Modern Fashion: Stephanie Rado Taormina of Have Some Fun Today On The 5 Things You Need To Lead a Successful Fashion Brand Today
An Interview With Candice Georgiadice
You need the right support. If it’s a team, if it’s backers plus a team, you need more than just yourself. Find your team, be clear on your expectations, know what everyone on the team does, at the end of the day you are the one ultimately responsible so choose your team wisely and lead by example.
Many in the fashion industry have been making huge pivots in their business models. Many have turned away from the fast fashion trend. Many have been focusing on fashion that also makes a social impact. Many have turned to sustainable and ethical sourcing. Many have turned to hi tech manufacturing. Many have turned to subscription models. What are the other trends that we will see in the fashion industry? What does it take to lead a successful fashion brand today?
In our series called, “5 Things You Need To Lead a Successful Fashion Brand Today” we are talking to successful leaders of fashion brands who can talk about the Future of Fashion and the 5 things it takes to lead a successful fashion brand in our “new normal.”
As a part of this series I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Stephanie Rado Taormina.
Stephanie Rado Taormina founded Have Some Fun Today in 2014 shortly after the loss of her father. The brand was named after four words he had shared with her throughout her life — “have some fun today”. Guided by her father’s words and his memory, Taormina began to visualize a painting that embodied his message of spreading joy & positivity. The painting was just beginning and in the blink of an eye, Taormina began designing t-shirts, beach totes and hats. The infectious spirit of positivity that sparked the brand’s creation has defined HSFT and fueled its growth. In her current role as the brand’s CEO & lead designer, Taormina has injected that passion for bringing joy to others into her creative practice and is evident in every item she’s designed.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit more. Can you tell us a bit about your childhood “backstory”?
I was born into a traditional Italian American family, the oldest of 5; 4 girls and a boy to two hard working parents. My dad was a teacher & a coach at our local Catholic High School and my mom owned a hair salon that she ran out of our home. The values my parents showed me were hard work, dedication & commitment and so as I grew and matured; I modelled my own path with the same values I learned from them. Early on I had a proclivity toward art, design, fashion and leadership. Going to Catholic School we didn’t have much of an opportunity to be creative with fashion even though I loved fashion, design & art from a very early age. Art was always a major part of every era of my development, but I didn’t make the move to study art & design fully until after I graduated from Penn State University in 1987. It was a summer spent as an au pair in the south of France while on summer break that I found the space to finally listen to my inner voice that moved me to apply to the Fashion Program at Parsons School of Design.
Can you tell us the story about what led you to this particular career path?
I believe I always knew I would become a designer. I remember filling sketchbooks with designs of clothing, shoes and jewelry and even designing the rooms to put them in. But as college approached the art & design schools were cast aside for more academic pursuits. I opted for The Pennsylvania State University at Main Campus as my higher education choice. A lawyer perhaps? Or maybe something more creative like an advertising exec? I did all I could to move in that direction, except one summer in between my junior & senior year of college I went to the south of France to be an au pair and while I was away spreading my wings I realized I had packed up my dreams of design too soon and when I came back to the states I created an art portfolio to apply to the famous Parsons School of Design Fashion Program in NYC and later that year I was accepted and moved to NY upon my graduation.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?
I almost answered this question by telling you about the time I was feeling down about if this brand was even relevant and I looked up to the sky as if talking to my late father and said “Dad, give me a sign please?” and a minute later I get a call from my sister saying Kate Hudson just posted your hoodie on her Instagram, I mean that was kind of cool to me. But, what is actually most interesting is the transformation I have undergone since starting this brand out of a vision one morning. It wasn’t like I thought about the idea for weeks, months or years. It was literally that minute one morning when I was meditating and I saw a vision of the painting, and then the tote bag, the wristlet, the tee shirt, the hat and so on. I called my mom and told her I was going to start this brand and that was it. That was now almost 9 years ago. And so what is most interesting to me is the evolution I have gone through as a human is extraordinary from a psychological perspective. The opportunities to grow & evolve have been tremendous. The ability to open my world to new possibilities has taught me that anything is possible if you are curious enough about where the path could lead and if you are tenacious in doing what others aren’t willing to do. Something my dad taught me and my
You are a successful business leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?
