A sit down with designer Samii Ryan
Taking the internet by storm is no easy feat, yet Samii Ryan has made it look like second nature. With an eye for the better things in life, this Pennsylvanian native has made a name for herself online and within the inner circles of many A-list celebrities. Talk about a triple threat; Gorgeous, talented, and smart, this bombshell is more than just her looks. From managing her business; By Samii Ryan, to creating social content for her many fans and followers, this girl can do it all so effortlessly. We had the chance to catch up with Samii and get a closer look into her brand.
What has been the biggest challenge in managing your own brand but keeping creative?
Right now we run the brand with only a 2-3 person team, so we all have a lot of things on our plates. I run the online store and fulfillment for online, the marketing, social media, taxes, invoices, creative direction, styling, etc. My boyfriend does all the brands production, photography, sales, and all the business end side of things, etc, and we also have a designer on board. Allocating timing for each individual thing can be difficult but I always find time to be creative because that’s what drives me, the passion I have for what I do, and what we are building.
What has been the biggest change for you since starting your brand- the speed of things, the number of things?
When I first started the brand we were only creating accessories and custom apparel pieces. In the summer of 2017, we decided to launch apparel for the first time. Once we launched, our pieces were picked up by Zumiez and in less than 6 months we were picked up for all Zumiez doors (600+ stores across the USA) so we definitely went on hyper speed. Growing a business so fast and maintaining the integrity of the brand is really important to us. We are lucky to have a lot of people in the industry who are respected to mentor us along the way.
How did you start your brand? When did you first realize you wanted to pursue a career as an entrepreneur/ designer?
I first started my brand in 2009 making feather hair clips, earrings, and accessories. I traveled across the country vending on music festivals like Warped Tour and Bonnaroo. I started to make custom denim shorts, and one-off fashion pieces to sell, it was always a grind. Once a couple of celebrities such as Victoria Justice and Kesha started to wear BSR accessories we got picked up by Nordstrom and were featured in Seventeen Magazine, J-14, Marie Claire, and Lucky Magazine. A couple of years later we decided to launch an apparel line and were picked up by Zumiez retailers, which has been one of the best partners to work with and expand our brand. I always wanted to work in clothing/ fashion since I was little. I would reconstruct all my clothing, draw so many outfits, shoes, and style my outfit for school at least the day before every day. Being an entrepreneur doesn’t run in my family, so this was something that just came naturally to me. I’ve always had the drive to be better.
Samii in your opinion, is this a good time to work in fashion?
I think that no timing is the right timing and the best timing is when it happens. No one really knows when it’s going to be “their time”. So if you have an entrepreneurial passionate spirit the right time will come as long as you keep going.
Social media has really been a factor in how much brands, and even luxury fashion houses, are opening themselves up to the public. What role do you think social media plays in fashion today?
I think social media has a huge role in fashion and in our society. It influences people to not only buy things but to be a certain way. Showcasing fashion on social media not only helps build brand awareness but it also opens you up to customers who you wouldn’t be able to connect with otherwise. The power of gifting to influencers, and building a community has helped us grow in the clothing space.
What kind of mistakes you’ve made and what did you learn from them, and what would your advice be for new designers today?
I think every person who runs a growing business has made mistakes, but all of them you learn from and grow from. The advice I would give for new designers is that you will have mistakes and things will go wrong, however, if this is something you are passionate about, and something you are meant to do, you have to keep going and keep trying to bring your vision to life. Never stop believing in yourself.
Where would you like to be in 10 years?
I’d like to be expanding the brand more globally and working with people I admire.
Describe your brand in three words.
BSR= BREAK SOME RULES
What was your biggest fear when going out and starting your own line?
I have a tattoo on me that says “Never let your fear decide your fate.”
So whenever I get anxious or have a fear of something I always refer back to that and have the confidence to push through any obstacle that comes our way.
What’s coming up next for you? Tell me what’s your goal?
We have a lot of really exciting collaborations coming out this year and throughout next year with brands that I have looked up to for a long time. Being able to work with them is really inspiring and keeps me pushing forward to grow the brand and to see the vision. My vision and goal for the brand is to have tremendous growth in the women’s streetwear space and to become a brand of our own. Growth is essential in daily life and in business so I am always looking forward to the next project that we are working on. I want to be able to inspire others to have a positive outlook on life and look cute while doing that.
