When you think of Brandon Blackwood, your mind probably goes to the designer’s viral “End Systemic Racism” bags, which earned him a solid place in the fashion zeitgeist in 2020. Blackwood's foray into fashion started way before that particular design blew up, the designer setting up his namesake label in 2013.
Though initially focused on accessories, the Brandon Blackwood brand has been slowly but surely expanding its wings since its early 2010s genesis, simultaneously growing a loyal customer base. In the two years since its viral breakthrough, the brand has successfully expanded into three new categories with its own swimwear, outerwear, and footwear offerings. Now, Brandon Blackwood is tackling the next frontier with his first clothing offering under the newly launched Studio by Brandon Blackwood line, or BB STUDIO for short.
Arriving on June 14, 2024, BBSTUDIO’s first small capsule collection focuses on everyday basics in five different colorways: black, true white, blush pink, sky blue, and matcha green. The debut clothing collection features tank tops, dresses, long skirts, bodysuits, pants, zip-up hoodies, and more, all featuring a 95% cotton and 5% spandex composition. With prices retailing from $30 to $80 and an XS–3X size range, there's no doubt the collection has mass appeal.
Ahead of the launch, Teen Vogue caught up with Brandon Blackwood exclusively to talk about venturing into clothing, the process of bringing the collection to life, and more specificities about the pieces.
Teen Vogue: Why did you initially decide to focus only on accessories?
Brandon Blackwood: Accessories define the tone of an overall look. Any shirt and jeans can look completely different depending on the bag, shoe, and jewelry choice. I’ve always seen accessories as the “anchor” of a look and wanted to focus on that. I also just really love handbags and shoes. When shopping, those are the pieces I've always spent the most on.
TV: Did you always know you’d eventually expand into clothing? How did that decision come about and how long did it take to take from paper to hangers?
BB: I always knew apparel was the next step, but I didn't know exactly what it would look like. Our expansion has been steady with footwear and outerwear, and it's been received well by our customers. We're at a point where we've built community and trust between the brand and [the] customer. Now is the time for us to take the jump. This took two years of planning and editing.
TV: This isn't your first brand “expansion” per se. Why did you decide to tackle swimwear, outerwear, and footwear before clothing?
BB: I felt a full-on collection was too fast. We wanted to trickle in items and see the response first. New categories are $1,000,000+ investments, and it's silly to just jump in without testing the market.
TV: Did you face any roadblocks while working on this collection?
BB: This did not go smoothly. We switched factories halfway through, changed our sizing chart about seven times, and had to cut a lot of original samples. Our biggest hurdle was finding shapes, materials, and the perfect size chart that worked with so many different body types.
TV: What was the biggest lesson you learned while dealing with those hurdles?
BB: My biggest lesson was learning when to stop and when to go. The original collection was going to be way more elevated slash more contemporary. But I stopped that due to the country's current economic standing. I didn't think selling expensive garments made sense in this climate. That's when I decided to re-work our first offering to be even more accessible. The hurdles came in the form of changing factories, patterns, materials, and overall themes. Making clothing is so different from bags. So we basically put everything on halt midway through to do something completely different.
TV: If you had to, how would you describe this first collection?
BB: This first collection is definitely an appetizer of sorts. Are there groundbreaking materials or shapes? No. I'm a realist. I wanted to make clothing that you didn't have to think about styling. Pieces that were familiar. A one-stop-shop of pieces everyone can throw on and decorate themselves. This collection is for real people with real lives [who] want to look cute without breaking the bank. This collection is about building trust with our consumers. Once we gain that trust, we'll start to touch the limits design-wise.
TV: What were the key trademarks of the brand that you absolutely also wanted to translate into clothing?
BB: I wanted something for everyone. My brand has hundreds of options. Regardless of age or aesthetic, if you come to our website, you'll find at least two or three items you like. I wanted that essence to still be true with our clothing.
TV: You had done customs for the likes of Beyoncé, Megan Thee Stallion, and Doechii before launching to the public. Did you receive any feedback from those private clients that ultimately informed the final collection?
BB: Every custom was a learning experience. Every woman we've dressed has had their list of requirements. All those requirements dealt with the same thing. One thing they all had in common was wanting to highlight their favorite parts of their body. I took this into consideration when making the pieces for BB STUDIO. We made a simple maxi dress but the twist is they have invisible zippers up to the thigh. Depending on who buys it, you can turn that dress into a sexy high-slit dress or be more conservative with it zipped down. We included a bunch of hidden details like this in order to give the customer the option of how they want to feel in our garment.
TV: Can you tell us a bit about the material selection and sourcing? Where are the clothes made?
BB: All of our ribbed knit material was produced solely for us. We customized the weight, spacing of the knot, and thickness of the fabrics. Ribbed cotton is a common material, but when you feel ours or see it on, you can see the difference compared to a garment made from an existing material on the market.
We make our pieces in China. I'm proud to say that although there is such a stigma about a “Made in China” tag. My team and I took many trips to the factories, and it’s always the most amazing time. Doing our factory walkthroughs, working and sharing ideas within these spaces, and just getting the work done in real time is so much more fun. Despite public opinion, there are some exceptional factories there, with technology that is almost impossible to find in other countries focused on apparel production.
I love working with Chinese suppliers and have my work family out there that I love. I wish the stigma would stop. This is the same country that produces the phone in your hand that you’re probably reading this article from. I think they can make a quality maxi dress. [Laughs.]
TV: Where is the cotton used in the pieces grown?
BB: Our Ribbed and Jersey cotton blends are produced in Turkey. We worked with manufacturers there to create our swim fabric, nylons, and logo denim you see in our existing outerwear and swim. We wanted it done right and knew that working with our past suppliers would yield the best results. From there the material is sent to our factories for cut and sew, grading, sizing, and final production.
TV: You wanted to make this for real people, so all pieces are under $80; how can you make it that affordable?
BB: All pieces are under $80, and I think it's so funny whenever I see people's reactions to these prices. Our prices are great for two reasons — the first being that we're literally using jersey and ribbed cotton mostly. These are not expensive fabrics, especially when buying in bulk. We're so conditioned to being robbed. No cotton T-shirt is worth $150. You're paying a severe markup. But for some reason, we've just learned to accept these prices. It's the same thing I hear about my bags: “This bag should be more expensive” or “You can price them higher.” Yes, I can, but I also want to sell my items at a price point most people can afford. I'd feel silly selling a product my own employees, friends, and family couldn't buy.
Lastly, I’m fortunate enough to have a brand with an extremely strong DTC stream. Because of this, I don’t need to rely on wholesalers [or] being in stores for my brand to stay alive. We essentially cut out the middle man, meaning my prices don't have to include margins you'd have to think about when doing wholesale. My customers are pretty much buying BB STUDIO at the price a store would buy them from me for. It's a win-win.
TV: This is a small capsule collection; what will be the cadence of collections going forward?
BB: I'm honestly just doing what I like and what comes to mind. I don't think there will be a set “rhythm.” If we make things we like and can make a collection out of it — small or larger — that's what we'll do. I'm hoping to do at least two collections a year, but I feel like it'll probably turn into four or five with tighter themes. We'll just have to see.
TV: Likewise, what production approach will you take going forward? Would you consider pre-orders or made-to-order?
BB: We will do healthy quantities we know we can sell through. I don't like to over-order because the idea of being stuck with stock scares me. I’d rather sell out than have a sale. I want our clothing to be readily available and ship fast. Maybe we'll throw in more special pieces down the road for made-to-order. That's a good idea.
