Gouw quit his salaried job at the marketing firm. Her boss was confused and for some reason poked softly. Gouw believes honesty is the best policy. She wants to spend more time crocheting. “I really couldn’t keep my eyes on it,” Gouw recalled the exchange. Her boss kindly advised Gouw to spend her weekends crafting. “I was like, ‘No, I can’t do it,'” Gouw said.
That’s because Gouw’s original pop hobby unexpectedly blossomed into a full-fledged brand of hats, bikini suits and tops called Memorial Day. Bella Hadid, Rihanna, Dua Lipa and other bold names wearing one-on-one pieces from Gouw were sold out. Gouw soon found himself having trouble keeping up with orders, so he hired his mother, who lives in Indonesia, to help with the practical tasks.
Fast forward to today, Gouw is now in Indonesia Have a growing network of friends, family and artisans. Running a brand with no design or commercial experience can certainly be challenging, says the designer, who uses text and FaceTime for quality control. “Some days I want to opt out rather than wondering, ‘Am I making enough money this month?'” she said. But she doubts she will return to a more stable and predictable full-time job anytime soon. “I wouldn’t trade it,” she said of giving up her 9-to-5 life to run her own business. “I’ll complain! But I’ll still be here.”
Welcome to the post-pandemic fashion world. Quite a few hot little brands launched during the pandemic — and surprisingly, their popularity and effectiveness have only grown since then. Most of these new, hot brands are run by 20-somethings with extensive experience in design or business. Praying, a satirical brand founded by software engineer and architect; Ian Charms, a “kidcore” accessories brand led by former reality TV production assistant Lisa Sahakian; corset-obsessed brand Fancí Press, turned from famed Depop seller Designer Duy Tran is at the helm. This group of new designers turned their hobby into a fresh start.
“Neither of us like our jobs very much,” says Alex Haddad, who was in 030 and Friend Skylar Newman. So when their offices turned to remote work, architect Haddad and software engineer Newman set out to design t-shirts and sweatshirts designed to go viral. A pair of jeans, for example, would feature portraits of Brad Pitt and Angelina, as well as the nickname “Brangelina” at their peak. TikTok star Addison Rae sparked a flurry of discussion and controversy when she wore the brand’s popular “Holy Trinity” bikini suit. Some members of the Christian community have claimed that it is “blasphemous” to wear bras emblazoned with “Father,” “Son” and “Holy Spirit” in strategic locations. Controversy only makes prayer pieces more popular.
