By Marilyn Miller
“It all started with the school uniforms…I think it was my sophomore year,” recalled Michael Anthony Davis, thinking back to the first time that he realized his talent for fashion and style. “I was into the ‘Fresh Prince of Bellaire’ with Carleton and his scarves and loafers…Yeah, we’re wearing a uniform, but let’s just throw this scarf around it. If I’m going to wear a uniform, I’m going to be fashionable with it.”
Eighteen-odd years later, Minden’s own “Fresh Prince” is styling for the stars through The Michael Anthony Creative Agency, which he operates out of Shreveport and Minden.
While the name of the game is traveling and styling today, when he first opened the doors to his Minden studio in 2013 (it was a surprise from his dad), he was taking photos. He learned how to arrange and shoot photos with his trusty Nikon while covering his football-playing brother. His cousin, who has a photography studio in Houston, encouraged him. And soon he was getting calls to take studio photos.
Next, he added styling as a service, because he was using his artistic abilities to prepare people for the photo shoots. When he started doing more fashion styling than taking photos, he decided to close his studio and hit the road.
One of his jobs was prepping the 67th Miss Grambling State University, Ashley Dabney, for a feature shoot in Grazia Magazine. Of course, he also styled his cousin, Joy Davis, for her winning endeavor in Miss Minden 2020 (see more on her in a later edition of the Webster Parish Journal).
Other “winners” that Michael Anthony styled include Pastor Charles Johnson of KOKA Radio, who won both his nominations at the Stellar Awards in 2024; and gospel recording artist Jovonta Patton. He was named “new artist of the year” at the 39th Stellar Gospel Music Awards in Las Vegas earlier this year. Coverage during the event included Michael Anthony “styling” his two stars.
But everyone is special to him, from those he has styled for birthdays, anniversaries, pageants and proms to the national award winners.
“This is not my job, it’s my ministry,” he said, talking about how people “blossom” when they feel good about themselves. “I am thankful that people feel the confidence in me to let me work with them.” In fact, the day after his interview he was traveling to New Orleans to style a bride for her wedding.
The stylist, photographer, fashionista had lived in several big cities before deciding to come back to Minden. And he has made a difference here, starting with his non-profit, “Generations.” “I am big on youth,” he said, “And it will always be about the next generation.”
Michael Anthony has won many honors, but the latest, the “Fifteen Under 40” nomination, was “a very, very, very big honor for me. It’s a different kind of feeling when it’s in your hometown. And I was honored to be up there with so many other people who are leaders in this community.”
Michael Anthony is a 2007 graduate of Minden High School. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Michael Davis, Sr. He has siblings, Justin Davis and Mariah Davis, and nephews and niece Julian, Kyler and Kimori.
It means the world to him to be able to set an example for his siblings’ children, so that they can see “an uncle who did not give up on his dreams. I always want them to have people they can look up to.”
What’s in this uncle’s future? He plans to open a high fashion boutique, which will be called “The Fashion Chamber.”
On Dec. 21, Michael Anthony’s second annual Christmas Toy Drive will take place at the Stewart Center adjacent to the Webster Parish Library. There will be food and drawings, and of course, new toys for the kids!