When did you start Boyko and tell me a little bit about your brand?
I officially launched Boyko May of 2022. I went to school at Parsons for apparel design but actually ended up working professionally in footwear for most of my career. I never lost my love of making clothes and have always really wanted to start my own label. I started making my own patterns and hot gluing them together when I was about8 and then my mom felt it was time to get me into a sewing class. I took a few and learned the basics and it all kind of unfolded from there and I really fell in love with fashion design. I fully funded Boyko with my own savings which was really terrifying but also a proud moment for me. I drafted my own patterns and made my own samples to cut costs, but it's also just part of my process and I love it! My designs always change once I get from sketch to 3d and I am able to perfect it more than if I had someone else working on the development side of it. So I intend to make my own samples forever hopefully! I wanted to create something that was whimsical and lighthearted, but still elevated and high quality and I think I have achieved that! Everything is made ethically and domestically in DTLA which was super important to me, but also extremely challenging! Finding a factory that was willing to take a chance on me and allow me to produce small batches was far more challenging than I had anticipated. Manufacturing small batch was an important sustainable aspect for me. I've worked in corporate fashion for a decade, and while all of these new sustainable materials are really incredible, over production is SUCH an issue. Consumers don't see the side I have seen. We design things, put them into production, make WAY too many, or it gets cancelled etc. That personally to me was something I felt strongly about avoiding.
What is a typical day like for you?
I still work full time as a footwear designer to financially support myself on top of running my brand. So, typically I wake up around 6:30-7 and take my dogs to the dog beach for about an hour because it's truly the one thing that relaxes me and it's such a happy way to start my day. I start full time work at 9 and 2-3 days a week go up to LA to my factory to review/approve things and visit my suppliers on my lunch break. I wrap up work around 5 and then dive into work for Boyko. Since I still work full time I dedicate my evenings/ nights to Boyko. A lot of nights I'm in bed late working on my laptop. It's hard to manage at times but hopefully it will pay off!
What Boyko piece do you wear the most?
Personally, I get the most wear out of the Mccoy pants and the Checkered Bexley trench coat. I am a big fan of trenches. I feel like they are so easy to make a fun outfit out of. You can wear something easy underneath and have the trench be the whole outfit! That specific one is 14 oz canvas and it's a really amazing weight and breathable to keep on and not always have to take it off everywhere you go. The Mccoy pants speak for themselve I think! They are super soft 100% cotton, they make a statement, and I find them really easy to dress up or down. It's probably why they are my best sellers!
Favorite color combo of the moment?
OOOOf this is hard for me ha. I have a ton of fun messing around with unexpected color combos. Last year I was wearing a lot of purple and red and I have sort of bounced back to that this season. But my foolproof all time favorite will always be kelly green and cerulean blue. I think it's just such a fun color block combo and I always like the contrast with my red hair.
What are you listening to or watching while you work?
I love music and think it's truly the art form that connects us all. I think it is so important and I love listening to tons of different genres. I was raised by two parents who love music and a dad who would constantly quiz us on the name of the band, the drummer, the lead singer, what album the song was from etc, so I grew up with a real love and respect for music and musicians. I am almost always listening to music while I work, but if it's not music it's 100% some trash bravo show in the background. I know it's garbage but it is also heaven to me and I have no shame in that game.
What feels luxurious to you for the holidays?
I feel like I wear a lot more jewelry than I typically do during the holidays and that's something that feels luxurious to me. I love nice jewelry, but I find myself reaching for it a lot more during the holiday seasons! My Lawn party pearl necklace has proven to be a major hit this holiday party season!
( Haley is wearing an LP Pearl Wrap)
Thanks for being a friend of LP, Haley!
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