This is an episode of the Glossy Fashion Podcast, which features candid conversations about how today’s trends are shaping the future of the fashion industry. More from the series →
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Surviving as a completely self-funded fashion brand for 10 years is no easy feat. However, designer Tanya Taylor beat the odds. This year, her namesake brand is celebrating a decade in business.
Also this year, Tanya Taylor opened its first store, in September — the new flagship is located on NYC’s iconic Madison Avenue. To commemorate 10 years, the company threw a star-studded launch party at the historic Carlyle Hotel, located directly across the street from the store.
As for the future, Taylor said she’s excited about the company’s next phase of growth. For this week’s episode of the Glossy Fashion Podcast, Taylor sat down with Jill Manoff, Glossy’s editor-in-chief, to talk about her brand’s evolution and current direction, especially considering its retail expansion.
Excerpts from the discussion, lightly edited for clarity, are below.
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Opening a retail location 10 years into the business
“I wanted to [open] the store before Covid, and it’s just taken so much time to rebound and reset the company. I’m grateful for that time because our focus on product strategies now is different than what we were designing before Covid. The store feels like the perfect home to show the breadth of what we’re creating. What I’ve loved the most about the store is I’ve been able to lean on my curiosity about other brands — we’re actually selling my favorite jewelry brands, homeware brands and shoe brands. The greatest thing for me is that somebody on Madison Avenue can come in, and they may not have ever heard of us … or of all these other amazing creatives. We are a discovery kind of store for really special pieces.
I thought about how I wanted to learn and how retail is a testing pad and a learning experience. The opportunity of Madison Avenue felt clear. That customer is a local customer who is a frequent shopper and has a discerning sense of taste and an awareness of fashion. I thought that would be the most intense and amazing place to receive feedback. Elsewhere in the city is great, too, but sometimes it’s more based on tourism. I didn’t want to be confused about what we were learning. I wanted it to be from an archetype of a customer we know we have that could be repeatable.”
The challenges of owning your own brand
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“It’s so important [to own your brand], but it also puts a ton of pressure on you, but I am proud of that. I feel lucky when I talk to younger designers who are having investment challenges or misaligned objectives with investors. That’s not something I have as a challenge. My challenge is more about how to use capital wisely when you don’t have a strategic partner or you don’t have a mentor built into that investment. It’s a lot of conversations with people that are more organic, to learn. Over 10 years, I have figured out an industry I knew zero about, which is pretty wild. It’s still changing every day, so it’s something that keeps me on my toes.”
Building a solid audience acquisition strategy
“Our social media is strong. We have been around long enough that we’ve been able to grow a loyal audience. Our store is just a natural way to acquire new customers. I’d say maybe 80% of the people who walk in the door have never heard of us, which shows an opportunity for brand awareness. With that, we’re thinking about out-of-home media, plus digital media is something we’re playing with, and video is something we’re playing with. Styling guides are also working. Interestingly, our e-comm is seeing great growth, about 40% year-over-year, and that feels like it’s coming from bringing new people into the brand funnel.”
