In episode 81, hear how Emily Bracey took what she learned in fashion school in a whole new direction that focuses on timeless, slow fashion, and ethical fashion in her brand Juuney. Inspired by her grandma June’s purposeful and resourceful closet, Emily creates basics that can go from a wedding to naptime and are made to be meaningful for generations.
Juuney was born out of the founder, Emily Bracey’s vision to bring the timeless elegance of her Grandma June’s dress collection to a new generation. Grandma June’s reverence for beauty and fashion imprinted on Emily and she carried that spark of inspiration through college at FIT and into starting Juuney.
“I still think about Grandma June’s closet and the experiences I had with her that shaped my perception of what timeless fashion is. Looking back, I can see that the love and care surrounding my Grandma June’s dresses truly enhanced their beauty and value. I still wear my grandma’s pieces and noticed that most of my friends don’t have pieces that have been passed down.”
I started sewing in early high school, but had been designing since 6th grade when I decided I wanted to be a fashion designer. I went to school at FIT in NYC and realized that the fast fashion world was not for me, but I knew one day if I kept working and saving money I could start my own brand that didn’t hurt the planet and people as much as others.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
- What Emily realized about the fashion industry while studying at FIT
- The inspiration behind the Juuney brand and style
- The pros and cons of using new fabric versus upcycled textiles
- What gives clothes meaning
- How Emily found her development agency and how she knew they were a great fit
- How to know if a factory is actually paying fair wages
- How long (and how many samples) it took to develop the June dress
- How Emily balances running the business, designing, and sewing pieces
- Why you need to treat yourself as a worker and not just as a boss in your small business
- The questions Emily asked to figure out what her wholesale and retail pricing should be
- The nuances of educating consumers on slow fashion as a brand that is selling fashion
People and resources mentioned in this episode:
- Juuney website
- Juuney Instagram
- Maker’s Row – US manufacturing directory
- Blank Canvas – development agency
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