Photo by Suzy Gorman
When we spoke with Kathleen Bibbins, the newly appointed executive director of the Saint Louis Fashion Fund, it was her second week in the new position.
"It's actually my eighth day on the job," she told us in late March. "I have a million things bouncing around my head."
A former independent business consultant and vice president at sales and marketing company Maritz, Bibbins is now responsible for recruiting and managing the Fashion Fund's incubator designers, who are part of the organization's two-year program to help them launch and grow their fashion careers. Below, Bibbins discusses her goals within her new role and revitalizing the Garment District on Washington Avenue, which she believes is crucial to making St. Louis a fashion destination.
You have an extensive background in business and corporate strategy. How do you hope to apply that to your new role? When I found out about the job, one of the things I absolutely loved about it was that it [involved] everything I have done in the corporate world. I really feel that what I have learned and what I have experienced is completely applicable to the Fashion Fund. I basically plan to apply the tenets of that background—from strategy, project management, operations, marketing—to the Fund. Although it’s a nonprofit, I think those principals apply in making the Fund an ongoing success and growing it over time.
What led you to decide to take on this role as Fashion Fund executive director? It came to me at an ideal time. I feel like this role was made for me. When I read the description, I felt like, “Oh my god, this is my job.” I think my career, both in the corporate world but also over the last several years, I have done a lot of entrepreneurial stuff, which really gives me a unique foundation for leading the Fashion Fund. I am a non-native St. Louisan. I have been here now for about 30 years, off and on. I have lived overseas a bit, but I always came back here and have grown to love this adoptive city of mine. The opportunity to work on the revitalization of the Garment District is just really exciting. I like to say fashion is in my DNA. It really feels like this opportunity came at a perfect time for me.
What are some of your goals for the Fashion Fund? Well, as you know, I am brand new to the organization. It's actually my eighth day on the job. I have a million things bouncing around my head that I am thinking about... I feel like the primary goals are ensuring the designers in the incubator continue to grow, that their businesses grow and they enjoy the success of their brand. I would really like to broaden the footprint of the Fashion Fund across St. Louis, into the fashion and design community, just more broadly than where we are right now. I think we need to continue to create programming events that not only benefit our mission, but help to strengthen and enhance our fashion forward reputation that the Fund has created in the short time we have been in existence.
How do you hope the St. Louis fashion scene will evolve? I think that the revitalization of the Garment District is just huge... where you have residents and tourists and they see this area, the Garment District, as a destination for shopping and dining and just enjoying a day or evening out. That’s where I would like to see it evolve, and I think we are on the way to doing that.
What do you see as key components for the success of positioning St. Louis as an epicenter for fashion and design? I think it is a combination, and I like to wrap it up into ensuring that we have a fashion ecosystem here. We have a lot of it now, but we don’t have all of the parts in quantity, if you will. You have to have sewers, and pattern makers, and manufacturing production facilities. You have to have models, and stylists, and photographers and all of that so people can come here and use it. I think we definitely have that, but I it needs to grow on a larger scale for it to really become a fashion hub.
What do you see as important factors in attracting new talents to grow their business in St. Louis, or maintaining the talent already in St. Louis? I just think we need to bolster the resources across the board in order to attract talent. I think it takes time, but that is what we are trying to move toward. I think if you get this Garment District here revitalized, and you have shops and coffee shops, then it becomes a really fun place for people to go in St. Louis. Like the [Central] West End, people go there to walk around, and that’s what we need to do here [in the Garment District] as well.
How will you work with the Incubator designers to grow their business and brand? I have already started working closely with them to understand what challenges they have, what successes they have, what their aspirations are for the brand, so I am getting my head around that. I basically use my business knowledge and experience I have, to consult and advise them for growth. I think it’s important to make connections for them and with them to help grow their businesses. Each of the designers is individual and they need different things. I think being able to understand that and bring to them what they need—so that it’s individualized for each of them and where they are in their life cycle—will help of them grow. One might need marketing help or one might need financial help. If I can work with them on that and find the resources to address that, I think that will help them grow.
Photo by Jay Fram
The Saint Louis Fashion Fund's inaugural class of incubator designers
Are there any exciting developments with the Fashion Fund that you can share? I think the most exciting development at this stage is the selection of a design firm to help develop a comprehensive plan to expand and enhance the Garment District. It is really to attract fashion, design, and creative services along this district on Washington Avenue. I think that will really help propel St. Louis back into the spotlight. That is a really big thing that I think is going to make a difference. Also, we don’t have an exact timeline but we are going to be recruiting a next class of designers.
All of the [inaugural] designers have been doing some really great things. Allison Mitchell recently showed her line in Paris and was received really well. Reuben Reuel is going to be featured at Nashville Fashion Week, and he is continuing to expand his online presence. Audra Noyes was recently featured in several publications for her spring/summer 2018 line, and it was shot by photographer Sophie Elgort. Emily Brady Koplar just returned from market in New York City. She showed her spring/summer line in a private showroom in Soho, which was really well received. She is also going to be a key note speaker at Missouri Ventures Forum. Agnes Hamerlik is embarking upon a new class where she is going to be learning waxing and casting. She hopes to develop jewelry, accessories, and handbags to add to her current line.
