Fletcher Kasell, co-founder of Tanner Fletcher, emphasizes that external funding is essential for fashion brands to succeed today. This episode offers an inside look at navigating the fashion industry as a young brand, from securing critical funding and achieving industry recognition to innovative strategies for launching new collections. It provides valuable insights into the financial realities and growth challenges faced by emerging fashion businesses.
Key takeaways
Actively pursue external funding, as it's deemed 'absolutely necessary' for fashion brand success and scalability in a competitive market.
Leverage industry recognition, such as CFDA nominations, to build brand credibility and attract further investment and opportunities.
Develop innovative 'off-runway' strategies for collection debuts to stand out and connect with audiences beyond traditional fashion week formats.
Focus on creating a strong, unique brand identity (e.g., “fantasy-fueled genderless fashion”) to differentiate in a crowded market.
Understand and adapt to the evolving landscape of niche markets like genderless fashion to capture new consumer segments.
In 2020, mid-pandemic, Tanner Richie and Fletcher Kasell launched their fantasy-fueled genderless fashion brand, Tanner Fletcher. In the three years following, the brand gained much industry respect, becoming a CFDA Vogue Fashion Fund finalist and nominee for the CFDA’s Emerging Designer of the Year award in 2023. In this New York Fashion Week edition of the Glossy Podcast, Kasell talks about the highs and lows of being a young brand founder, the state of the genderless fashion category, and Tanner Fletcher’s off-runway plans for debuting its fall 2024 collection.
