Misa Hylton

Misa Hylton was raised in Mount Vernon, New York, by a mother of Japanese and Jamaican heritage and an African American father. She developed an interest in fashion from an early age and regularly imagined what hip-hop artists might wear while listening to hip-hop radio.

Hylton grew up near Sean "Puffy" Combs, who later became an important professional and personal connection. Her interest in fashion and hip-hop eventually led her to begin working in the music industry while she was still in high school.

Hylton entered fashion at 17, when Combs invited her to assist with a Jodeci music video. Together, they persuaded Uptown Records founder Andre Harrell to let the group wear combat boots, hoodies, and backward hats instead of the formal clothing then associated with R&B performers. The approach helped establish a more casual visual aesthetic for the group and influenced later R&B fashion.

She went on to style Lil' Kim and Mary J. Blige, whom she regarded as major creative muses. For Lil' Kim, Hylton created the purple jumpsuit and pasty look worn at the 1999 MTV Video Music Awards and styled the monochromatic outfits in the "Crush on You" video. She also worked on Lil' Kim's solo debut album, Hard Core, and helped develop Mary J. Blige's transition from a tomboy-inspired image toward a more feminine style that retained her comfort and individuality.

At 21, Hylton founded Chyna Doll Enterprises, which provided styling for music videos, magazine covers, and public appearances. The company worked with artists including Aaliyah, Faith Evans, Jodeci, Q-Tip, Foxy Brown, and Dru Hill. Her wider client list also included Missy Elliott, 50 Cent, Mase, Terrence Howard, La La Anthony, and Queen Latifah.

Hylton opened the Misa Hylton Fashion Academy in 2012 with co-founder and stylist Jai Hudson. She became a global creative partner for MCM and designed the fashion for Beyoncé and Jay-Z's 2018 "Apeshit" video. She also created custom MCM chaps and a western hat for Megan Thee Stallion's 2019 appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!

Hylton provided styling and fashion direction for Flo Milli's 2020 Paper editorial, including a custom denim bustier, panty, pasties, and headwrap. In 2021, she launched her INC fashion collection for Macy's through its Icons of Style campaign.

Her career was the focus of the 2019 documentary The Remix: Hip Hop x Fashion, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. In 2020, Harlem's Fashion Row honored her alongside April Walker and Dapper Dan for contributions to fashion.

Hylton's styling helped redefine how women in hip-hop presented themselves during the 1990s. Her work with Lil' Kim emphasized that sexuality and musical ability could coexist, while her collaborations with Mary J. Blige helped broaden the singer's image beyond oversized, tomboy-inspired clothing.

She also introduced Western-inspired styling to prominent music videos, including Mary J. Blige's "All That I Can Say." That approach was later connected with the wider "Yeehaw" fashion trend of 2019. Hylton's selections for Lil' Kim have been cited as visual references for later artists, including Cardi B, while Rihanna has identified Lil' Kim as an influence on her fashion sense.

Hylton has three children. Her son Justin Dior was born in 1993 from her relationship with Sean Combs, while Niko and Madison were born during her marriage to music executive Jojo Brim.

Hylton said she was 19 when Justin was born and turned 20 seven days later. She has also spoken about Combs's early career pressure as he prepared for fatherhood and faced losing his position at Uptown Records.

In April 2025, Hylton filed a lawsuit against Mary J. Blige concerning a business deal involving rapper Vado. Hylton claimed that a management company she launched in 2023 represented Vado before he signed with Blige's imprint, Beautiful Life Productions.

Hylton further claimed that Vado later terminated his management contract after pressure from Blige. The filing framed the dispute as involving breach of contract and interference with her business relationship.