I’m curious about your business plan specifically around how, in the early days, folks said, “Well, you have to be in New York.” “Well, you have to be in L.A.” You said, “No, I’m gonna do it my way, and I’m going to focus it in a different way, and I’m going to think about things in a different way.” What made you hit on that strategy?
Being in Austin was part of the DNA of my brand. The style, the aesthetic, the music, the culture, which, so many people back 20 years ago didn’t know Austin. Now people are like, “It’s the buzz,” right?
It really had this amazing vibe, and it was part of the design process for me. I would be influenced by all the great things happening in my city. Editors and others would say, “Well, you’re not going to have a legitimate fashion business if you’re not on one of the coasts.” I just was like, “No.”
Then they’d see my collection. They’d be like, “This is so refreshing and amazing, and I love the color, and I love how you’re utilizing all these new shapes and cuts and different things.”
You walk into the Kendra Scott booth, and we’re doing our own thing. So sticking to that and being proud of where I was from. I wasn’t going to let that stop me.