Photos Courtesy of Andrea Phillips
CHASING ELEPHANTS Written by Marisa Doherty There is no denying that it’s incredibly difficult to break into the world of fashion design. Building a new label from the ground up requires dedication, patience, and an immense amount of work. I cannot begin to imagine the effort involved, but it is a familiar endeavor to Andrea Phillips, founder and designer behind the label AG Phillips. Although the Spring 2015 Collection is only Phillips’ second season, it has been picked up by boutiques such as Tootsies, Elizabeth Anthony Esther Wolf, Jamie, and Hepburn, as well as powerhouse department store, Neiman Marcus. When I have the opportunity to interview her in Houston, Phillips offers me a cup of the Queen Anne tea blend from Fortnum and Mason, a popular department store where she currently lives, in London. As we sip from tea cups, we discuss her imminent return to London, where she will continue to work on her label. Phillips worked as an investment banker before getting her MBA and starting her own company, AG Phillips. My first question for her is how her business background prepared her for her work in fashion. Phillips sets down her tea cup and considers the question. “When I make decisions, I think of the consumer, not necessarily what I want. I have to visualize long-term, because at the end of the day, it has to sell. I think about wearability and price point. I focus on cost and quality, and I always know where our cash is. It’s so easy to run out of cash in this business. I think it impacts all aspects of the design process, so I’m thankful I have that background.” When I ask for more detail about price point, Phillips explains that when pricing her dresses, she prices above the market for contemporary, but below the market for designer. “We use designer fabric, but at a price point that’s in-between. That was a factor I considered when starting the business. There was this void in the market for high quality at a price point that’s less than designer.” “Speaking of starting your business, how exactly did you decide to become a fashion designer” “Well, I never would’ve told you ten years ago that I was going to be a fashion designer. I was going to be the mall to buy stuff for myself, but I didn’t see anything that I loved. I didn’t think there was a high quality fabric for someone who wants to wear it season after season. I knew I wanted to start my own business, and I focused on where my passions were, so that work isn’t just work, it’s fun. At the same time my husband and I moved to Dubai, and at that point, I couldn’t find a corporate job. I wanted to start this business, but I didn’t know when I was going to do it, so I thought, ‘Well, I can wait or start it now.’ It was a lot of intangible factors. I didn’t wake up one day and say, ‘I want to be a fashion designer.’ I don’t know if it ever happens like that, but it didn’t for me.” That sounds like a fairytale to me, and I express this thought to Phillips. “That’s why they say people are accidental entrepreneurs,” she adds. “They become entrepreneurs because of something they realize is lacking or missing in the market.” I ask her about the process. “How long does it take to go from the design stage to creating a prototype” “Well, when I design, I don’t go with a technical sketch and look for fabric. I look for fabric that speaks to me, and then I design around it, instead of going in there thinking that I need to fit this fabric to a certain silhouette. I guess it takes about five to six months.” “And in that time, are you collaborating with your production team” “The whole time.” She takes a moment and elaborates. “Actually, most of that time is spent coordinating with my suppliers. Because everything’s produced from scratch, all of the fabric has to get produced, and that takes six to eight weeks. I would say the first two months are getting the fabric in, and then I spend a month designing, and then two months or so of production. We meet with production, we go over prototypes, and from there, we make changes. Then the sales season begins, we take those prototypes and show them to buyers, and the buyers let