A degree in business mixed with a passion for vintage fashion equaled the perfect career choice for Steven Dick. Steven is the man behind Rehab Clothing, the vintage clothing line from Glasgow making waves on one of fashion’s biggest websites, ASOS.com.
Hi Steven, so how did Rehab Clothing get started up?
I graduated with a business Honours degree in June and I decided to go travelling after. It was during this time I decided to start up Rehab Clothing. I had an interest in starting my own business from my studies and always maintained an interest in the fashion industry. As a keen vintage shopper myself I spotted an opportunity in the marketplace where we could add value. Rehab Clothing was formed in October and we launched officially on December 21st.
What personal skills are useful when starting a business?
The ability to self-manage is key. If you can successfully time manage and structure yourself, this will be a strong foundation to build upon. Surrounding yourself with the right people is a vital skill many people overlook; you will never be able to complete everything on your own so it’s beneficial to find those who can give you good advice, support you and help motivate you. This can be friends, family or many of the government provided support advice lines.
Is there any advice you would give to people who are thinking about starting up their own clothing line?
Find your intended customer or market and stay committed to your vision and direction. Surround yourself with people who can help you build strong relationships: suppliers, commercial business partners and support staff/personnel will all be crucial in this marketplace. The clothing market is huge as well as timeless; the key to establishing your place is to forge relationships that will help your business take off and stand out.
What’s the best advice anyone ever gave you?
Stay committed and learn from your mistakes. Simple but so often businesses don’t learn to adapt and stay on point by learning from mistakes or opportunities.
What skills are necessary when working within the fashion industry?
The ability to know the current and future trends and style your lines to appeal to your market. Involve people who can add value to your styling. Keep costs down, and use social networking and media sites to market and maintain strong relationships.
What are the best and worst things about the industry?
The fashion industry is dynamic, it never stands still. We operate in a vintage marketplace where the vintage trends derive from past decades but this is forever changing with new twists and styles. And there is no worst thing when you love what you do – only that it is demanding and hard work.
Vintage clothing is hugely popular at the moment – what makes it so special?
Vintage clothing is so popular because people love the individualism of one off vintage pieces that are not mass-produced. The quality of vintage clothing is often superior to today’s fast-fashion garments that are designed and made to last 3-4 washes. We live in a age that is obsessed the fashion of decades gone by – people love to wear the vintage clothing from our much loved fashion decades.
What trends are you predicting will be big in Spring/Summer ’13?
Monochrome designs, floral prints, checkerboard squares, graphic prints, 60s dresses and vintage denim.
Finally, if you could choose one celebrity to be the face of Rehab Clothing, who would it be?
Alexa Chung.
Thanks Steven!
You can see Rehab Clothing’s fab pieces on ASOS.com, or on their Facebook page here.
If you’re a vintage lover, you can use the promo code: REHAB112 to get 10% off your next purchase from Rehab Clothing.
