BPR: Stanford undergrad, Harvard MBA, successful career in High Tech, what possessed you to take up fashion design?Stacey: I was raised by a single mother who had very limited professional options because she never went to college. She worked hard as a prison guard to provide for three children. That is no life for a woman or a young mother and I wanted more choices than that. Fashion was always my creative outlet from my earliest memories. But I also knew that it was a fickle industry and it appeared that privilege, celebrity and money were necessary to be recognized, not just talent. So I chose to create fallback options. The best way to do that was to get the best education I could and to develop professional skills that would always be in demand (i.e. strategy and marketing). So that's what I did. And, eventually, I did enough of that. And that's when it was finally time to pour my whole self into the development of my creative side that had waited ever-so-patiently to get out.
BPR: We note that you use your Mom’s maiden name. Can you speak to the influence and importance of your Mother to your life and career? Siblings?
Stacey: My mother is one of the strongest and most courageous people I know. She was also extremely strict growing up. This wasn't very "fun" at the time, but I'm truly grateful for it now. She taught me the importance of having a strong work ethic and a strong moral ethic. I have an older sister and a younger brother.Click here to continue reading our interview with Stacey, including her thoughts about Tim Gunn, shoes, the judges and those pesky Parsons sewing machines!
