Tyler Talks Fashion: A Kendra Scott Exclusive

By Tyler Martin

Kendra Scott is bringing western to the West Village with the opening of Yellow Rose by Kendra Scott, her latest brand venture that celebrates the style and spirit of Texas. Scott blends her signature aesthetic with the resilience and beauty of the Lone Star State, reimagining modern cowgirl fashion. But beyond the launch of this new store, Scott’s journey as a designer and entrepreneur offers insight for those looking to step into the industry. I had the opportunity to sit down with her to discuss what keeps her brand relevant, her advice for college grads, and how Texas has shaped her success.

TM: What does your brand do to stay relevant and cool?

KS: We are never complacent. If you look at our brand, we are always trying to challenge ourselves every single day and say, ‘How can we surprise and delight our customer today? What thing can we throw in there that will blow her away?’ You look at Kendra Scott even over the last year—think about some of the collabs we’ve had: LoveShackFancy, Dolly Parton, Lainey Wilson… it’s endless. Creating a new brand right now is not happening in retail, and here we are creating a new brand after 22 years in business.

Our goal every day is to be better than we were yesterday, to really listen to our customers and provide something she wants and needs in an innovative and unique way. I think our brand continues to deliver that. We’re just getting started. I feel like I’m at the beginning stages of my company. I’m so excited, and I’m almost 23 years in. I wake up every day, and I cannot wait to continue to run this brand. I love it.

TM: For brands that are hiring, what can college grads do to impress / stand out when looking for a job? What do you want to see?

KS: I always tell people: at Kendra Scott, we hire on heart. You can have a gold-plated resume, but if you don’t have that heart, if you don’t have that way to connect with somebody, then you’re probably not the right fit for our brand because connection is everything here. We say connection first, transaction second.

So I think when you’re interviewing, really be yourself. Tell your story—don’t try to be somebody else for that brand. Bring your authentic story and self to the interview, and that’s gonna shine through. When we’re interviewing people, I tell my team and managers, ‘Don’t just look at what they do, but think about how they’re making you feel in this interview. Do you want this conversation to continue? Are they engaged? Are they really being honest and authentic and real?‘ Be your authentic self, and I promise you’re gonna get a lot further with any brand.

TM: What qualities helped you succeed in the industry?

KS: What I love about this brand is that it’s about this modern Texas cowgirl. She’s got grit, determination, and resilience. She’s gotta pick herself up, dust herself off when she falls off that horse, and get back on it. I think a lot of those traits are what I’ve had and what I wanted to bring to life in this brand. It’s that resilience.

Entrepreneurship is hard—there are peaks and valleys. But every valley has led me to a higher peak. I just had to get through it, and I learned the lessons of those moments, like ‘That’s why I had to go through that tough thing.’ If you’re starting a business just to make money, don’t do it. You’re not going to survive. You’ve gotta love what you do.

I love design. I love making products that make people feel good—not just look good, but feel good. Seeing how somebody can completely transform how they feel about themselves by wearing my designs gets me through the tough moments. And you’ve gotta have a purpose bigger than just making money. Mine was to create a fashion for philanthropy brand that could give back meaningfully to our communities.

We’ve given over $75 million to women and youth charities since 2010. When you think about that, it blows my mind. That’s what drives us—not just building a big brand and making lots of money, but ‘Wow, look at what we’re doing.’ We’re giving millions in research grants for breast cancer and helping children in 42 pediatric hospitals every month. Build something bigger than you, something that leaves an impact. Use the gifts you were given to do good in this world, and success will follow.

TM: How has living in Texas inspired your style and aesthetic, particularly in designing this collection?

KS: It’s such a big part of who I am. I moved to Texas when I was 16 from Wisconsin, and I just immediately loved the style. There was a little bit of this Western edge, but also a confidence. Texans carry themselves differently.

That confidence exuded onto me, being around strong Texas women. I remember reading about Ann Richards, seeing her drive her big-old Cadillac. I bought a yellow Cadillac that looks like the one Ann Richards used to drive. I even have a picture of her in my game room. I think that style is so cool and strong.

Western has been here forever, but now it’s about how we’re curating it—mixing vintage with modern. When you look at the store, it’s the same thing. The furniture we chose has this vintage feel but still has a contemporary edge. That’s what it’s all about. It’s who we are as Texas women and men, I think.