Photography Lena Di
MUA Valerie Kogan
Styling Daria Shkolnikova
When in New York your must-stop for to discover latest and trendiest pieces is at the boutique located in the lower east side of Manhattan, called Flying Solo, co-founded by a fashion designer and entrepreneur, Elizabeth Solomeina.
Elizabeth began her career working for large corporations like Art Lebedev Design studio for 13 years as a designer and an art director soon opened her own brand Solomeina which she launched in 2013. The concept for Flying Solo Collective started out of seeing the frustration a lot of talented designers were going through. Finding a store that will showcase your work was not an easy task.
Elizabeth came up with the idea for Flying Solo boutique collective which allows designers to share in the responsibilities of running and managing the store and to work together to gain audience and clientelle, and build the brand.
Flying Solo sells runway pieces (clothing), one of a kind (jewelry/accessories) or limited production pieces. The beauty of Flying Solo is that customers not only can come to our store and have designers help you shop, but they will give you expert styling tips on how to wear it best.
Tell us briefly about Flying solo concept?
Flying Solo is a platform that provide resources for independent designers such as 6500 sq. ft retail store in Prime SOHO where designers can sell directly to the customers, big pull of stylists that frequently come to Flying Solo to pick up pieces for magazine editorials and celebrities, as well as our own NYFW event. We also have work space and photo studio for designers to use. But this is not a one-sided concept. There is a benefit for the customer too. Flying Solo offers the consumer direct access to the designer who can now personally style, create one-of-the-kind pieces and so much more-- you can build a relationship directly with the designer.
How did the idea come up?
Flying Solo is based on the idea that fashion should be team effort and beneficial to all parties involved with a real focus on the designer having a voice in how their brand is showcased, how they’re presented to the media and consumers as well as how the brand makes money ensuring sustainability.
What's your selective process like? What do you look for in a brand?
At the end of the day, it’s all about the customer. We select designers that create unique, limited edition pieces. We also choose designers that will stand out for press and stylists.
What kind of crowd do you gather during your shows?
During NYFW we bring together an eclectic mix of industry professionals, celebrities, influencers and more. We have extensive relationships with buyers, stylists, editors and bloggers from all over the world.
Any success stories?
Many:) Couple of designers were ready to close their businesses before joining FS. Now all of them are thriving.
Also, it’s amazing to see how fast designers grow in FS, some came to us with just samples and now they have a big pull of customers, industry recognition, and a full blown production
As a co-founder of Flying Solo what is your personal style like?
Maybe because I am independent designer myself, I enjoy shopping new designers. Besides Flying Solo, I love to shop at Opening Ceremony, Fivestory, Dover Street Market and places like that because it gives me a chance to experience fresh, cool brands that allow me to show off my personality.
Who are some of your favorite designers?
I try not to play favorites when it comes to our designers at Flying Solo. To be honest, I love them all! Each brings a unique interpretation to the fashion sphere that not only sets them apart from the crowd but does the same for those who wear them.
Your role models?
Different people at different times. But I really admire Victoria Beckham for examples. She was able to make 2 successful careers, in both of which she had to start from the bottom.
Where do you see flying solo in the next five years?
With the retail industry changing and the fashion industry morphing, I see Flying Solo expanding and bringing this concept to other cities around the world—LA, London, Paris, Hong Kong, Tokyo and more. The model we created benefits the designers and ensures that they can profit and sustain their businesses. This is a concept that not only works here in the United States but across the globe. Being an amazing designer isn’t enough anymore with the development of e-commerce as emerging designers are constantly tasked with acquiring new customers to grow and survive. Here at Flying Solo, we have found the best way to maneuver the industry shift is to create something more experiential merging e-commerce, the brick-and-mortar concept and media— creating a synergy during a very dynamic time
Advice to young creatives?
Be true to yourself and work hard. The road to success in any creative field is very bumpy, but it is a very rewarding experience as well.
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