An Interview With Designer Rachel Pally

Lifestyle

An Interview With Designer Rachel Pally on Perseverance and How She Gained a Celebrity Following

An Interview With Designer Rachel Pally Image

If the itch for fashion (specifically, an impeccably designed maxi dress) is one you can’t resist, then chances are Rachel Pally’s designs have already met the interior of your closet. Rachel, 32, is the talented designer behind the widely popular jersey pieces, which manage to combine ease with elegance. There’s no question as to why her designs have become go-to favorites for everything from running errands to hosting a nighttime soiree. Even celebs like Jennifer Aniston, Oprah Winfrey and Jessica Simpson count her designs among their must-haves.

The relaxed California vibe that influenced Rachel’s designs is the same one that drives her strong entrepreneurial spirit. She took a bet on herself and pursued designing post-college. Using what she had, including self-taught skills, an old sewing machine and model friends, Rachel single-handedly promoted her capsule collection in 2002. Fast-forward eleven years and Rachel Pally Inc. has made an undeniable mark on women, with a statement style that stands the test of time.

Although it would be easy to stick to the infamous maxi silhouette she is known for, Rachel and her brand continue to expand and bring more in-demand comfy-yet-cool pieces to the market. Career Contessa got the full scoop during a meeting with Rachel in her downtown LA showroom, where we talked career, family and how Jessica Simpson (essentially) bought Rachel her first home.

Her Starting Point

Let’s rewind to the beginning. Can you tell us about your first job? Did you know what direction you wanted to take your career post-grad?

I started Rachel Pally, Inc. right out of college. Before that my job experience was limited to babysitting and a brief, comical stint as a waitress. I knew that I wanted to try to start a line and threw myself into it.

After studying dance and geography in school, how did you discover your passion for fashion design? What type of design training did you have?

I had to work at the costume shop for my dance department for credits, and fell in love with making costumes—the way they drape across the body, the movement. That was the extent of my experience other than sewing a bit with my grandma when I was younger.

Her Big Break

You launched Rachel Pally, Inc. after graduation. That’s a gutsy move! Tell us about that process.

I’ve always known that I would work for myself. My parents had their own business and I loved the flexibility that being self-employed afforded. After college I moved back home with my parents and my mom bought me two rolls of fabric for my birthday—one black and one cream—and I just went to work on my old sewing machine. I made a small collection, photographed it on a friend and started taking it around to stores in Los Angeles. I didn’t accept “no” for an answer!

You and your brand epitomize the casual glam vibes of California. How did your background influence the direction you wanted to take your brand?

I wanted to design clothes that I would want to wear—clothes that everyone would want to wear. I love the ease of California style and knew I could mesh the casual with the more sophisticated. My dance background also influenced my design aesthetic—it’s important to design for the body, to cut to flatter certain areas and fall away from others.

Tell us about your design process. Where do you find design inspiration? How long does it take to design a collection from start to finish?

I started with jersey because it was the most similar to what I was using for costuming. I also love the way it moves and drapes—it’s so Grecian, so forgiving, so comfortable and so elegant. It can be anything!

I am inspired by everything—by women I know, women I see on the street, movies, magazines, art, music, etc. It takes a couple of months to design a collection, but since we ship eleven months out of the year, it’s a constant rotation. We are rarely ever working on only one season at a time.

How long after you launched Rachel Pally did it take for your brand to really take off?

I found a wonderful sales and PR team early on—EM Productions. They helped to introduce the collection to celebrities and, within several months, we started to get some great recognition. Jessica Simpson is a longtime fan and client who wore a pair of my gaucho-style pants on MTV. After that my phone started ringing off the hook! I always laugh and say that Jessica Simpson bought me my house.

What resources were first on your list to hire (i.e. PR, accountant, sales, etc.) and why? Tell us how you marketed Rachel Pally when you first started.

I started out with sales and PR—the company I worked with had two divisions, so it was very integrated. You need sales to drive PR and you need PR to drive sales. First on my “hire” list was my family—my mom and grandma helped me by sewing in labels, my dad helped with packing and shipping orders, my brother helped

with Lookbooks…it was a real team effort. I worked out of my parents’ garage for a while!

In 2007, you launched Rachel Pally White Label—your contemporary plus size line. Tell us about the decision to expand your brand. How did you decide to expand to plus size vs. jewelry, accessories, etc.?

My brand was becoming known as one that had something for everyone—but that wasn’t exactly true. It seemed like a very obvious next step to add the plus size line, and I felt like there was a void in that demographic for great contemporary clothes. There was some resistance at the beginning, but I really pushed for it and eventually started an exclusive partnership with Nordstrom. Since then it has expanded and is now available at Neimans, Nordstrom, Bloomingdales, Zappos, Amazon and RachelPally.com.

Her Perspective

What is the most important thing you’ve learned since starting and running your own successful business and brand?

Not to take it for granted! In addition, I’ve learned to keep a close eye on all of the workings of the business while maintaining a balance of work and play. I’m adamant about not working on the weekends or when I’m on vacation. Everyone needs a break!

You’ve managed to find success and balance in a busy life. How do you do it? Describe a typical day.

I make time to exercise, to work, to meditate, to have time with my family. There is rarely a day where I have to work late—nobody in my office works late. We are not in a life-or-death business, so nothing has to be done at 9:00 p.m. that can’t be addressed at 9:00 a.m. However, that doesn’t mean I don’t carry my stress home—I just do my best to leave my work at the office.

What advice would give to aspiring designers? Do you think it’s important to have a design niche?

I think that having a niche is incredibly important. This is a very competitive industry, and you have to offer buyers something they can’t get elsewhere. It’s also not enough to design something cute—you have to be able to produce it. Designing is only half the battle! Internships can really show you the ropes and give you an insider’s view on how all of the sides of the business work.

What skills are essential to work in the competitive fashion industry? What obstacles have you faced and how have you overcome them?

A thick skin, don’t take “no” for an answer, work hard, be organized and present yourself as an asset. I heard a ton of “no’s” before I started to hear “yes’s.” Keep trying and don’t take it personally—that’s just the way this industry operates.

In what ways do you hope to see the Rachel Pally brand evolve?

I’m enjoying the expansion of the brand and adding new categories, like swim and sweaters. I’d love to be able to do this for a very long time—I just have to keep it fresh and new every season!

If you could pin your success down to one thing or one moment, what would that be?

Every time I see someone in one of my designs. It still floors me! Even though I’ve been in business for ten years and have manufactured tens of thousands of garments, which I know are out there somewhere, I still can’t believe it when I see a women wearing one. I regularly approach women and ask if I can take a picture of them. There was also the time that Oprah said, “I love Rachel Pally!” on her show. I re-watched that moment 100 times!