The Three traits that I think have helped me the most would be 1. Courage 2. Risk Taker 3. Confidence
Courage is the number one thing I think you need to be a successful entrepreneur. So often over the years I had to do things that took so much courage for me to do on a daily basis. From production decisions, to doing my own marketing that involved me really putting myself out there in a way that I knew would provoke a certain community of people but knowing if I didn’t have the courage to boldly market my brand it would only hurt me and keep me small. Then there is being a risk taker, another essential trait that you have to have. I think the most successful visionaries were the people who had nothing to lose so they went all in. That concept has fascinated me so much in my journey. I had many fears of failing and losing everything I have in the process. That is truly what is at stake here; but I had to move past my fears of losing everything and step into the power of my destiny and so I have cultivated a stronger ability to take risks and be in my power instead of succumbing to the fear.
Lastly, there is confidence. You must be confident in yourself to be successful. If you don’t believe it in your bones, then no one else will believe in you. For me as a designer and an artist and also in my role as founder, I am 100% confident in my work. I invented this brand; it’s mine and I like it and that’s all that matters. I love seeing and admiring other designers work and I am certainly influenced by other designers in my own work, but my age, my experience, my talent and technical abilities have allowed me to have a certain ease with the brand and I know that the more it is seen the more people will gravitate to the new yet timeless qualities of the designs.
What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?
The boldness of the statement is where it starts; it’s a super simple phrase that once you read it you have to agree with it and smile. We use a bold font on our classic tee shirt styles for instance and put it on a very luxurious woman’s tee silhouette. This graphic also looks amazing on our classic luxe tote. Using very organic but luxe materials and just the bold graphic applied onto an ivory canvas in a lush lambskin leather; this bag has been a best seller since we launched the brand in 2015.
The best stories are the ones customers of the brand share, I get emails, texts and dm’s from people saying they met someone on a flight who was wearing the brand. People also tell me that only when they wear HSFT do people comment on how much they love their hat or bag or tee shirt. A month ago, I was coming back from a trip to Italy when the girl who was working for the airline stopped me and my mom and wanted to know what bags we were carrying and how she could get one. I think the brand is refreshing and bold and happy.
Do you have a favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share a story of how that was relevant to you in your life?
Persistence by Calvin Coolidge:
“Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan ‘Press On!’ has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.”
I first read that quote when I was about to graduate from Penn State prior to heading to NYC back in my early 20’s. As I started down the path of creativity as my livelihood, I realized this wasn’t going to happen overnight. There are people smarter, richer, more talented & more connected than me, but I was going to persevere. I’ve always believed in perseverance because I look at life as a marathon, not a sprint.
Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. Do you see any fascinating developments emerging over the next few years in the fashion industry that you are excited about? Can you tell us about that?
Yes, I do see Fashion as a platform for social good, education, climate awareness and a way for people to feel more connected with each other. Especially with circular fashion, recycling, repurposing, and even inventing new materials from natural sources.
A few years ago, when we were all experiencing the effects of the pandemic, I educated myself about sustainability and I feel we are just at the forefront of using alternative sources for things like leather and for taking recycled materials from the oceans and landfills and creating new materials from them that help save our planet from excessive trash. It’s also a really exciting opportunity to promote these practices on our own products wherever we can. Right now, we use only recycled cotton to manufacture our canvas bags instead of milling new cotton.
Can you share how your brand is helping to bring goodness to the world?
I think it’s important to be a positive force in the world and not only talk about the material aspect of fashion. I ended up leaving the fashion industry not long after I became a designer initially because I felt it was too materialistic. But with HSFT our whole mission is to make people smile because of the message we put on all our products in a bold purposeful way. People today are struggling with mental health now more than ever. Our country is polarized with politics, hate and inequality and if we can be a force in a sea of materialism that sends a powerful, positive message from the heart on accessible, quality products that act as a billboard for joy then I’m so proud to spend my time doing this on this planet.
