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Designer Jade McFadden: When You Love What You Do You Feel Empowered

Designer Jade McFaddenLovely to have you here, Jade. Tell us your story. Where does your natural creative flare come from and what is it about the fashion world that attracted you? My love and passion for fashion began when I was a young child. My mother, who passed away when I was 10, was my fashion icon! I wanted to be just like her! She was very much into the fashion & beauty industry. She always dressed nicely, wore very nice clothes, shoes, jewelry, bags, and always had her nails and hair done! She also always wore very nice perfume! My father, who is now deceased, also had a great sense of style. He was athletic, but also wore nice suits & ties, hats, shoes, and wore nice cologne, as well. When I was a kid, I would sketch designs and I said one day I would be a fashion designer! I mean, I literally had it all planned out in my head, from presentation to potential investors/buyers… “What would Jade McFadden say to people who were interested in her brand?” (laughing) It’s so funny to look back and think about everything. It took me a long time to get here, from sketching as a kid, to styling models for fashion shows, commercials, and various events, to being a fashion contributor, to freelance designing my first collection in 2014, to actually starting the brand last year in 2018.

 

How did the idea and concept of JM-Jade McFadden come to fruition? Well, my business partner, Ozzy and I started the brand on May 23, 2018 and we didn’t actually launch the website until November 17th, but during that time I knew I wanted the brand to be unique! I asked myself, “What can you do to make your brand stand out and be different from the rest?” So, that’s why my fashion & lifestyle brand caters to women, men, & kids. From clothing, bags, furniture pieces, homeware, to travel pieces! It’s what I call an “Affordable Luxury ” brand. Meaning, there are pieces that are inexpensive and some that are more expensive. For me, it’s about quality, classiness, but also a little edge and of course, creativity!

How does a perfect day of designer Jade McFadden look like? Starbucks, sewing machine, sketch book, notebook, laptop, cell phone, and music to keep me going during the late nights/early mornings! Oh, and notification alerts from my phone/email of new sales! (smiling).

What do you enjoy most about doing what you do? The ambition and creative space to continue my dreams! When you love what you do, you feel empowered! And even though, I still have a very long road ahead of me in this industry, I proud of myself for even making this far! I must keep going. I’ve overcome many obstacles and I know with God, a solid team/business partner,  and a lot of hard work, I will one day get to the level of success that I’ve dreamt of.

What was the first article of clothing you have designed? Hmmm, I don’t know the very first article, because I started years ago, but I will say one of the first pieces in my freelance collection was a red midi pencil skirt. I love pencil skirts! (laughing).

Designer Jade McFadden

What makes JM-Jade McFadden different from other fashion brands? What is your brands philosophy? I’m one of the first female designers ever with a brand that is named solely after herself, that designs for both genders. I created my own lane! My fashion & lifestyle brand is International (Global) and it caters to women, men, and kids. It’s very rare that you see men confidently wearing a female designer’s name on themselves. I wanted to change that and make History! I mean, I literally design boxer briefs and ties, amongst dailywear and high-end pieces. What other female designer is doing this?! I think it’s very cool! It’s a lot of work designing for both genders, but I love it! I also love designing bags, jewelry, and home & living products (furniture, homeware, luggage, & etc.) I feel like there is something for everyone (infant to adults). Various sizes and styles! I’d say my designs are “Vintage-Inspiration, Mod-Liberation”. Meaning, you get the both of best worlds. It’s very clean, classic, chic, creative, fun, bold, yet mysterious! Black is my favorite color, but I absolutely love to throw in the element of surprise with some pieces. Ex; You may think a piece is one color, but there is that special accent color/design in the back or somewhere else on the piece. Expect the unexpected.  😉

What are your biggest challenges as a fashion-business person? What is something you would like to change in today’s industry? I’d say the biggest challenges are getting the brand out there… gaining respect as an emerging female designer and constantly marketing your brand.

Something I’d like to change is what I’m already working on and have created… which is more men buying and feeling more confident wearing a female designer’s name on them.

Designer Jade McFaddenHow long does it usually take you to design a collection? Briefly describe your design process from picking out fabrics to production and putting on shop.

It depends. If I design some pieces on my computer (design the pattern, fabrics, proper measurements, and etc.) it could take days to weeks to complete. If I’m doing the collection in-house, or with my partnering manufacturers who are based in the U.S., Europe, & China, it could take weeks to a couple of months.

How do you select fabrics and embellishments for your collections? What catches your attention and what you do prefer? I usually go by what vibe I’m feeling and the concept I’m going with each collection.  Ex; If I’m going with accented gold/silver or animal print, then that’s what type of embellishments I will produce.  If I’m going with black with a little neon, then neon hot pink and neone green would be the embellishment. Black would be the base color.

