Very sad news we are just now hearing of The Rxch designer Rainey Washington who passed away from breast cancer on September 9, 2021, at the far too young age of 30. We interviewed Washington in the early days of the pandemic after we spotted Leah McSweeney in her Lil Kim mugshot dress during her debut season of the “Real Housewives of New York.” Even in the midst of a very difficult and uncertain period, Rainey clearly was so fun and bright and full of hope.
Inspired by her love of streetwear, Rainey founded The Rxch line in 2011 with a goal of creating a line with a sexier, night-time edge. When we asked her her motivations for entering the fashion space, she told us, “I’ve always known since I was a little girl I wanted to own a fashion brand. I wanted to be like Kimora Lee Simmons, model turned fashion brand mogul.”
Alejandro Collection designer Alejandro Peraza, who kindly provided us with the images in this post, was a good friend of Washington and described her as a “go getter hustler and people inspirer.” She added, “She had a very razor sharp eye for aesthetics. She inspired me to push my brand more and to believe I myself. I’ll never forget her.”
We extend our condolences to her family, friends and all the people she touched, especially her father who was thrilled enough by our interview to leave a comment. He wrote, “Proud Dad in Nigeria. Expecting her brand to explode in Nigeria market real soon. All blessings gurl! Your extended families, in Nigeria are real proud of your success and wishing you a greater heights. Kisses!”
