Fashion and style occupied the Arnold School of Public Health Tuesday as the USC Fashion Board hosted its annual symposium.
The board consisted of a panel of three fashion industry professionals, who spoke to students about their collective experiences in starting and managing their own fashion companies around the Columbia area.
The panel included Rip Scott, director of marketing and brand development at Alta Gracia Apparel; Debbie McDaniels, the owner and founder of Revente Boutique; and Jeff Plotner, founder of Brackish Bow Ties.
Scott’s company, Alta Gracia Apparel, markets itself as the only clothing factory in the world that pays its workers a “living wage,” which is over three times the minimum wage, according to its website. The Spartanburg-based company has its factory in the Dominican Republic and supplies college apparel to a number of schools around the United States.
“We do want to make great apparel,” Scott said. “And we believe it starts with how we treat our workers.”
Scott also reflected on the company’s ethos within its corporate offices, where it only employs a
few workers.
“When you’ve got a team of three to seven people, you really need to invest in them,” Scott said.
“When you see them grow and take off on their own, it’s a very satisfying feeling.”
McDaniels, on the other hand, provided her perspective from a strictly brick-and-mortar retail operation in Columbia. Revente Boutique, her company, offers consignment options for women’s fashion, encouraging women to trade in their outdated fashion for a partial refund. Consignors also have the option to donate unsold items to the Revente’s Second Chances section, which benefits The Women’s Shelter.
McDaniels spoke primarily about the experiences of transitioning from a basic retail position to the role of a manager and owner. She also talked about the community atmosphere fostered between local businesses, even in competition.
“As long as you’re not opening across the street from me, I’m happy to give anyone advice,” McDaniels said. “That’s especially true if you’re in men’s or children’s or furniture.”
Plotner’s company, Brackish Bow Ties, also focused on the concept of quality over quantity. Brackish features handcrafted bow ties composed entirely out of feathers. All of the ties are made by hand by local artisans in the Charleston area.
Brackish was recently thrust into the local and national spotlight by film star Bill Murray, who was seen sporting one of its bow ties at the 2014 Oscars.
“When something like that happens, you really have to hustle,” Plotner said. “If you just sit back and smile, this probably isn’t the business you should be in.”
Plotner described a day of frantic emails and phone calls during which he sought to capitalize fully on the opportunity that Murray’s showcase had presented them.
“You really have to be committed to what you’re doing,” Plotner said.