Four (now Five!) Fashion Moguls in the Making
These stylish young entrepreneurs have a flair for fashion and a mind for business
Taking the entrepreneurial leap at any age, especially before high school graduation, may feel daunting at first. But with the right mindset, entrepreneurship can be the best teaching tool for kids and teens who need an outlet for their creativity. And if your girl has a passion for fashion, she can turn that passion into a business of her very own.
In today’s fashion world, these five young entrepreneurs are expressing their creativity and combining their sense of style with strong business acumen.
From Bullied to Empowered
When she was nine years old, Egypt “Ify” Ufele turned to fashion design as a cathartic way to heal from being bullied for her body size. A year later, she launched her fashion brand, ChubiiLine, to empower everyone who has been targeted by bullies. Now 13 years old, Ify continues to sell her trailblazing body-positive clothes on her website. When she’s not busy growing her fashion empire, she’s empowering other girls and spreading the word against bullying through her Bullychaser campaign.
She’s Sew Talented
Eleven-year-old Sara Robinson started sewing for fun when she was just seven years old. As the creator of Sara Sews, Sara designs and sews handmade aprons, accessories, and fabric party banners. She sells these unique, fashionable creations on Facebook and Amazon and even gives back to her community by donating sewing machines to schools and churches. She hopes to someday expand her business to include workshops for kids who wish to start a sewing venture, too. We’re thrilled at The Startup Squad to profile Sara in our first book which you can order here.
Believer and Achiever
Being invited to show one’s collection at New York Fashion Week is a fantastic accomplishment, especially for young fashion designers! This feat is particularly true for 13-year-old Kheris Rogers, who was bullied for her skin color when she was younger. Kheris’ fashion line, Flexin’ In My Complexion, continues to be a hit among young girls who get a boost of confidence from the products’ motivational and powerful statements. Kheris hopes that her fashion creations and their messages inspire young girls to be comfortable in their skin.
Influencer and Designer
Nine-year-old Haileigh Vasquez’s star power is undeniable. Haileigh rose to social media fame six years ago for her unique fashion style and photogenic looks. She was born and raised in New York City and has walked the runway at New York Fashion Week. She recently added fashion designer to her resume when she partnered with Levi’s for a collection and designed kids’ clothes for Target. Even with these impressive milestones in her young life, Haileigh shares that she’s still a kid who likes to draw for fun and eat ice cream.
New York Fashion Week Pioneer
Twelve-year-old Ashlyn So is a pioneer. She was one of the youngest people ever to show at New York Fashion Week in 2017 when she was just nine years old! Ashlyn started picking out her own outfits when she was 15 months old, discovered sewing at age six, and her passion for fashion has grown ever since. Ashlyn and her mom started a company called Pin2gether, and Ashlyn serves as head designer.
These five young entrepreneurs are carving a name for themselves in a very cutthroat industry. The fashion world may be unforgiving at times, but all entrepreneurs can overcome setbacks and challenges with patience, resilience, and grit.
If your daughter has a knack for drawing, sewing, or designing clothes, you can share these four young designers’ inspiring stories with her. If she wants to pursue an entrepreneurial career in fashion, use this opportunity to help her reach her goals and set her up for success. And check out our gallery of Girl CEOs to get inspired by even more amazing kid entrepreneurs
1 Comment
Neha Dhawan
- July 20, 2022 at 5:02 amGreat blog post. Helpful and informative tips. I like it thanks for sharing this information with us