Dressed from head to toe in bright green snake print, Bailey Harrison stood proudly next to her latest collection on display at her trunk show at Elizabeth W, a trendy, on-beat women’s clothing boutique in Dallas. As she made her way through the crowd, she stopped to greet her customers by name, selecting pieces she believed best suited them.
Bailey Harrison grew up in Dallas, Texas where she attended TCU and studied fashion merchandising. When she learned to sew in college, she started designing. Studying fashion pushed her to begin making her own pieces, and she fell in love with the process of materializing her ideas into something tangible. She made her first piece 8 years ago, which was featured in her first collection.
“It’s one of those things that is such an escape and you can’t think about anything else,” said Harrison. “Hours would go by and I wouldn’t even notice.”
Harrison has a major soft spot for keeping the earth clean. She centers her brand around sustainability, striving to create timeless styles that her customers will want to keep around and wear over and over again. She has learned that the fashion industry can be very wasteful, which is why being eco-conscious is the foundation of her line.
“As a business owner, I believe it’s my responsibility to create a brand that is as sustainable and environmentally friendly as possible,” said Harrison. “It’s not always easy but something that I believe is worth it for the greater good.”
Harrison wanted her first line to be a capsule collection. It was characterized by clean lines and neutral colors, everyday pieces for the typical Dallas businesswoman. Since then, she has started creating trendier pieces, adding more pattern and color, but still keeping with her classic and timeless style.
Owning and running her own fashion label, explained Harrison, isn’t all trunk shows and rainbows. There are many things that can go wrong, but she has learned to laugh off the setbacks and keep creating.
“One time a pattern maker mixed up the trim and fabric that I had asked her to put on and it was completely different colors, completely different seasons,” said Harrison. “The dress was so funny I couldn’t stop laughing at the idea of her thinking this is what I asked.”
Harrison names the dynamic women in her life as her inspiration. From Coco Chanel to her own grandmother and mother, she’s had many powerhouse women role models to look up to. And her trunk show was bustling with women just like that. The show had a great turnout and set the stage for Bailey Harrison to continue to grow as a label.
“Dallas is such a supportive city and a great place to build a brand,” said Harrison. “The women in my life have been really awesome and I’m so lucky to know so many inspiring people.”
Check out more from Bailey Harrison here.
