcomings made me stronger and it made me want to be there for my children even more.
Ricky Moore, Jr. is the founder of the urban clothing line Nyla Elise.