We had the good fortune of connecting with Nic Hyl and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Nic, we’d love for you to start things off by telling us something about your industry that we and others not in the industry might be unaware of?
Working in fashion (as a designer and independent brand owner) is actually quite difficult. It intersects almost every other industry. One has to have a firm understanding of marketing, take great photographs, build websites and master SEO. You have to be great at shipping and logistics, negotiating costs, sourcing, finance, pattern making, cutting, booking models, and managing teams. In addition to designing great products and having an awareness of current events and how those events move the needle and influence fashion. Those influences will affect what you design. In a phrase, you have to be a jack or jill of all trades AND a master of all of them.

Coupled with the responsibility of running a business and managing multiple teams to produce products and see your vision. Fashion design is often regarded as superficial or shallow by people that don’t care to understand fashion, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. It’s been my experience that most people who work in fashion are very intelligent, very educated and great at a multitude of skills.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’m a rare breed artist. I understand art + business. But I’m definitely an artist first. I’m in love with well made, quality pieces that last and that combined with my Jamaican heritage are always the inspiration behind my designs. I think about 5, 10, 15, 20 years from now and if the work I’m creating today would still be valid. I love timeless design that is styled in trendy ways; I believe that is when fashion is at its best.

My grandmother taught me how to sew and design school sharpened that skill. It wasn’t always easy and as a black woman I’ve had to work twice as hard to get to where I am either because of lack of opportunity or lack of funding. I’d say that I’m most proud of the fact that I am still here and hopefully my work can help leave the door open for other designers of color.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I live in New York City so the sky’s the limit on what me + a visitor can do here. I usually start out by asking what plans a person has when visiting New York. It’s been my experience that when people come here they have at least one thing they have their heart set on doing while here. That gives me an idea of the kinds of things they like to do and from there I can make recommendations.

I’d take them to a restaurant that maybe a bit outside their comfort zone; eating with our hands at an Ethiopian restaurant or a Persian restaurant. Definitely a speakeasy bar with great craft cocktails that cost too much but the experience is so New York. Perhaps a trip to a park (Central or Prospect). Shopping (vintage + new). A trip to Brooklyn and Queens where the cool cats are.

There’s so much to do here and the city is always evolving it would be hard to say exactly until the time is here, but this is a great place to start. Time of year would also effect the itinerary.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Because of the amount of work needed to bring my visions to life, there are a lot of people on my journey that are involved in the process; some more than others. Specifically my husband and family. They’ve been on this journey with me since design school and without them no of this would be possible. My husband and family have also sacrificed as much as I have in realizing my vision. To them I’m eternally grateful.

There are also the unsung heroes like the seamstresses that help me, the factories that help to produce my goods, the Fiverr people that help me to update my websites, my assistant who helps with so much backend work, the customers who love and buy my products, my friends that give me honest advice when I need it, the press and podcast hosts for interviewing me and sharing my passions with the world.

It’s a collaborative effort and takes a village to bring my visions to life and I’m grateful to every person and organization that has helped to that end.

Website: www.nichyl.com

Instagram: @nichylclothing

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehyltonsharma-89496822/

Twitter: @nichyl

Facebook: www.facebook.com/NicHylClothing

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@nichyl5079

Other: I just started a program, Nic Hyl Fashion University (www.nichylfashionuniversity.com) to teach fashion designers, brand owners and new fashion professionals how to master product development and production. *The site is currently under construction while I add some new courses and make some 2023 updates.

Image Credits
Jon Ryan Marc Sharma Nic Hyl

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