Jacqueline Lee/E!If you haven't felt (yes, felt) the softness of a Rails shirt yet, you haven't lived.
One thing we'll pay good money for is a shirt that feels as good as it looks—not to mention the brand's founder, Los Angeles native Jeff Abrams, isn't too hard on the eyes either. With a budding collection of women's fashion (and a men's and children's line on the way), Rails is redefining the term "classic". Their clothes are made up of the timeless silhouettes you know and love, but are then molded into loose, boyfriend-fitting staples. They're expanding by the day, so before they forget the little people, get to know them...and Jeff.
What was your first job?
Prior to launching Rails, I was working at a TV animation studio in marketing and advertising. I was exposed to an industry where creative and business meet, and learned a lot about branding. At the time, I had no idea that I would apply this experience within my own business.
How did you get into the industry?
I had no previous experience or family ties to the fashion industry. I grew up in Los Angeles immersed in the arts: painting, sculpture, photography and had a deep connection to the aesthetics of fashion. I would always think about how I could express myself through a visual medium. But really it was in my young twenties, living in Europe, where I began to concept what would become the Rails collection. I wanted to blend the comfort of my Southern California lifestyle with the more refined sensibility I found abroad.
What's a typical day like for you?
Anything but typical! There is no normal routine. If I'm not traveling, I usually start my day on a call while enroute to the office with one of our European partners—it's the best time to catch them with the time difference. I'm very involved in all functions of the business: design, production, shipping, accounting, sales, marketing. I work with the design team doing fittings for the current season, while conceptualizing silhouettes and color swatches for the next season. I'll meet with the warehouse team to ensure orders are getting out on time. I then might have a lunch meeting with an editor, or with a buyer at our showroom. I'll touch base with the sales/marketing team on our plans for new international markets, and always make time to review our website. Regardless of what's happening, I try to connect with as many of our sales, PR and retail partners as possible, on a daily basis!
Tell us about your office décor.
We try to keep our offices clean and minimal. There are so many creative, colorful concepts we develop for our collections, so it's easier if they sit against a quiet backdrop. Even though we're growing quickly, we still think with a very startup mentality. Nothing super fancy. We're comfortable and try to keep our environment unpretentious.
What are your favorite items on your desk and why/what do they mean to you?
I always keep an original version of the first hat I made. It reminds me of how far we've come as a company, and keeps me connected to the roots of our business.
What's the best part about your job?
It's incredibly exciting running a growing brand. I love that every day is different, and brings a new set of challenges to be solved. There are many moving parts of the business that require attention and coordination, and while at times it's an overwhelming task, this mentality has helped define our direction and foster a grassroots company identity that we still carry today.
What's the most daring career risk you've ever taken?
Leaving a stable 9-5 to launch a clothing line with no experience in the industry was risky, but I have no regrets!
What's the best piece of advice you've ever received?
There is no blueprint for creating a successful fashion brand. You need to follow your creative instincts, be innovative in a marketable way and try not to be everything to everyone.
There are always unexpected challenges that arise and you need to be thick skinned and resilient. Don't be discouraged by setbacks—use them as opportunities to become a better designer and business person. Most importantly, you need to have an incredible sense of internal drive and determination.
What is Rails best known for and why do you think it does so well?
Rails is rooted in classic silhouettes reinterpreted in a relaxed, contemporary way. Shirts are a timeless staple, and I wanted to build from this traditional concept by using high-quality rayons and Tencel blends in our plaids, prints and denims to give them a more feminine and drapey quality than traditional cottons. It's the cashmere-like feel and overall ease/versatility of the collection that's resonated with the Rails customer. She's not only asking for the newest colors/patterns within our shirting category, but she's excited to create an entire outfit from our collection.
What celebs wear your brand best?
Honestly, it's too hard to choose! We've had such an amazing group of celebrities and bloggers wearing Rails. I do have to say that I get more enjoyment now from seeing anonymous women wearing the brand in their everyday life.
That said, if I had to choose, Gisele Bündchen embodies the ideal brand ambassador—there's an ease and elegant effortlessness to her beauty and style, and Rails fits perfectly into her lifestyle and wardrobe.
What trends are you loving right now?
Being from LA, I'm excited to see vintage Levi's making a comeback among the fashion crowd. I'm a sucker for the classics! It doesn't hurt that they pair perfectly with a Rails button down.
What's one trend you wish would go away?
Pokemon Go.
Who dead or alive would you love to outfit?
I have a few style muses. I like to look back to some classic icons like Audrey Hepburn, Lauren Hutton through the years, Paul Newman and young Marlon Brando. They all had effortless style—an innate coolness without trying. I also love how Alexa Chung mixes eclectic and classic pieces to create her own unique style.
What exciting things do you have coming up?
Each season we're expanding the women's collection by introducing new categories, silhouettes and fabrics. We're developing our Men's and Little Rails collections and we hope to open a Rails flagship store in the US and Europe in 2017.
Finish the sentences below:
Today for lunch I had…it's 3 p.m. and I still haven't eaten lunch. Haven't had a chance to slow down!
The first website I log onto every day is…Business of Fashion. I always like to have a quick review of what's happening in our industry.
My usual Coffee Bean order is…Ice Blended Mocha. I'm big into chocolate.
If I wasn't doing this job, I would…be making a small film in southern Italy. (More as an excuse to go to southern Italy.)
My favorite place to visit is…I've recently discovered a love for Scandinavia. I've been to Stockholm, Copenhagen and Oslo twice in the past six months. It's really an amazing part of the world.
The book I'm reading right now is…The Architecture of Happiness by Alain de Botton. It talks about how our emotional and psychological state is influenced by our physical surroundings, particularly architecture. Really interesting perspective.