CONTAINER on The Metro

Brittany Epps, known in Detroit's creative circles as Nerd, is the founder of House of Both Rows, a sustainable fashion house built on a simple but radical idea: old items are simply waiting to become something new. 

Nerd takes thrifted clothing and transforms it into completely original pieces, giving forgotten garments a second life as wearable art.

Nerd and team have brought designs to the runway at fashion shows across the city, building a reputation as one of the names to watch in Detroit's sustainable fashion movement.

When Nerd isn't in the studio crafting new pieces, they're in the community, running workshops for young people that go beyond fashion basics. They’re offering real-world experience in what it actually takes to run a creative business.

Whether on canvas or a towering wall, Detroit artist Ijania Cortez creates portraits that reflect the city’s people and places. She uses vibrant color, often with neon tones, to capture the spirit of everyday Detroiters and the icons who shape the city.

Cortez’s murals appear throughout Detroit, including Cutter’s in Eastern Market and the Ruth Ellis Center’s Clairmont building. Her work celebrates community and the stories that define it.

In 2021, Cortez received the Kresge Gilda Snowden Emerging Artist Award and collaborated with Hubert Massey and the Detroit Institute of Arts Partners in Public Art Mural Program. She has also taken part in the BLKOUT Walls street art festival.

In 2025, she was recognized as a Ruth Ellis Center honoree and featured artist in Murals in the Market, hosted by 1xRUN.

Capturing love through photography

Elonte Davis is a Detroit-based photographer and a 2025 Kresge Fellow. His work has been featured in Forbes Magazine, the Detroit Institute of Arts, and the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History.

For Elonte, photography is a powerful tool to spread love and joy, helping people see themselves differently and with greater appreciation.

Donald Calloway has worked as an artist in Detroit for more than 30 years, constantly finding new ways to express his creativity. His work spans figures made from found and repurposed wood and metal, as well as portrait paintings and abstract sculptures.

A 2025 Kresge Artist Fellow and College for Creative Studies alum, Calloway has exhibited his work at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, the National Conference of Artists Gallery, and the Detroit Institute of Arts.

Taylor Childs has made a name for herself in art and fashion. In 2025, Taylor was named a Kresge Gilda Snowden Emerging Artist. She was also a prominent designer featured in Detroit Month of Design and a standout for the year’s Michigan Fashion Week.

Taylor graduated from the College for Creative Studies and Cranbrook Academy of Art.

The limit seemingly doesn’t exist for Taylor and what she can create. Taylor’s designs are unique in that she practices sustainable fashion.

But as Taylor would tell it, she learned how to create something out of nothing from her family, starting with her grandmother, who made sure the neighborhood was a community.

Detroit’s only eyewear maker is turning heads

When Ali began his journey into eyewear manufacturing, he knew nothing about the industry. With determination, he figured it out and today he stands as Detroit’s only eyewear manufacturer.

His creations are described as dope glasses for local and international audiences, even catching the eye of DJ Kaytranada.

Ali grew up across metro Detroit and calls himself a man of Michigan and a man of God. His faith, along with his lifelong drive for business, led him to build a vision around eyeglass design and creation.

Morgan Hutson, known as La Cecille, is an actress, singer, songwriter, producer, and dancer who weaves ancestral knowledge into every note and performance. Her music moves from R&B to electronic, reflecting the multi-disciplinary style that defines her artistry.

La Cecille has been singing her entire life, listening and learning from Detroit’s greats. Just like her mentors and teachers, Detroit itself has become an essential character in her story.

For many, growing up in Detroit feels almost magical. For La Cecille, it truly was, shaping the artist she is today.

In this episode, we’re saying what up doe to Chi Walker and Nik Renee Cole, the duo behind Fried Chicken and Caviar — or FCC for short.

FCC isn’t just about food on a plate; it’s about creating a vibe. Their pop-up has appeared all over Detroit, from Batch Brewing to 2 Birds and The Congregation. Known for their adventurous food pairings and bold recipes, Chi and Nik use flavor as a way to spark joy and connection.

From their popular Glizzy Parties — hot dogs topped with decadent ingredients — to catering high-profile events like the James Beard Awards, Fried Chicken and Caviar keeps finding new ways to bring fun to food. As Chi and Nik put it, “Fried Chicken and Caviar” is more than just a name.

Jermond Booze, professionally known as Chef Booze or simply Booze, was born and raised in Arkansas and has turned Detroit into home. His southern roots are foundational to who he is and to the way he views food as a conduit for larger conversations.

Through hosting music-themed dinners, mentoring kids, and winning “Chopped,” Booze has become instrumental in Detroit’s food scene.

Like his mother and many family members, Booze graduated from the historic Little Rock Central High School in Arkansas. The school is known for the Little Rock Nine, the brave Black students who integrated the school in 1957. He says he did not fully understand the significance of that history, or the role his family played in the civil rights movement in Arkansas, until he was an adult.

Bryce Detroit is a poet, an artist, a social justice organizer and a musician. And with so many titles on his name, it's hard to pinpoint what creative endeavor he may be working on at that particular moment, but it's ALWAYS safe to say he’s doing it for the culture…he’s doing it for Detroit.