“We need to slow down and understand not every brand is meant to be a megaband.”
So says Hope for Flowers founder Tracy Reese, who has seen a lot during her 40 years in fashion. What the veteran designer has come to realize is that bigger is definitely not always better.
“Being OK with making less, it’s not a bad thing. We don’t need so much stuff,” she said during a conversation with WWD archives editor Tonya Blazio-Licorish at the WWD x FN x Beauty Inc Women in Power event on Monday.
For younger generations, understanding why sustainability is important — and what it really means — is key. That’s why Reese has been so passionate about developing her innovative, community-driven fashion concept in Detroit, her hometown.
“Sustainability is very much about strong communities where we’re creating together. I love to get my hands dirty, I love to paint things. But I’m more likely to do it with other people who are as passionate as I am. We have people ages 16 to 90 coming in,” she said.
Reese designs and develops her entire collection in Detroit, and she opens her studio to give local design students a chance “to be part of the industry at home.”
But it doesn’t stop there: Programming centered around sustainability and responsible design is part of the founder’s mission. Every Saturday, young creatives come in to “express themselves,” learn about different artists and get schooled in sustainable goals — from eliminating poverty to education.
“The list goes on and on. We try to teach it in a way they can digest, but also give them agency to use these tools in their own lives,” Reese said. “We’re passionate about giving them great experiences, and getting them out of the classroom and into the great art institutions in Detroit that they may have not felt they had a right to go to.”
Adult classes have also been a focus for the founder, whose personal priority is always to learn and grow.
“This experience has been a big part of that for me. Getting back to basics, making a pattern with my own hands, painting a print, all the things I love to do that I was delegating before. When I stop learning, it’s over. I’m not advancing, I’m not improving,” said the designer, who shuttered her namesake brand and its subbrands in 2018 before relocating to Detroit and launching Hope for Flowers.
“A lot of women designers understand when I say: Every season, I want to do it better. ‘How do I make it last longer? How do I make it feel more useful? How do I make sure the women wearing my product get compliments?’ Every season presents a new challenge and that’s super exciting. I want to continue to grow but I want to continue to share. That’s what’s been so different for me…than the last business,” she observed.
Ultimately, the founder believes the customer should always feel your joy.
“We need to remember why we’re in this business,” she said.
#Tracy #Reese #Fashion #Benefit #Slowing