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Many fashion students dream of having their own label one day but having the opportunity to setting it up right after fashion school is not very common. That’s exactly what happened to the Croatian designer Staša Randall (pronounced Stasha).Her graduate collection was among the top three at Dreft Fashion Week, in 2014, and one year later she was listed as one of the top 30 Young Balkan Designers. Based in London since 2015, she sells at multi-brand stores and e-tailers around the globe and has just been back from Bipa Fashion Week in Zagreb, where she was invited to show the Spring/Summer 2019 collection. In this interview, she talks about the challenge of doing everything alone, the most valuable advice received and the plans to scale up the business.
Project M: What motivated you to launch the brand?
Staša Randall: the label was launched in June 2013, back then I was still a student and was always dreaming to have my own brand. During that time, I was working on the first collection called “Triangle” and got great feedback and enquires about it. I decide to launch my own brand so people could buy and wear it to show their unique style.
Project M: What are the biggest challenges you have faced so far?
Staša Randall: Mainly running the business alone. It would be easier to have a co-worker, but I like a challenge and the control of my business. Because I am creative/visual person, it was very hard to understand and organize the logistics and marketing. But I have an amazing friend that helps me with fashion marketing. Plus, I have other very talented friends that are always here to help with different things I need to build up the brand.
Project M: What advice would you share with those thinking about creating a business?
Staša Randall: The most memorable advice I’ve been given was from my mum’s close friend, she taught me a lot about sewing and all the good and bad things that come with owning a fashion brand. She was once a fashion designer for a very famous Croatian clothing factory and she knows so much, so her advice helped me a lot: firstly, that I need to fall to get up again, that I need to learn from my own mistakes, that sometimes I can’t make everything happen by myself and if I work hard and aim high everything is possible.
My own advice to young designers starting their brands would be give 100% on everything because the same will come back to you. Also, be patient, it takes time to build a strong brand!