About

About Lifestyles Of The Authentic & Creative
LOTA&C is a web-based series reporting on artistic, cultural & entrepreneurial innovators globally from the stylish perspective of founder/ indie designer/ author/ educator/ Terina Nicole McKinney.

About Terina Nicole
Terina Nicole is a accessory design graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology, holds a degree in art from Thomas Edison State College and is currently earning her Masters in Art with a focus on design & craft from NJCU. Her journey has taken her throughout the NYC corporate fashion industry as a technical footwear designer to self-employment as an independent handbag designer and freelancer for corporations and other indies alike. Besides her own line of custom-made leather handbags and accessories, she is also a freelancer fashion writer, design educator, and lifestyle blogger. She has taught art/design workshops at institutions such as Moore College of Art in Philadelphia, the Habitat of Humanity Recreation Center in Trenton and the Center of the Arts in Southern NJ; located in Marlton. She makes her rounds doing DIY fashion workshops and guest speaking engagements upon request. In May 2011, she was honored to be a guest speaker on a panel of entrepreneurial women at Princeton University.

In March 2011, her first design book, "ENVISION: The Young Accessory Designer's Guide to Collection Development" was released. In 2014, she published The Hustle Guide.

Terina Nicole and her designs have been featured in Upscale Magazine, Philadelphia Magazine, Trace Magazine, Clutch Mag Online, and countless fashion blogs. The tireless entrepreneur has owned/co-owned 2 boutiques and hosted several pop-up shops in the NYC tri-state area.


Her childhood in Newark and Irvington, NJ where she thrived in the Art Magnet program combined with her experiences in the corporate fashion industry and design school have helped Terina develop her own niche which led her passion for educating and assisting other creative types, especially in under-served communities, reach their goals.

“Creating a better world is a responsibility of us all and I choose to incorporate that consciousness into fashion.” --Terina Nicole

Going forward, Terina Nicole intends to continue to use her gifts to help young creatives, aid the causes she supports and to continue to make the world a more stylish place---one eco-friendly, luxe accessory at a time.


To book Terina for a speaking engagement, workshop, freelance writing assignments, and/or to stay in touch:
Websites: www.TerinaNicole.com , www.DreamBIGGERAcademy.com
Email: jypsealeathergoods at gmail dot com
Twitter: @JypseaLeather
Facebook Fan Page: Facebook.com/JypseaLeathergoods
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/DesignDivaDlux
Instagram: @DesignDivaDeluxe