Transcript - Jeff Karly
Joshua Williams: Welcome to our special Retail Revolution podcast summer series, "Independent Thinkers: The Rise of Generation Z." Each short episode is produced and hosted by Parsons School of Design Fashion Management graduate students, Miloni Kothari and Caitlin Forbes. Each interview features six key questions that will help fashion and retail brands understand the needs, wants, and desires of the rising Gen-Z customer.
Listen to full episodes of Retail Revolution with host Christopher Lacy every Tuesday. Follow us on Instagram @retailrevolutionpodcast and visit RetailRevolutionPodcast.com for more information. Retail Revolution is produced by Joshua Williams.
Caitlin Forbes: Hello, and welcome to another episode of Retail Revolution podcast, our special summer series, "Independent Thinkers: The Rise of Generation Z." I'm your host today, Caitlin Forbes and today's guest is Jeff Karly. Jeff, welcome to the show. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Jeff Karly: Hey, Caitlin. Thank you for having me on the show. My name is Jeff Karly. Again, I'm a Haitian fashion designer and storyteller from Brooklyn, New York.
In 2018, I graduated with a master's degree in Parsons School of Design, with a Strategic Design Management degree. And currently I'm a student in the MPS Fashion Management program. Through my work, both at Parsons and my private label, Unique Expozzure. I explore the dichotomies within the context of the black experience and how we were raised, and how that promotes through my brand Unique Expozzure.
Caitlin Forbes: Amazing! So, let's get into talking about fashion and the retail landscape. When you look at fashion in total right now, what brands do you think you want to contribute your skills to, and that are standing out?
Jeff Karly: Good question. I could name like two, if that could work. So, one is from the luxury perspective. So, I definitely have a fascination with Gucci and the prestige and heritage there. And also, just some of the mistakes that were made recently, I think there's an opportunity there for them to really dig into their core values of inclusivity and diversity. So one is Gucci.
The other one would be A-Cold-Wall by Samuel Ross. The way he looks at design and fashion, just from a conceptual perspective, and not limited to fabric and clothing. It's impressive. So, I would like to learn from them and from that brand.
Caitlin Forbes: Awesome. So, I want to talk about what those brands are doing right. Or in general, what brands are doing right, right now, and what brands aren't doing right. Can you tell us a little bit about how their marketing comes off as genuine and authentic versus other brands that are acting tone deaf to social issues right now?
Jeff Karly: Good question. I think for Gucci, they aren't doing anything at the moment. So, I don't know if that's good or bad. Also, you know, silence isn't always the best, especially in this moment where we need voices to speak up. So, I haven't seen anything, but they have tons of initiatives with the Changemakers, led by a few great black, talented, designers and artists in the fashion industry. So, they're things that they had or have been doing, in the past since the sweater. But recently, it's really quiet there. And from A-Cold-Wall perspective, they have donated money to independent black fashion designers who have been affected by COVID-19. And I won't say this is a marketing thing because I don't believe that, but you know, they put their money where their mouth is. They're supporting the community; they're supporting people who are affected. And I'm pretty sure they were affected as well. So, the fact that they were willing into this, had the conviction to like support others, is phenomenal.
Caitlin Forbes: We've seen many brands over the past few years make mistakes. You gave Gucci as an example. Whether it's labor practices in the supply chain, or cultural insensitivity. Can those brands get you back as a customer? I think you mentioned that Gucci kind of is inspiring you now. Can you talk a little bit about how they get you back as a customer or even if they can?
Jeff Karly: It would have to be genuine and authentic. We're in a space right now where things seem and are performative. It's a trend. It's a hashtag. I don't know, I don't want to call it fake solidarity, but sometimes just feels wrong. So, I think for brands to get certain consumers back and certainly myself, it would have to be really authentic.
So, it goes beyond, having black models, beyond changing the imagery a bit. It's about staffing. It's about the culture change. It's about listening. I think there's just a lot that needs to be done to get us back. Particularly at Gucci, I think certain issues that they've been trying to tackle have been a thing. And I just want to continue to see that in black creatives put in spaces that they need to be, as well as get paid, and get the credit they deserve.
