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DRAYA DOES DELUX

The bold and the beautiful Draya Michele took some time out to catch us up on her life since the last season of filming Basketball Wives: LA.  From growing up in Reading, PA to our plug for a spinoff reality show, a Draya and Orlando Wedding Special,î she has some nuggets for us, and a very bright future ahead of her.  Draya has also been bitten by the acting bug since her appearance on Househusbands of Hollywood, and is also very pleased with the success of her swimwear line, Mint Swim.  Weíre hoping for many more positive things to come from her, and weíre hoping for her the best.   She deserves it after that season of BBWLA!

 

Hometown love: 

I’m from Reading, PA.  My favorite memory about growing up is the ability to walk everywhere in my neighborhood.  Our city is no bigger than like, 8 miles.  So, just being able to walk through my neighborhood and from neighborhood to neighborhood. I could walk to the corner store, I could walk to my Grandma’s house, and I could walk to school.  Just being able to walk everywhere was a really cool experience. 

I try to make it back once a year.  I usually go back for Thanksgiving to see my family and it’s like a mini reunion.   

Where I’m from we have these big giant outlets!   They have the designer stuff at a discount.  I grew up on the outlets.  I’ll still go back and visit them from time to time.  We have the ORIGINAL OUTLETS.  Like, our town started the Outlets altogether.    

Mint Swim:

It is coming along very, very well!  We’ve already launched.  We are releasing some pieces week by week to keep customers satisfied, and also to keep their attention.  They don’t know what to expect next.  We keep coming out with new styles and keep releasing new stuff, so we keep them guessing ‘cause that’s what we like to do at Mint Swim.  

Available online only – www.mint-swim.com.  The Instagram page is getting really popular. Follow us on Instagram at mintswimusa. 

Draya Admires:

I really admire Victoria Beckham for a number of reasons.  She balances being a mom and wife and fashion designer and philanthropist and all these other things.  She does a lot of things, and she does them well.  She does it all, and in high heels at all times!  I always have to give credit to her because she’s pretty incredible.

On philanthropy:

My boyfriend and I have a nonprofit that we started last year.  We started a toy drive in Dallas last year.  We had over 500 people come out to donate toys.  We donated toys to school, and we actually had more people donate toys than there were students at the school so we took the rest to a local daycare center in an underprivileged neighborhood and we just donated the rest to them.  

Anything that we do charity wise is always going to be a big event, and we have a lot of fans that come out and help us and support.  We like to support causes that uplift children.  Anything we can do to help kids, we’re into it.  

Moving on Up:

I am going forward.  I am.  People have noticed a complete change in me.  I’m just growing up.  I’m simply maturing into the woman I’m supposed to be.  It’s happening before my eyes, and before everyone’s eyes.  My plan is actually happening.  

On goals: 

I really want to try my hand at acting. And eventually, I want to have another baby.  While I’m still working, I’ll just ask for a kitten.  

One Beauty DON’T:

Sunburn is really ugly.  Protect your skin, even if you have darker skin.  All skin needs sun protection!  I’m a bid advocate for SPF.  50 is my favorite.  Use sunblock every day on all skin tones.  Wrinkles are very ugly.  You don’t want premature wrinkles!  

Fashion Fetishes:

I’m really into Vivian Westwood, Tom Ford, and Ted Baker.  I’m also pleased with Jimmy Choo lately.    

“Draya and Orlando Wedding Special:” 

Well I think there needs to be a Draya and Orlando ring first, before I start planning any marriage specials!  *laughs* You know, I want to actually like to allow my boyfriend to focus on his main craft, which is playing football, and leave the reality show just to me.  I don’t really want to put him under a spotlight again.  He’s really focused on work.  I don’t want to take any attention off that, so it would probably be just a “Draya” show, if any show.   

On what leaving reality TV would mean; thoughts on moving on from BBWLA:

Outside of the reality TV of course, we just want the aspects of having a regular life and going back to our regular life.  Living in privacy again.  Where we can just not be judged on what we do.  I don’t have to get glammed up every day, I can just kind of be at home and take care of my kids and run my businesses and have every part of my life NOT recorded and NOT under a microscope where I’m picked at, and people are looking for flaws and things to tear me down about.    

On returning to BBWLA:

Never say never!

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