Can you share with our readers about the ethical standards you use when you choose where to source materials?
At HSFT, we have chosen to work with manufacturers who respect our decision to care about the environment and who will procure materials such as recycled cotton for our canvas bags and to dye the leathers with vegetable dyes instead of the harsh chemicals that have been the standard for so long.
Fast fashion has an advantage, that it is affordable for most people, but it also has the drawback that it does not last very long and is therefore not very sustainable. What are your thoughts about this? How does your company address this question?
When we made the decision to switch our manufacturing practices it was during the pandemic. We had been manufacturing in China for a time because it was more affordable for us and we had a much higher profit margin, but once the pandemic happened we pulled all our production out and searched for manufacturers that would work with us to find recycled material sources as well as leather that could be dyed in a less toxic way even though for us it also meant much higher costs, possibly losing the customers that were used to less expensive prices, but it was the right thing to do and also aligns with our ethos as a brand. As we design and manufacture new product, we will only work with companies with ethical labor standards, we will only use natural, organic or recycled materials and we will try whenever we can to source local.
Thank you for all that. Here is the main question of our interview. What are your “5 Things You Need To Lead a Successful Fashion Brand”. Please share a story or example for each.
- An Authentic Story & Vision for your why. If I didn’t have true meaning behind what I am doing I wouldn’t be able to do what I do 7 days a week.
- A Need for the Brands Vision — In this crazy world I believe the world needs what we do at HSFT. For our mental health, our motivation for living a healthy life and to show the world how important enjoying your life is for happiness.
- You need an identifiable look that differentiates you from all the rest. There is not one brand out there that incorporates a single simple positive message on high end contemporary fashion pieces. We are unique and that is ultra-important in standing out amongst the incredibly saturated fashion space.
- You Need to know it is your purpose. Maybe this should be #1, but to create a fashion brand is not easy. You better feel it is what you were born to do to stay with it at the level it takes to turn it into a legacy.
- You need the right support. If it’s a team, if it’s backers plus a team, you need more than just yourself. Find your team, be clear on your expectations, know what everyone on the team does, at the end of the day you are the one ultimately responsible so choose your team wisely and lead by example.
Every industry constantly evolves and seeks improvement. How do you think the fashion industry can improve itself? Can you give an example?
I think the fashion industry is trying to rethink a lot of issues that have been long ignored. With the emergence of circular fashion, there is increasing awareness about the nonstop demand for new products from the retailers. It is up to the designers, the brands, and the retailers to readjust this model. I for one have simply said no. I don’t need to make a new collection every 3 months; no. I have decided to make my own rules. I have an 80% direct to consumer brand. I want to keep making many of the same designs I founded the company with, they are classics to me. I think there needs to be more awareness and education about sustainability and recycling. These concepts are very interesting to me as a designer, and I feel the more we educate up and coming designers at the start on sustainability and the issues that result from over production we can start to find alternatives that are better for everyone.
You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
It would be so exciting to create a movement of people who are looking for a better way of life. So many people are struggling financially, mentally, spiritually, and so on. If HSFT through our message on our products can be a small vehicle to catapult a larger community to go inward, to find a moment each day for gratefulness, to share their thoughts and ideas for healing and connectivity it would be monumental to me.
A festival, a spiritual journey triggered by the concept of HSFT, a community of people who are there for each other in a mental health capacity, a foundation for creativity, a employee owned factory where they manufacture HSFT and are given decent housing, a way to train the homeless to have employment, or a way to give battered women a vocation to have a decent wage and life. These are ideas that do come to me when I think on a much bigger scale.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
@stephta or @hsft_official as well as our facebook page : https://www.facebook.com/HSFTofficial/ the website: https://havesomefuntoday.com
Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.
Modern Fashion: Stephanie Rado Taormina of Have Some Fun Today On The 5 Things You Need To Lead a… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.