Caitlin Forbes: Thank you for talking us through how a brand can be authentic. I think right now there's a lot of brands putting out ingenuine messaging. And what you talked about performance. I think that we are seeing a lack of brands right now that are really portraying this genuine, authentic messaging that connects with us.
This leads into my next question. This is a time where the topic of systematic change is at the forefront of every conversation from sustainability to racial equality. We spoke about this, but I want to talk a little bit more about why a brand stands on these topics influence your decision making and where you choose to shop?
Jeff Karly: I think just from a business context, the psychographics is super important to your consumers and how they shop. So, no longer things are isolated in itself. We look at people as a holistic system. So, the values that the brand has, should be in alignment with their consumers. It's not separate from things anymore. I think brands need to believe in something and stand for something, whether that's social inequality, labor practices, fair wages. I think we're at a time where it doesn't benefit us to ignore it and pretend like it doesn't exist. And brands that do that will be at a disadvantage because consumers are more aware. They're more conscious and smarter. We shouldn't think brands are smarter. The consumers are smart. So, I think it's just important to stand for something and believe in it and move through with conviction.
Caitlin Forbes: Yeah. And that's amazing. I think that your brand has done a great job of that.
Jeff Karly: Thank you. Yeah, that's our aim to continue to tell stories through a black lens and, highlight just stories that have been missing and told and just communities that have been affected through systematic racism and things like that. So, voices like myself, voices like you, voices like, students in the program are needed to just change the facet of what fashion is. I think is one of the most archaic industry's we're in. So, it's time for a change.
Caitlin Forbes: More brands setting the foundation, like yours, are going to be the future of what we see. I think it's so important. So, kudos to you.
And I kind of want to talk about right now, COVID-19. And speak about the ways in which your shopping behavior has changed as a result of the pandemic.
Jeff Karly: Has it changed? Yes, it's 100% changed. In the past, I definitely online shopped. But these days have been more online shopping. I would say it's more essential than cool fashion pieces, or like statement pieces, these days. It's things that I need around the house, because I'm not going anywhere. I'm not seeing anyone. So, it’s become less of the fashion items and just like, things to create art with: lighting, pencils, notebooks, crayons, things like that to get back into the childish imagination of creativity, which is often lost through life.
Caitlin Forbes: I know you're in New York. Do you see yourself going back and shopping in stores? Or do you think it's going to take a while for you to feel comfortable doing that? And do you feel like there's any necessity to rush back into shopping?
Jeff Karly: Well, I don't think there's any necessity to rush back into shopping, but I do want to return to stories and visit what that's like. But thinking about an experience, like why I'm going to the store, am I going just to go and look at things and feel like...for me personally? Like, what's the point of walking into the store? Am I just browsing? Am i just shopping? So, I definitely want that feeling again but I do want it different. I'm waiting for stores to wow me and what that looks like with social distancing too. Because when it does open back, it won't be everybody rush in and come get us these pair of Jordans. It's just going to be different. So, but yeah, to your point, I don't think there's a rush to go back.
Caitlin Forbes: I want to hit one last question about technology. Can you talk us through how you engage with brands on social media? And whether you're buying through social media platforms, or how you're using technology to shop?
Jeff Karly: I don't use social media like that to shop when, I mean, you know, straight Instagram and buying off of that.
I do use social media as like an inspiration board, a mood board to see what independent brands are doing. And I buy directly from their site. So, I think a recent purchase that I bought, from Rhude was straight through their site. And not off Instagram. How I interact is through stories mostly, like tagging them, reaching out to them in their stories, as opposed to like the comments board, and that's just a personal preference of how I choose to engage with them.
Caitlin Forbes: Awesome. Well, this is a great conversation that we had today. I'm so happy that we got to talk about so many topics in such a short period of time.
Thank you for being here.
Jeff Karly: No, thank you for having me. This is amazing. I look forward to talking to you again.
Caitlin Forbes: Bye Jeff.
Joshua Williams: Thank you for listening to this episode of Retail Revolution. A very special thank you to everyone who has helped make this podcast possible, our guests, our students and fellow faculty at Parsons School of Design, especially in such an extraordinary and unprecedented time. Our theme music was composed by Spencer Powell.
Be well and stay tuned for our next episode.
