Alumni
Grad Named to 2021 Forbes 30 Under 30 List
Born and raised in Southern California to two immigrant parents from Panama, Jasmine Rennie knew she wanted to be an artist from a young age. “I was always creative and looked for any opportunity to make something,” she said, “but it wasn’t until high school that I started getting into fashion.” After receiving a degree in Apparel Industry Management in 2011, she worked as a Sales Manager for Open Showroom before becoming an entrepreneur. In 2016, Jasmine founded Gracemade, a faith-driven lifestyle brand featuring a "fashion-forward interpretation of modest apparel" that’s ethically made and manufactured locally in Los Angeles. The company, which has been featured in publications such as Harper’s Bazaar and InStyle, eventually caught the eye of Forbes, which recently named Jasmine to their 2021 30 Under 30 list in the Art & Style category. We recently chatted with the 29-year-old CEO to learn more about this pivotal moment.
How did you find out you'd made the 2021 Forbes 30 Under 30 list? What did it feel like? I found out I made Forbes 30 under 30 list by email the same day the list went live. I was so confused because there was no prior notice that I would be on the list so it all hit me at once! I was kind of in disbelief for the first few hours because it just felt so unreal. Not only have I always wanted to be on the list, but as a 29-year-old, this is the last year I could qualify, which made it that more awesome!
What are the biggest challenges and greatest rewards of entrepreneurship? One of the biggest challenges of entrepreneurship is to simply keep going. There have been so many times that I've wanted to give up because I wasn't getting the results I wanted fast enough, and it just felt like what I was doing wasn't really making a difference. But I'm so glad I stuck it out and endured those difficult seasons because it's so rewarding to see things come together and to be recognized by publications like Forbes.
Tell us about the ethical and sustainable aspects of your business: When I started Gracemade ethical production was something that was really important to me. I wanted to know that the people producing our clothing were working in a safe environment and were treated with kindness and paid fairly. Later down the line I began to learn more about sustainability and started to look for ways to incorporate it into the collection. We did this by upcycling deadstock fabric and including sustainable fibers like linen, organic cotton, and hemp.
How does it feel to fill a niche in the industry? What kind of feedback do you hear from your customers? I feel that being a niche brand in the industry really gives us an edge over our competitors. The fashion industry is so oversaturated and there are so many brands vying for attention, but having a story and a mission behind what we do really connects to the hearts of our customers. We constantly hear how inspired and moved they are by the story behind the brand.
Where do you see the future of Gracemade headed? If someone would have told me the opportunities that would have opened up for the brand when I started I would have laughed because it's been such an unexpected but exciting journey — and I feel that about the future of the brand too, that there are things coming that I could never even imagine. But if I were to look ahead with my finite mind I would say I see Gracemade expanding into a lifestyle brand, growing our wholesale business, and continuing to counter the culture through forward modest fashion.
What was your path to FIDM? One day in my high school interior design class a recruiter from FIDM came in and spoke to us about the school. Although she was there to mainly present the Interior Design program, the fashion majors really sparked my attention. The idea that I could go to school for something that I was actually interested in made me excited about the idea of college. After the presentation, I was so inspired that I did a tour of the Los Angeles campus and began making plans to attend right after high school.
What were some of your favorite FIDM memories? My favorite FIDM memories all involve the friends I made. Whether it be in a group project or the classmate that I sat next to and became lifelong friends with; it's so inspiring to be surrounded by ambitious creatives who get you.
Any lessons you still use in your career today? There are so many things that I learned at FIDM that have been useful throughout my career. I still reference the books from my classes in my business today! I guess you can say I got my money's worth.
Learn more at thegracemade.com and on Instagram @thegracemade.
Categories: Apparel Industry Management Alumni
