Following decades of working in the retail industry, Rhonda P. Hill founded E D G E [Emerging Designers GOT EDGE] to bring together recent graduates and those just starting out in fashion with the seasoned pros. Her platform celebrates designers, brands, professionals and entrepreneurs who think outside the boundaries producing innovative, progressive and daring work, and offers them, and anyone interested in the insights of the industry, editorial perspective, market information, statistics and other invaluable information. We sat down with Rhonda to discuss the shift in interest towards young designers, the lack of innovation in the industry and new mediums designers have at their disposal to communicate their work.
What is your background, and how did you find yourself interested in emerging designers?
My history with the fashion industry goes back several decades. As a merchandising executive (more on my background), I directed product design, development, production, and retail sell-in to retail sell-through for Macy’s, Levi’s, adidas, Warner Bros. Studio Stores, and Disney Consumer Products. As both a consumer and industry professional, I see that the fashion industry has become excessive and formula-matic. Very few buyers and media take the risk in finding and communicating that “out-of-the-box,” innovative look, or presenting a new designer/brand, theme, or trend. The birth of E D G E [Emerging Designers GOT EDGE] has come from my vision of an opportunity to reverse today’s fashion business of too much, too often, too much of the same, and lack of quality and innovation. I believe that emerging designers have got the edge to reverse this trend with the independence, vision and artistry that comes from the desire and core of their mission. E D G E is about the exposure of the under-represented.
How are you promoting your project and spreading your vision?
Our audiences are industry professionals, in particular, independent designers and creative entrepreneurs all around the globe. We connect to our audience through the website, targeted media channels, building relationships through personal networking and other strategic marketing objectives. We try to bridge the gap between the recent graduate or those just starting out and the seasoned pro with our EDGE-ucation series. The centerpiece of this vision is our signature EDGE Radar interview series. Designers and industry professionals that meet the E D G E philosophy and criteria are chosen to tell their story in an interview. They get exposure that does not promote their business, but showcases the meaning and passion behind why they are in the business, their cultural impact, and lessons learned along their journey.
Who, in your opinion, is a fashion designer who “has edge?”
As an established fashion designer, Stella McCartney meets the E D G E philosophy. When it comes to emerging fashion designers, the EDGE list is long. Paola Masperi of Mayamiko Designed, Malawi, Africa, is an emerging designer on the EDGE Radar and an example of the EDGE list. E D G E designers and brands think outside the boundaries; they are culturally relevant with purpose in their design business while leveraging sustainable practices and committed to the industry infrastructure by empowering their local communities. They are daring in champion new ideas to advance the industry. Both Stella and Paola practice this.
Is Southern California embracing young designers?
No. Southern California, and particularly Los Angeles, is famously known for its entertainment industry. When it comes to the fashion industry, it’s a bit fragmented. This represents an opportunity for this reason alone: May 2011, California led the nation, with a total of 4,480 employed fashion designers (out of approx. 20,000) Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Tell us about promoting young designers’ work through fashion/art exhibitions.
This is the core of my passion and vision for E D G E. I see the gallery and museum venue as a new era of exposition for emerging designers. Fashion designers are part of the creative community and as artists can showcase their work beyond the “runway.” One format is that shows can be curated with a collective vision of both a historical context and a relevance to contemporary culture. The Met and V&A in London are landmark elite institutions that do this with a slant to the historical context. MOMU, the fashion museum in the Province of Antwerp, takes this exhibition further by presenting contemporary fashion – fashion’s relevant impact for today. It’s an opportunity to bring fashion into the mainstream for both the public and the fashion industry.
Another format of exhibiting fashion at a gallery or museum takes on a dynamic of engagement and interaction. This b2b model is what’s new – the EDGE gallery or museum exhibition is the tasteful blend of exposition and trade. Last year, the Pratt Manhattan Gallery exhibited the groundbreaking “Black Dress:Ten Contemporary Fashion Designers” exhibition which celebrated the innovative work of ten up-and-coming and established New York-based black fashion designers. These were contemporary (under-represented) designers exhibiting their latest work.
Educating young designers is an important part of EDGExpo. Besides the technical aspect of their work, what is the most valuable lesson they should learn to survive the industry?
As a fashion business adviser and mentor, the one area that fashion businesses take for granted is “Know your audience, Know your market.” From my years of experience, this is the lifeline of any brand. In knowing your audience, a designer needs to know both the customer and the consumer – many don’t know the difference, or the power of each. In developing the profile for each, make it a permanent visual in the work environment. At E D G E we constantly conduct focus group studies to learn more about our audience and market.
Given your years of experience, how do you explain the industry’s interest in young designers that has been cultivated recently?
The shift in interest is that of the consumer. Given the sea of markdowns season after season at retail, the consumers are voicing that they are tired of the same old thing. What you are seeing is a grassroots movement fueled by the more sophisticated and forward-thinking professionals in the industry who provide a platform to shed light on the up-and-coming designers. With the power of the internet, this is done through alternative fashion magazines; alternative fashion business news; well-versed and intuitive fashion bloggers; meaningful, results-oriented dialog through media channels; etc. I recently interviewed Jay Arbetman, owner of The Sourcing District. Here is what he had to say: “More suppliers are interested in working with startups and designers who are early on in their process. Why? Because they can make money on you. Why? Because there is a demand for the sewn products that are being produced by indie designers. Fashion customers want what you are creating and they are rejecting the fast fashion (fashion homogenization) that is in every “box store” in America.”
Why do you think big retailers are still hesitant to stock a young designer’s collection though all the attention the last are getting lately?
Fear. Management dictates a certain profit for these departments. The only way to hit the numbers is to buy safe, meaning buy from who you know, the established brands. I get this because I was a buyer for Macy’s. In addition to my established brands, I allocated floor space and open-to-buy dollars for those up-and-coming designers. Not only did these emerging brands sell through, but I gained credibility from the consumer that they could really find something new, unique, and unexpected in my department. Branding my department as the “go to” place for those emerging brands was key to my success. Less, if any, of that strategy is done today whether it is a department store or independent retailer.
On the flip side to this, inexperienced designers are not ready to deal with the demands of the big box retailers. On-time delivery, quality, and the ability to respond to demand (re-orders or flow of new product) are difficult for a new brand. Both designer and buyer need each other. The designer needs the exposure and experience. The buyer needs the credibility and consistency of offering something different from the season after season established brand assortment.
What are you currently working on and what are your future plans?
E D G E is working on several “exposure” projects, one of which is the launch of its first fashion exhibition – stay tuned. The Future of E D G E – EDGE Fashion Habitat.
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Featured image c/o Sita Bell
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