Gwendolyn Joyner Wilson - Life, Love and Service

By Terry L. Watson

Photos Provided by Gwendolyn Wilson

Quite often, those who’ve devoted their lives to serving others go unrecognized. It could be due to their desire not to be at the forefront; instead, it’s to impact and be a symbol of change. However it may be, there is an individual whose acknowledgment is due; and for the most part, she needs no introduction.

Gwendolyn Joyner Wilson of Suffolk, VA, works hard to continue the legacy of community service started by her parents Norman and Ethel Joyner. She is a multifaceted entrepreneur and owner of ETAMIB Couture, Gwen Wilson Photography, Beautiful Ones Academy of Fashion Design and Model Management, Cou7ture Magazine, Successful Moments Magazine, Wilson’s Getaways, and 7th Year Productions 7. Additionally, she is the Co- Owner of DuBeeDoo Clothing, along with her granddaughter, LaNiece Dube.

Gwendolyn shares she loves being able to create new things. “I love teaching young people how to follow their dreams and also creating opportunities for others to become successful,” she says.

With ETAMIB, Gwendolyn designs highend gowns and couture clothing. She just completed an International 2021 Tour with shows at the Palazzo Versace Dubai, UAE, and several locations in Paris, France. Her line was a featured designer that toured with Fashionology International, and presented by Mercedes Benz. It has also been featured at the Versace Mansion in Miami, in the Bahamas, in London, and Milan, and during New York Fashion Week, Couture Fashion Week, Atlantic City Fashion Week, Virginia Fashion Week, and more. She has worked with Tim Reid in his Spring Fashion Showcase and celebrities Miss Jay, Vickie Winans, Karen Clark Sheard, Dwight Eubanks, and Randy Fenoli, just to name a few. She also worked as lead photographer for rapper Jim Jones, co-owner of the Richmond RoughRiders.

“My grandmother Carrie Murphy made blankets and quilts out of old clothing. I started helping her with her projects when I was just five years old. She taught me how to sew and would give me scrap pieces of fabric so that I could make clothes for my dolls.”

She is a graduate of Virginia Tech University. She has also worked in the education field for 30 years. She currently teaches Introduction to Fashion Design and Independent Living at King’s Fork High School in Suffolk, VA, and has received exemplary status on her 2022 teacher evaluation. Presently, she is enrolled in global economics graduate classes at Harvard University.

Gwendolyn shares that her fashion journey began as a child. “My grandmother Carrie Murphy made blankets and quilts out of old clothing. I started helping her with her projects when I was just five years old. She taught me how to sew and would give me scrap pieces of fabric so that I could make clothes for my dolls,” she says. “I started doing photography at five years old also. My father was a photographer for the military, and often I would take pictures with him. He was an officer in the 82nd Airborne Division and also an entrepreneur. He traveled the world with the military and documented his journeys with photography.”

Gwendolyn says her grandfather, Norman Joyner Sr, inspires her, “He was a sharecropper and purchased well over 50 acres and started his own farm, which now belongs to my two sisters and me. My mother, Ethel Joyner, was an educator and a homemaker. She inspired me to be a strong woman and go after my dreams.” Gwendolyn’s husband, Lieutenant Patrick Wilson, is a leader in their community as well, and she says he inspires her to continue to reach her goals and live her dreams. “I couldn’t do the things I do without his love and support,” she says.

While she continues to build her legacy, Gwendolyn offers the following advice to those who may travel a similar path as she has. “Follow your own dreams and your own path, and know there are plenty of opportunities to create new and exciting things for the future.”

As she moves forward, Gwendolyn says she plans to allow her creative juices to flow in life and business. She plans on passing her gifts down to her grandchildren. She also plans to continue to travel the world and do new and exciting adventures. To learn more about Gwendolyn Wilson, please visit her website.