From West Virginia to Los Angeles, Myles T. Blends Golf, Fashion and Music

A temporary trip during the pandemic became a new creative life—and an opportunity to reconnect with the game his grandfather introduced to him.

By BBG Sports

Myles T. planned to spend only a few months in Los Angeles.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, he and his brother drove west to meet their mother and members of the team behind WeRateDogs, the popular social media account that also has West Virginia roots. A few months became six years.

“I ended up in Los Angeles on accident,” Myles said.

Since then, the young Black West Virginian has launched the Dearest fashion brand a tribute to Dear West Virginia, the viral hip hop love letter contest he created with Leeshia Lee. Myles has earned major-label music placements with artists including Big Sean, Wiz Khaliafia, Bia and many more. He has also reconnected with a sport that was part of his life long before Los Angeles.

“My grandfather (Wes Armstead) started taking me golfing when I was a kid, before I was even in middle school,” he said. “I played on the golf team in middle school and dabbled throughout my life.”

That history met his interest in fashion when his friend Wall$treet, who works with Malbon Golf, sent him apparel from the Malbon Korea Golf & Yacht collection to highlight.

Myles and his brother, Aiden Satterfield, grabbed a camera and created the shoot themselves.

“We just went out with my camera and winged it,” Myles said.

The finished images move easily between the fairway and the street. Myles poses with a golf bag, lines up a putt and models polos, caps and crewnecks alongside a vintage car. He wanted the photographs to communicate “cohesiveness and comfortability.”

“That’s important on the golf course and in life,” he said.

Founded in Los Angeles in 2017, Malbon blends traditional golf apparel with streetwear, music, art and contemporary culture. That combination immediately appealed to Myles.

“Malbon has one of the dopest brands out, even outside of golf,” he said. “They’ve got a great eye for design and quality and a real pulse on culture. Everything they do is done with thought.”

Myles believes being from West Virginia gives him an advantage in Los Angeles.

“I’m usually the only person people know from our state, so I’m immediately burned into their brain and have a unique identity,” he said. “Putting that into the creative work also helps the art stay unique. It makes it easy because I’m just expressing my DNA.”

Music remains his most consistent creative outlet, but his ambitions extend beyond his own success. Myles wants to understand the business well enough to help other West Virginians build sustainable creative careers.

“I want to continue to learn the business so I can help those from my state learn how to monetize their talents,” he said.

This feature is part of BBG Sports: West Virginia on the Green, BBG’s National Golf Month series exploring the people, culture and places shaping the game. Read the opening profile on Charleston golfer Joey Fyall II’s comeback from major surgery and pursuit of a national championship.

Coming next: the Potter family’s connection to golf and childhood cancer advocacy, followed by BBG’s regional guide to West Virginia golf courses.

Photography: Myles T. and Aiden Satterfield