Fashion Design Grad Featured on The Zoe Report
Fashion Design Graduate Ashli Parker Fell is the designer and creator of the new made-to-order, limited-edition handbag line, if i fell, recently featured in The Zoe Report.
When did you start if i fell? During my 12-year career as a designer for companies, I knew I wanted my own line one day. The time had come when someone reached out to me via Instagram and asked me if I was showing at New York Fashion Week for Spring/Summer 2019. That was the catalyst. I knew I wanted my name to be a part of the brand but not obvious. My father is a Beatles fan, so he said what about “If I Fell," referring to the song, and it immediately felt right. Not knowing exactly what I was going to make, I registered the business name in May of 2018, and started making bags by July.
How did being featured on The Zoe Report come about? I knew I wanted to make the product so good that I wouldn't have to pay people to talk about it. I cannot afford PR or paid posts, so I started reaching out to stylists, women, fashion leaders, and influencers I knew would just want the bags. I wanted to give them something individual and unique–the option to choose their own color to make something just for them makes the experience more personal and worth writing about. Alyssa Coscarelli at Refinery29 came to mind, she chose a shiny patent red Fell Bag. I had it made in five days and two weeks later, her best friend, Lauren Caruso tagged me in twice in posts while carrying it during Fashion Week. Lauren is the managing editor at The Zoe Report, and a week later, a freelance writer for TZR asking if they could feature me in an article about up and coming handbag brands.
What sets your line apart from others? First off, I want my brand ethos to be transparent about the process, and I take pride in working with vendors in a positive and ecologic way. I just started so I can’t wait to do this on a larger scale. Being exposed to the industry this long, I have seen some really upsetting things with the waste, treatment of workers, and animals. Fashion should be inspiring and enjoyable, so my brand is about celebrating that, and of course, color and shape. My swimwear design background has trained my eye for color and that sets the mood. It is the first thing people see. My shapes are "go-to" focused styles that you must have and resort to with every look.
Do you think we will see more made to order pieces and lines versus mass production? I think we will, but that is going to take some time with the fashion giants being such a huge part of the economy and people wanting things in the moment. There is definitely a circle of brands doing custom and made-to-order on Instagram and we all support each other. It's great. So to me, it's starting to feel like a movement, bringing “craft” back to the industry and taking the time to make something special that people don’t want to throw away eventually.
How did FIDM help prepare you for entrepreneurship? I also did the 3rd year Advanced Fashion Design degree program, and participated in DEBUT 2006. Making a line from scratch and preparing for DEBUT was like boot camp. There were some tears during those months but I loved being in school with the 100 percent creative freedom. It taught me ownership, to persevere, to bounce back if I’m down, and just keep going. You never stop learning in this industry and when you love something like that, you are going to do it regardless.
Keep up with Ashli on Instagram @if__i__fell or visit ififell.com
Categories: Fashion Design
