BY: JADE LEONARD
PHOTOGRAPHY BY: KRISTOPHER ANDERSON & CRISTIN
Hailing from the west coast, I introduce to you Bryce Robinson, the founder of the Yellé Brand, the design bae from "The Bay", with a knack for timeless designs. What started as a small seed in her soul a decade ago, has bloomed into her first clothing brand. Passionate, adaptable, and patient, she understands that business is at the forefront of fashion and that greatness doesn't happen overnight. Bryce shares with us her design aesthetic, her least and favorite style trends this year, and more! If you're reading this, remember, "all that glitters isn't gold". Even when something looks great and desirable, you don't know what truly lies beneath the surface. You don't know the true extent of someone's experience and how they obtained their (or what you view as) success. Its easy to think about what you don't have and just as easy to focus on all the things you do have! Be grateful for where you are and where you're headed. So without further delay, I present to you a young black queen and entrepreneur, tailoring her own experience. Ladies and gents give it up for "Bryce Robinson The Fashion Designer".
The UpNext: In one sentence, describe yourself.
Bryce Robinson: "I’d describe myself as a self-driven entrepreneur & artist, inspired by my own determination and artistic expression."
The UpNext: What’s your personal style like?
Bryce: "My personal style changes as often as the seasons; however, currently I’d describe it as, minimal, monochromatic, and organic."
The UpNext: What’s the story of the Yellé brand?
Bryce: "Yellé Brand technically started as a seed that was planted in me at 12 years old. I’ve always loved fashion and it's often consumed me. I have spent the last 10 years trying to articulate what was growing inside of me, using the school and other tools to try to interpret this passion I have felt so intensely for so long. In 2019 I participated in a local charity fashion show called The Pop Up that a close friend of mine hosts every year. Creating this collection from scratch with my own hands and ideas is what made me realize that I can really do this! And so I did. The momentum I received from doing this fashion show is what fueled me to start my own clothing brand and every day I am grateful to my friend who provided this opportunity to creatives like me. There isn’t a lot of this in Oakland, which is where I grew up. The Bay Area is home to a lot of great and magical things, however, fashion is not one of them."
The UpNext: What is fashion to you?
Bryce: "Fashion to me is the ability to be and express the different parts of yourself that are otherwise difficult to express. Fashion is truly a language, and whether we consider ourselves fashionable or not, we all understand it. Fashion is the ability to reinvent yourself over and over again to tell new stories and its chapters in your life."
The UpNext: In your opinion, what's been the best design trend of 2020? What's been the worst?
Bryce: "Though I am not too much into street fashion and would not quite consider myself a sneaker-head, Michael Jordan, and of course Nike, are fashion geniuses. Currently, Jordan 1s are an absolute necessity for our closets. Whether you prefer the 1s, or the concord 11s, or any of the other styles, Jordan has remained the number one sneaker of choice in streetwear fashion for the last 35 years. Releasing different variations of the same shoe over and over yet never going out of style. In a way, the Jordan brand leads the streetwear style and has done so for over two decades. Streetwear is one of the biggest style categories in fashion and it largely influences all other categories. That is amazing and is a large goal I’d say for any fashion designer. I’d say the worst trend happening right now would be shoulder pads. I know trends repopulate over time but not yet power shoulders... just no."
The UpNext: Where do you get inspiration for your designs? How do you generate new ideas?
Bryce: "My inspiration comes from what I see around me, what I’m feeling emotionally in that period of time, and what I see becoming popular with consumers. To generate new ideas, I go and look around Los Angeles, research, and check-in with myself and the energy I’m currently channeling."
The UpNext: How would you describe the yellé brand woman?
Bryce: "She’s in her late teens to early thirties. She has a strong sense of self and how she would like to represent herself in the world, she’s sexy because she believes herself to be, and she’s fun of course!"
The UpNext: What's your greatest achievement thus far?
Bryce: "My greatest achievement thus far is concluding my first year of startup. There are many nights when I thought I might throw in the towel but I never did. I’m very proud of myself."
The UpNext: What's your favorite part entrepreneurship?
Bryce: "The freedom I feel in knowing that what I am building has free rein to become whatever I desire it to be."
The UpNext: In your opinion, what are some necessary skills to be a fashion designer?
Bryce: "Acceptance of failure and mistakes because they are going to come!
Understanding that the glamorous side of designing doesn’t come until a few years later. I haven’t even seen it yet.
Ability to roll with the cards you're dealt. Stuff happens.
A team. You can’t do it alone.
A BUSINESS PLAN!
A FINANCIAL PLAN!
A love for design that will surpass all of the sleepless nights, little pay, and hard work that comes with the start of any new business. Yes, it’s fashion but it’s still business!"
Follow Bryce on IG: bbdanyelle
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