He is only 13, but he has accomplished more in his short
years than most have by 30. His bow ties have produced
$200,000 in sales, and he has five employees on payroll
which include his mother and grandmother. Not to
mention, he has been celebrated by Oprah’s O
Magazine, Steve Harvey and mentor/FUBU
founder Daymond John.
His name is Moziah Bridges and he is the CEO of Mo’s
Bows. The teenage fashion designer started his company
in 2011 at the tender age of nine when he asked his
grandmother to teach him how to sew. He took her scraps
of fabric and began making unique bow ties. Not long
after, Mo’s Bows began selling to local stores and online.
On his website Bridges explains his passion for making
bow ties saying, “I like to wear bow ties because they
make me look good and feel good. Designing a colorful bow
tie is just part of my vision to make the world a fun and
happier place.”
And as his vision is becoming actualized, the Memphis
native went a step further into philanthropy.
“I made this bow tie called the Go Mo! Scholarship Bow
Tie and 100 percent of the proceeds go to help kids go to
summer camp because I feel like it’s good to help the
community and that’s what I’m doing,” Bridges said.
Bridges appeared on Shark Tank in 2014 to pitch Mo’s
Bows to potential investors. He had to choose between
accepting $50,000 for his innovative idea while sharing
royalties with Kevin O’Leary, or have John as a mentor.
The young businessman chose John’s influence over money,
and so far the decision has proven to be a wise one.
With John, he attended Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in
New York and impressed big names in fashion with his
sophisticated demeanor and dapper style.
What more could
they expect from a kid carrying a briefcase? Bridges’s
experience at Fashion Week garnered a phone call from
Karen Katz CEO of Neiman Marcus. Mo’s Bows are
now sold online at Neiman Marcus and Cole Hahn. His
neckwear retails at around $50 and are available in 15
states, Toronto and the Bahamas.
He is very hands-on with the creation of Mo’s Bows.
He chooses the design of each tie and his style is a myriad
of polka-dots, bold stripes, funky paisleys, and sports
themed ties. His sports ties opened a seat for Bridges at
2015 NBA Draft where he served as a fashion analyst
for the draftees.
Moziah Bridges’ success is certainly engineered by his
mother’s support. “You don’t have to wait until you’re
older,” his mother Tramica Morris said. “If you have a
dream and you have a passion, we say go for it.”
When is he older, his future with Mo’s Bows will be
expansive. “I see Mo’s Bows adding neck ties, pocket
squares and other accessories for men,” he wrote to
FORBES. “I also want to get enough money to start a
cool kids clothing company that has nice blazers and pants
for kids who like to look good like me.”
On the website, Mo’s Bows now sells squares and t-
shirts.
Today he is still managing school and making bow ties, but
Bridges has plans to attend college and launch a full
fashion line by age 20.
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