Entrepreneur: Wisdom Kaye

Tilt: Self-expression fashion

Scene: TikTok (7.9M), Twitter (320.7K)

Snack Bites: 

  • Vogue labeled him “TikTok’s best-dressed guy”
  • Started as niche of ’70s clothing with a modern twist
  • Hit big on Twitter before landing strongly on TikTok
  • Gets ideas and inspiration from comments on his post

Why We’re a Stan: Wisdom Kaye’s passion for self-expression through clothing was the catalyst for the creation of his widely known TikTok, leading to major fashion collaborations and a modeling contract with IMG.

The Story

Since his first upload in January 2020, Wisdom Kaye has kept millions of eyes glued to his Tik Tok page. He created the account to perfect a niche on the platform, ’70s fashion with a slightly modern twist. The Houston, Texas, resident made his entry into the social media zeitgeist when a friend uploaded a video of his outfits shot on the Texas State University’s campus to Twitter.

A friend's video of Wisdom Kaye's (@modsiwW) fashion at @TxSt University propelled him into the #SocialMedia zeitgeist. #Stan #ContentEntrepreneur Click To Tweet

As Wisdom tells Vogue, “[At first], it was just a compilation of the outfits I was wearing the past couple of weeks,” he says. “I posted a couple on TikTok and Twitter, and they actually blew up on Twitter first. After a while, they racked up over a million views [on TikTok]. At that point, I saw potential and started making more creative content on TikTok that went beyond just a standard outfit compilation.” 

Vogue refers to Wisdom as “TikTok’s best-dressed guy.”

As his following grew, so did his wardrobe and content. The creator’s fashion-themed TikTok posts include looks that are all-white and every color in the rainbow, as well as outfits inspired by amine characters and the envelope-pushing $17,000 vs. $170. 

@wisdm8

Reply to @dripis5ever this video took me 35 hours to make 😭😭

♬ way 2 seggsy – xxtristanxo

Kaye also produces funny shorts, including How Fashion Dudes Be on TikTok, and sadder ones like Outfits That Would Get Me Death Stares in My Southern Hometown.  

Inspiration from his comments section

Wisdom gets a lot of his new content ideas from his comments section, where supporters suggest what he should post next. He’s also found ways to stand out in the TikTok pool of fashionistas. 

@Vogue calls Wisdom Kay (@modsiwW) the "best-dressed guy" on @TikTok." #Stan #CreatorEconomy Click To Tweet

“There are not that many male fashion creators,” Wisdom tells Vogue. “What sets my page apart, and what has contributed to my growth, is that I show the limitlessness of fashion. I make videos that disprove myths – like you can’t wear navy blue and black or boots with shorts. I also like to try different kinds of videos, like how to dress like certain musical artists, which gains interest from people who like fashion and certain musical artists. I also like to make how-to videos as well, to provide an educational component, which I think is important.”

Though Wisdom’s love of fashion started there, it wasn’t always the easiest place for him to express his creativity. Kaye explains to the iconic fashion magazine, “I became interested in fashion back in 2014 because it was my first year of high school, and I wanted to change my appearance to fit in. I used to get bullied a lot for my physical features … As the years went by, I stopped caring what everyone thought about me, and I started experimenting more. I discovered Hedi Slimane maybe around 2018. Prior to that, I was familiar with his work at Saint Laurent – I just didn’t know who was behind it. I just loved the whole Saint Laurent aesthetic, and I’ve tried to implement some of what he does with my style.” 

More followers, more brand deals 

Once Wisdom’s online popularity grew, he started attracting major brand partnerships. He’s done deals with Amazon Fashion and Urban Decay. A collaboration with Coach and Champion put him on the map. The Coach x Champion cross-promotion brought in A-list models and TikTok stars Paloma Elsesser, Maha Gondal, and Wisdom for a series – How to Coach a Champion – on the platform.

While working with fashion brands of that caliber may seem like expected deals, teaming up with Airbnb was a colossal surprise partnership for his fans. The online lodging marketplace hosted an online experience with Wisdom called Secrets to Style with @wisdm8. For 60 minutes, the Texan taught viewers how to find and harness their personal style and expand their comfort zone and conquer intimidating style techniques. 

As @modsiwW grew his following, Wisdom Kaye attracted deals with major brands like @AmazonFashion, @UrbanDecay & @Coach. #Stan #ContentEntrepreneur #Revenue Click To Tweet

As he tells Vogue, “​​There’s a lot of exciting things I definitely am working on. I don’t want to say anything prematurely, but I’m definitely someone who likes to branch out and put his hands in other things and other fields. We’ll see what the year brings — I’m just going with it and seeing what happens.”

About the author

Shameyka McCalman is a wordsmith whose work often centers around fashion, art, and other creatives of color. She earned her communications degree from the University of Massachusetts Boston and enjoys sifting through clothes in local vintage shops, frequenting nearby plays, and gazing at exhibitions on view in museums.