Young Entrepreneurs: How Taylor Smith Started her Fashion Brand During Quarantine
Written by: Leah Muehlich, European Regional Coordinator @ Threading Change
[4-minute read]
Taylor Hollan is a sustainable fashion brand who gives old fabrics new life by repurposing them into unique handmade tops and dresses. We talked to founder Taylor Smith about the inspiration behind her brand and how she managed to start her own company while still being a student in college.
Threading Change: What was the inspiration behind the creation of your brand?
Taylor Smith: I have always loved matching statement pieces. With that being said, I wanted to design my pieces to be eye-catching. The inside-out patchwork design was unique, and I hadn't seen very many other people doing it at the time.
TC: Why did you feel the need to start a brand?
TS: I have always wanted to be a fashion designer. In third grade my mother taught me how to sew and that’s when I started creating my own garments. During the quarantine period, I became really bored but I wanted to take advantage of the time to make something out of it and let my creative juices flow.
TC: What is the purpose of your brand?
TS: Sustainability paired with being fashionable is the purpose of my brand. Wearing recycled clothing doesn't need to be boring, and I want to show that it can be exciting, cool and trendy.
TC: How is Taylor Hollan different from other brands? What makes you unique as a designer?
TS: I think the aspect that makes me unique is the inside-out patchwork design I incorporate in all of my pieces. I use as many different colours as I can to create an amazing rainbow palette. Each design is one-of-a-kind and handmade by me.
TC: What were the challenges of starting your brand?
TS: Sewing and designing everything myself has been my biggest challenge. As much as I want to expand and grow my brand, it's too difficult at the moment because I can't make pieces fast enough. Balancing school while creating a couple pieces a month is already difficult.
TC: How do you manage to balance life as an entrepreneur and college student?
TS: Balancing Taylor Hollan and school is definitely harder than I thought it would be. Although, I do include my friends in the process of creating clothes. They will keep me company in my room while I sew all night. When the pieces are ready to model, my friends and I will walk around Charleston to take pictures–it’s super fun. I usually do school during the day and sew at night because I'm quite the night owl.
TC: What is your advice for other people looking to start their own brand?
TS: Starting a brand is hard work, but with supportive friends’ help, the word of your new brand can be spread like wildfire.
TC: What inspires you to continue creating?
TS: I love to research new and up-and-coming designers to see everything they are creating–it makes me want to continue creating new items as well.
Managing a sustainable brand while still studying certainly isn’t easy, but Taylor shows that with a little support and a lot of motivation, everything is possible. You can check out her brand and beautiful products at www.taylorhollan.com
About the Author
Leah (she/her) is a creative student at the Amsterdam Fashion Institute, where she focuses on connecting her passions for sustainability, fashion, and art..
Having grown up bilingual, now speaking five languages, different cultures have always shaped her personality and way of thinking. She followed a year of International Business and Intercultural Studies at the University of Passau, Germany, where she was able to gain an extensive knowledge of ethical business practices and intercultural communication..
Besides her studies and volunteering work, Leah loves dedicating her time to different crafts like sewing, crochet, or calligraphy.
