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Its ironic, considering the fashion industry was initially unwilling to see it that way.
Channing Smith/Getty
Then ShopBop gave Blackwood his first retail partnershipand the rest is history.
Today, Blackwood has more than proved the naysayers wrong.
How else could the Kendrick trunk go viral while Charlotte carries a Medium Kuei onAnd Just Like That…?
Austin Quinn
Considering Blackwoods monumental success, its unsurprising that those who initially rejected his work have since come crawling back.
One huge department store literally emailed me on the thread from 2017, Blackwood recalls with a laugh.
I was like, Arent you embarrassed?
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Glamour:Whats your typical morning routine?
Brandon Blackwood:Okay, this is sad.
I wake up at 10 a.m. every morning, because I normally stay up until 4 a.m. working.
Then, this is so gross, but I drink one iced coffee, plain.
I take my multivitamins, and then I have a smoothie.
What kind of smoothie?
I go to,whats the name of it?Pressed Juicery, or I have it delivered.
I literally have it on auto deliver.
Im going to pull it up right now.
Im opening my Uber Eats.
A mango passion smoothie with extra spirulina, and I substitute the almond milk with coconut water.
What was your childhood dream job?
What Im doing now.
That happened during the holidays, Thanksgiving, Christmas, when everyone was here.
I would do whole productionsmakeup, hair, and the clothes.
So when the music videos played, they would walk, because I was limited with my CDs.
What was your first paying job?
I was at the barista at the…oh, my God, Choice Market.
And what was your first job in fashion?
It wasnt a job.
It was an internship atNylon.
Have you ever faced rejection in your field?
If so, how did you deal with it?
All the department stores.
All the stores said no.
They saw the stuff, and it was literally stuff that I still sell now.
Everyone said no until Shopbop decided to pick me up.
They were the first store.
All the stores Im in now have said no to me.
What is the best piece of money or career advice youve ever gotten?
All my friends who have had really successful businesses would tell me the same thing.
Which was one, never keep too much liquid cash, and always reinvest.
Her name isSupa Cent.
She was a waiter who now owns a multimillion-dollar makeup company, and Black-owned.
She always says, Stop thinking your stuff selling out or stuff out of stock is a flex.
Do you know what I mean?
If people want it, they should be able to go and click and purchase it.
Never run out of product.
I was like, Noted.
What is your go-to work outfit or piece?
My last birthday, actually, I went to the office and everyone dressed like me.
Its a New York Yankees cap.
I dont even watch baseball, but I just like how they look, and they go with everything.
So, New York Yankee cap, an oversized white T-shirt, and black jeans.
That is my go-to.
If you see me in that, Im going to work or Im just off of work.
Its comfy and it works for everything.
You dont have to think about it.
New York Yankees Classic Baseball Hat
Urban Outfitters
Explain the moment you realized, Okay, Imactuallysuccessful.
They were very excited to own it and have it, shit I literally put my name on.
That made me cry so much.
That was a really big moment.
I waited until all my employees left, and I just started sobbing.
That was a moment where I was like, Oh, shit, this is a real thing.
I think this was in Europe.
Maybe it was in Paris.
There was fog inside the shopyou know when the windows get foggy?
And I made it.
So the inspiration comes from everywhere.
How would you describe the design process?
Its gotten easier over the time.
Before I had to really sketch out every little detail.
My factory has literally grown because of the brand in size, and they bought their neighboring factory.
Its been such a symbiotic relationship.
And they know exactly what I mean.
We just get each other so well now, so its gotten easier over time.
Its learning while creating.
Im very hands on with it.
I like seeing the shipped sample and then tweaking it from there.
I have to be there [in person].
Everyone jokes Im in the office every day; when I tell people that, theyre shocked.
Im like, What do you mean?
You have to be there!
What is your go-to thank-you gift for colleagues and friends?
I always send them flowers afterwards, and theyre always like, Oh, my God, thank you.
People just dont do anymore.
I love, love, love sending flowers.
What are some work essentials that you cant live without?
I never use my laptop, which is really funny.
I design everything from my phone, so I always need my phone.
We have more snacks than pens.
More snacks stored in utility closets.
But the one thing I need is my green teas.
Everything else, go for it.
I need it every morning.
And good, comfy furniture.
I dont like stuffy office furniture.
My go-to treat would definitely beHydraFacialsfor sure.
If its a daily thing, I love, love, love, love, love ZZs Clam Bar.
If Im celebrating, I always go there.
Or a really good bottle of Sauvignon Blanc.
Whose stories will you never skip over on Instagram?
It is funniest thing ever.Mario Abad fromPaper,his IG Stories are fucking hilarious and amazing.
He does such great fashion commentary.
Im like, yes!
Anyone whos unfiltered, whos like, Yeah, well, fuck this.
That’s what I love.
I hate the fake, Im going to look perfect on Instagram.
Just be a little chaotic.
Thats what were all here for.
Get the fuck out here with your coffee and croissant, you know what I mean?
I need puppy photos and hot takes on celeb events.
Fill in the blank.
People would be happier doing their work if…
If they realized how important their job is.
People dont realize how important they are within their company.
Thats something that people need to focus more on.
Finally, if you werent in your current career, what do you think you would be doing?
Literally my office space, when people come in, its almost a little insulting.
Theyre like, You designed it yourself?
Im like, Yeah.
And theyre like, Wait, what?
I mean, from custom furniture, to artwork, to colors…I love it.
My house was inDomino Magazine.They were like, Wait, you didnt hire an interior designer?
They went to get quotes from the interior designer, and I was like, No.
I really love it.
Its my calming moment.
I just love a good comfy space.
Do you think you would ever have a Brandon Blackwood home line?
My psychic told me thats my next venture, so well see.
