Meet Taylor Rose | Founder | Creative Director

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

Hi Taylor, putting aside the decision to work for yourself, what other decisions were critical to your success?
Other than deciding to work for myself, the single most important decision that has contributed to our success at XIVI is opening our storefront. By having a physical location, our customers can personally experience the exceptional quality of our fabrics.

At XIVI, we are proud to craft our products using super special fabrics, predominantly Eucalyptus and Cotton blends. These fabrics offer unparalleled softness, comfort, and sustainability. However, the true essence of their excellence can only be fully appreciated when felt and tried on in person.

Our storefront allows us to provide an immersive shopping experience where customers can touch, feel, and try on our garments. They can sense the luxurious softness of our Eucalyptus and Cotton blends firsthand, understanding the difference it makes in terms of comfort and quality.

While sustainability is a core value at XIVI, we also strive to offer products that allow men to ‘Wear Whatever’s Comfortable,’ irrespective of style, occasion, or trend. The ability to walk into our storefront on La Brea, engage with our fabrics, and try on our garments makes it difficult for customers to resist leaving without one of our complimentary shopping bags!

Opening our storefront has been a pivotal decision that has significantly contributed to our success. It enables us to showcase the exceptional nature of our fabrics, foster personal connections with our customers, and create a memorable shopping experience that sets us apart.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
As an artist in my personal life, painting has been a vital outlet for me to release stress and overcome anxieties. It played a significant role in shaping the direction I chose for my career. However, I want to emphasize that nothing worthwhile in life comes without challenges. I consider myself fortunate to have discovered my passion early on and devoted my time and energy to it.

Starting as a fashion student and working my way up to an assistant designer, I eagerly sought opportunities to learn and grow, not only within my own field but also by venturing into other areas related to the industry. This desire to expand my skills and knowledge led me to constantly seek feedback and critique from peers, as well as explore diverse avenues of learning.

While I always knew that I wanted to establish my own company and create clothes with a positive impact, running a business involves far more than just the act of creation. Overcoming the challenges associated with entrepreneurship has been an integral part of my journey. From managing finances, working with production companies/vendors and operations to building a team and navigating the competitive market, each hurdle presented an opportunity for growth and learning.

Despite these challenges, it is an honor to incorporate my artistic passion into my work. Although I don’t sell my paintings directly, we occasionally offer special hand-painted versions of our clothes, which allows me to infuse my artistic touch into our brand. This blending of art and fashion has been a rewarding experience, contributing to the uniqueness of our offerings and fostering a deeper connection with our customers.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If I were to show my best friend the best time ever during their week-long trip to the area, here’s a glimpse of the itinerary I would create to ensure a memorable experience:

– Morning: Walk the dogs and then grab coffee/brunch at Eat This Cafe or The Grain Cafe
– Afternoon: As an entrepreneur I might need to get a little work done but then off to a fun lunch at Catch LA or Tacos Tu Madre
– Evening: Dinner at Kazu Nori, Spartina, Crossroads, or Soulmate and then either hang out at a cute rooftop, see a movie, or go to a concert

I’m not really someone who is into the scene or needs to be seen out. I enjoy the simple things in life like catching up with my friends, good food, live music, walks with the dogs and beautiful views!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to give a shoutout to my family and friends who have been right there rooting me on throughout the process of starting a business. While I appreciate those of you who shop the brand regularly, I also just want to point out the small things that these people do every day that are free but maybe take a minute to do. Thank you for following our socials, liking our posts, re-sharing our posts, telling those around you about the brand, and tagging us in your posts!

Creating a brand and a community behind it can take a village. I appreciate and recognize those who do the free little things as well as shopping from the brand!

Another huge thank you to my mentors for being available to me when questions arise and introducing me to industry specialists that I can work with or also reach out to.

We wouldn’t be here without you!

Website: www.xi-vi.com

Instagram: @xivi.official

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taylor-rose-hertz-b50543a3/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/XIVI.official

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/xivi-los-angeles

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQr94t3lpP4aO0N_DW6i-pg

Image Credits
Models Include: Brendan McManus, Ericka Taylor, Isaiah Matthews, Jiaqi Song, Royal Beyer, Sadyr Diouf, Shane Sandler, Simon Vincent, Yuliya Urban Hair Makeup: Maxwell Martin Set Assistant: Anjali Kamran Model Agency: Dragonfly Agency