What catches my attention and what I prefer the most is a mixture of Black & White, Monochrome, or Black & Gold, Black & Silver, Black & Jade Green, Black & Soft Pastel Colors, Black & Neon, or Black & Floral or Damask Print! 🙂

Name three most popular pieces in JM-Jade McFadden shop. Hmmm, since my brand is so broad, I can’t name just three…(laughing).The JM Company Classic Designer Shoulder Handbag, JM Company Barrel Bags & JM Company Clutch Bags, Men’s JM Company Designer Chest Bag, JM Company Duffle Bags, The JM Cap “Dad Hat”, The Men’s JM Company Baseball Jersey, Marble Swivel Suitcases, JM Designer Stainless Steel Watches, The “Literally.” Shirts, JM Kimono Robes, Pencil Skirts & Crepe Skirts, Slip Dresses, Men’s Button-Up Shirts & Men’s JM Polo-Style Shirts, Men’s Ties, Men’s Boxer Briefs, Infant Onesies, Sunglasses, Swimwear, JM Company Accent Chairs & Footstools

Jade, what item in stock is your personal favorite? Do you enjoy wearing your label? Honestly, I can’t even tell you my favorite personal item currently in stock, because I love them all! (laughing) But, what I will tell you, is the one item that I wear/carry with my wardrobe on a regular basis, and that’s the JM Company Classic Designer Shoulder Handbag! 🙂 It’s chic and stylish, and pretty much goes with almost everything I wear, most times! Oh, and it’s also vegan-friendly.

And yes, I enjoy wearing my own label. It’s a sense of accomplishment (misling).

Where can we find JM-Jade McFadden? www.JadeMcFadden.com, Facebook @JMJadeMcFadden, Instagram @JMJadeMcFadden.

What are some important things you want your potential clients to know about JM-Jade McFadden? The JM-Jade McFadden brand is for everyone/anyone who is stylish, classy, cool, confident, and not afraid to take risks. It’s for people who are totally into my “Vintage-Inspiration, Mod-Liberation” type of vibe. Blending both worlds together as one. 🙂

How do you go about getting your brand known? Lots and lots of marketing/promoting! Social media really helps, but I’m always thinking of other ways to get the brand out there!

What can we expect from JM-Jade McFadden in the future? Shoes, beauty products, grooming kits, and so much more! I can’t say too much, but just know that this is only the beginning. This brand will expand in other fields!

I also hope more pieces will be featured and worn at Awards Shows/TV. Years ago, way before the brand was launched, I told people that one day, that one day they would see my designs at Awards Shows/TV, and this is literally happening! The Soul Central Awards will be held in Las Vegas. It is an International Showcase (May 24th-May 26th) with various music artists from around the world! I was asked by a former NBA Player to become a Sponsor! Many of my products will be featured and included in the VIP Gift Bags.

I also hope to have an amazing fashion show of my own in the future! Sometimes, I sit and watch fashion shows on TV from highly respected designers and I hope that one day, that will be me!

 

Share your wildest work story.My wildest work story was before I actually launched the website, I started out with about 4 or 5 designs/pieces in May of last year, when the website was launched in November, I had 175-200 designs/pieces.

I remember listening to specific songs that really motivated me and people who doubted me, also motivated me. To them, I say, “Thank you!” (smiling).

Designer Jade McFaddenWhat do you do and where do you go to seek artistic inspiration? Usually the bookstore… I read different books and magazines!

What are your thoughts about the future of sustainable & eco fashion? I think more designers will have  more vegan-friendly/organic products in their collections will be in the near future. It’s already a trend now, but I feel like more high-end, sustainable and eco-fashion products/collections will be recognized and appreciated than presently.

What would be your advice for people wanting to launch their own fashion label? Work hard, keep the ambition, don’t lose yourself, stay true to your brand, try to keep a notebook/notepad/sketchbook with you, because you never know what moment you’ll feel even more inspired than you already are! It will be a lot of work, time, energy, and can be very costly, but save up as much as you can, reach out to potential investors, and market/promote your brand! And most importantly, keep your Faith and never give up!

Two things you love about fashion, one thing you hate. The creativity and the power to “Make a statement without saying a word.”

What is something you want less of and more of in your life? Less bills (laughing)! More Brand Awareness/Recognition.

Tell one surprising fact about yourself. I sometimes refer to myself as “The Little Engine That Could”, because I’m only 4’11 (smiling).

Just like the story, I believe in hard work and optimism.

Thank you, Jade.

Published in 2019 June Vol I: ORDER NOW


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