Billy Reid Interior. Photo by Justin Clemons.
YOUR BRAND IS KNOWN FOR BEING LUXURIOUS, LIVABLE, AND TIMELESS. WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO YOU TO DESIGN WELCOMING AND USABLE PIECES?
We believe that clothes should be built to last, not only from a durability stance, but also from a style point of view as well. We hope our pieces become those favorite garments that you wear often and live with you.
WHERE DO YOU FIND YOUR INSPIRATION?
Inspiration comes from so many sources. I reference art books and photography books; I look at shapes in nature and on the street and reinvent them into textures and patterns. I love to travel and people watch. I usually will begin a conversation with the team about what’s on my mind, which could be a place, a vibe, an activity, or art, really just a general feeling of what could be good for the season.
YOU OPENED YOUR FIRST STORE AT NORTHPARK IN 2004. HOW HAS YOUR BRAND EVOLVED SINCE THEN?
In many ways it’s still the same regarding our approach to design and aesthetic, but certainly the business has evolved as we have grown over the years. Several pieces from those early days are still in the collection and continue to be our bestsellers and customers’ favorites.
Alabama-based American designer Billy Reid
WHY DO YOU FEEL NORTHPARK IS THE PERFECT LOCATION FOR BILLY REID?
It’s really the connectivity with the city and our customer. NorthPark has consistently been, and still is, one of the premier shopping destinations in the world, and our customer frequents the center. It really is a great fit for us.
WHEN YOU'RE DESIGNING A NEW COLLECTION, WHO DO YOU ENVISION AS YOUR CUSTOMER?
I envision myself wearing the garments, my friends and quite honestly our real customers. Our customer is incredibly diverse on all levels, which is something we cherish about our brand. They want clothes that are usable and sophisticated and make them feel stylishly confident. They appreciate the workmanship and the details we build into the pieces. At the end of the day, people have to be interested in what we are making and ultimately buying and loving the clothes for us to be successful. We are our most critical customer, and we certainly keep the customer in mind when we design.
CAN YOU SPEAK ABOUT THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR MOST RECENT COLLECTION?
We were designing the Fall ‘21 collection during the peak of the COVID pandemic. That brought about moments in the process that created a reflective energy on what has made us who we are as a brand. It really focused our thoughts on our roots here in the South, and in Alabama in particular. We also dug into the pieces that our customers have loved over the years and made sure those go-to favorites were there for them.
Signature Billy Reid pieces: black Bond peacoat (top left), broiled wool sportscoat (top right),
olive dover sweater (bottom left), women's distressed leather moto jacket (bottom right).
BILLY REID IS KNOWN FOR FOUNDATIONAL PIECES, LIKE THE PEACOAT FAMOUSLY WORN BY DANIEL CRAIG IN SKYFALL. HOW DO YOU ACHIEVE THE BALANCE BETWEEN CONTINUING TO EVOLVE WHILE STICKING TO CLASSIC STAPLES?
At the end of the day, garments need to be worn, so ageless appeal is a starting point. We combine that mindset with an uncompromising approach to quality and build our subtle, unexpected details into the pieces. We hope that personal point of view creates a connection with the customer that they fall in love with the garments and continue to wear them over and over.
WHAT ARE THE MUST-HAVE PIECES FOR MEN AND WOMEN IN YOUR UPCOMING COLLECTION?
I’d say our outerwear and sweaters, in both men’s and women’s this season, are some of my favorite pieces in the collection. The Boiled Wool Sportscoat for men is special—it's got a sportscoat-type silhouette, but it wears more like a cardigan. And the women’s distressed leather Moto jackets are great investment pieces.
THE BILLY REID BRAND ETHOS GOES BEYOND FASHION. TELL US MORE ABOUT YOUR ANNUAL SHINDIG EVENT.
Shindig started as a way for us to bring together friends in the food, music, art, and fashion world in our hometown of Florence, Alabama. (Some folks refer to our area as Muscle Shoals, which has a much-heralded music recording legacy.) Sharing all those cultures in an event-filled weekend for our customers, friends, locals, and folks from all over has created an epic hospitality moment on steroids for us. We are going on our 12th annual Shindig, and it continues to draw amazing participants and guests from all over the world to Muscle Shoals, Alabama.
Billy Reid is located on Level One between Nordstrom and Macy's.