By Dr. Dominique Carson, LMP, H.C.
Renowned celebrity stylist and fashion editor Ty-Ron Mayes is celebrated for his signature phrase, "Every diamond needs some polish," a mantra he lives by as he transforms clients with precision and flair. His effortless charm and decades of expertise are a testament to a thriving career spanning over 30 years in the fashion industry.
Last year, Mayes commemorated another deeply personal milestone: his father reaching five years cancer-free. Overwhelmed with gratitude for his father's restored health and inspired by his journey, Mayes has been expanding his advocacy for prostate cancer awareness, using his celebrity platform to champion men's health and shine a light on the urgent need for support, education, and early detection—particularly for those still fighting the disease.
PHOTOGRAPHED BY VITAL AGIBALOW FOR HENSEL
Styling 150 high-fashion magazine covers and working with publications such as Elle, Cosmopolitan, Vogue, [and Preferred Health's Crystal Waters cover], Mayes is truly the glue for presenting good taste for celebrities. With an initial pursuit of a law degree, he shifted to fashion after graduating from college, working with top photographers like Francesco Scavullo and styling for Oprah. "I have always been an artist. My love was comic book art. So I wanted to be a comic book artist at one point, and my parents were like, 'Oh, hell no. You won't sit around drawing Storm, the Hulk, and Wolverine for the rest of your life.' And so, we're very much academics, but we also have a lot of art in the family," said Mayes. "My father at the time - although I wasn't really aware of it - was modeling and signed with a big agency. Then he got earnest and had to focus on a different career path. And so it [drawing] was in the home, but when you're a kid, you're in your little world."
Mayes shared that he began modeling as a teenager while considering which degree to pursue. While attending college, he gained valuable experience working with magazines and freelancing as a fashion writer and editor—opportunities that quickly gained momentum. After completing his undergraduate studies and earning his degree, Mayes decided to further his education at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) to deepen his knowledge of fashion and styling.
"They had no program at all that dealt with styling. This was such a new field that it is just now starting to have disciplines and classes and, you know, things like that. But with that, in the continuing education program at FIT, I studied draping, illustration, and fashion history because I already had a degree, so I could go in and focus on the stuff I wanted to get under my belt."
But it was Mayes' work on Gossip Girl, And Just Like That, and the model reality television series America's Next Top Model that made him a bona fide superstar for being the first Lead Wardrobe Stylist for Cycles 20 and 21. He styled 30+ on-camera looks for television model and ANTM executive producer Tyra Banks and was responsible for the show's creative concepts and photoshoot scripting. Outside of Tyra, he has a diverse styling clientèle, including Beyoncé, Mariah Carey, Eminem, Heidi Klum, Blair Underwood, Tyson Beckford, Megan Fox, Dominique Jackson, Crystal Waters, and Daymond John.
Over the years, Mayes has become known as
"The Super Stylist" for his transformative work in fashion. He has showcased his work in fashion journalism and is now penning his ideas into a book that delves into fashion, beauty, and style, aiming to share his insights and experiences with a broader audience that will make people look and feel good.
Fashion Meets Purpose:
The Blue Jacket Fashion Show
Nonetheless, Mayes considers his most significant accomplishment to be publicly sharing the emotional journey of his father's prostate cancer diagnosis in 2019. That same year, fashion designer Frederick Anderson invited him to walk in the Blue Jacket Fashion Show—an event dedicated to raising awareness and funds for prostate cancer.
As Mayes was preparing for the show, he received life-altering news from his father, Dr. John Mayes, who had been diagnosed with stage 1 prostate cancer. Thankfully, it was detected early through a routine PSA (prostate-specific antigen) test, a standard screening tool for the disease.
"In that moment, everything shifted.
What began as a fashion event quickly transformed into
something deeply personal."
-Ty-Ron Mayes
Photo Courtesy Ty-Ron Mayes
Dr. John Mayes, Dr. Mehmet Oz, and Ty-Ron Mayes
backstage at the Blue Jacket Fashion show.
"My father called me and said, 'Look, I don't know if I should tell you this now, but I just got my PSA test back—I have stage one prostate cancer,'" Mayes recalled. "In that moment, everything shifted. What began as a fashion event quickly transformed into something deeply personal.
I realized I had the opportunity—and the responsibility—to use my celebrity platform to raise awareness and help others. It was no longer just about fashion; it became about purpose."
At the event, Mayes said he and his brother
"ran to get our prostate checked and to get the PSA test." The PSA test was the most sensitive tool used at the fashion show to screen Mayes and his brother for cancer. Fortunately, both men tested negative.
Moments after the PSA test, Mayes recalled stepping onto the runway—a bittersweet moment. Still reeling from the news of his father's cancer diagnosis, Mayes was emotionally unprepared for interviews. His thoughts were consumed by worry and the urgent need to focus on treatment options and the next steps for his father.
"The moment I stepped off the runway, we had to immediately focus on developing a radiation plan—starting treatments and doing everything possible to target the cancer and work toward getting him cancer-free and into remission," Mayes said.
Dr. John Mayes early diagnosis has very well saved his life. "They were able to make sure they got all of the cancer, and were able to save his prostate," Mayes said of his father's surgical team. "That's the caveat, finding out early because prostate cancer is one of the easiest cancers to cure if you find out early."
As a photographer, Dr. John Mayes participated in the Blue Jacket Fashion show backstage, capturing all the incredible celebrities and stars. He was a part of the foundation and welcomed with open arms.
"It was an enlightening experience," Mayes said - considering his father's health concerns.
Throughout his father's treatment, Mayes remained a steadfast source of support, drawing strength from their close relationship. He continues to stress the critical importance of early detection and proactive healthcare—particularly among young Black men—to increase survival rates and ensure timely, life-saving treatment.
Photographed By Udo Spreitzenbarth
"I know that a lot of times, young black men and young Hispanic men don't listen to old white men. And I knew that I had that ear, and with that, I do these things: I do interviews, I do whatever outreach that's possible and afforded to me, that I can be part of," Mayes explained.
"We are African American and the black diaspora, and have survived through oral history. He also explained why young people need to be vocal with their doctor about health conditions, "We have to tell our young black men and young black women to ask their doctors for blood tests and go line by line with their paperwork, for the blood that's been given, and say, 'Okay, what does that mean?' You must know everything about sugar, cholesterol, sexually transmitted diseases, and PSA. You also have the right to fire your doctor and get a younger doctor who's more in tune with what's happening.
"Let's look at what the study is called: "practicing medicine"; they're trying to figure it out daily, but you can't be afraid to ask questions about your health."
Mayes believes style isn't just about appearance—it's about making bold statements that can save lives.
His shared journey with his father has transformed his career into a mission-driven platform for health, family, and awareness, merged with styling.
"Do you know what's always in fashion?" he quipped, "Having a healthy prostate. It never goes out of style."
For more insights into the work and style philosophy of Ty-Ron Mayes, visit his official website at
ty-ronmayes.com or follow him on Instagram at @stylisttyronmayes.
