Prado refers to this first launch as the ‘call to action’ moment. “We were talking to Kaia and her team for some time before she signed on officially in January. The product life cycle, in terms of development, takes around 12 to 14 months. When Kaia signed on, we got her into the offices as quickly as possible so we could bring her into this first collection, the new creative direction that’s going to come to life in July.” Gerber’s selects from the collection, combined with archive re-issues, were fast-tracked in Re/Done’s Los Angeles factories, to launch an initial capsule in May in order to generate buzz.
Upon the release of her first campaign and curated collection for the brand, Gerber and Prado sit down to discuss the process thus far, and what’s next for Re/Done.
Vogue: Kaia, why did you want to invest in a fashion brand — and why Re/Done?
Gerber: Fashion’s always been a part of my life and I’ve been in the fashion industry for a long time, but as I enter this new chapter of my life, wanting to be more involved creatively, I was thinking about brands that aligned with my sensibilities. Re/Done is a brand that I’ve always been a fan of. I’ve been lucky enough to model these very elaborate clothes, but the clothes that I wear in my life are jeans and T-shirts — basically all the things that Re/Done does so perfectly.
Vogue: Why were you keen to be creatively involved, rather than just investing?
Gerber: When the opportunity came up, it felt very authentic and like a natural progression of the pre-existing relationship we already had [because I’ve always worn Re/Done]. I wouldn’t be able to have this level of involvement with a brand that I didn’t feel aligned with me on multiple levels. As I get older, I am more interested in collaborations rather than just lending my face, my name or my image to something and am really wanting to be able to be part of the creative process.
Vogue: Phillip, why did you want to bring on an investor at this moment — and one who is a public face, and involved in the business?
Prado: Kaia understands Americana, effortless dressing. She understands the cultural conversation that’s happening around her generation. And that’s critical to be relevant today. We weren’t looking for the traditional celebrity endorsement. We wanted someone who both personified the brand and could genuinely help shape the future direction of the brand, creatively and culturally.
Bringing her in as an investor was important because it creates a real sense of alignment for the long-term of where we want to take the brand… She’s involved in the conversation around everything around product, casting, storytelling, imagery, brand direction. That is what I wanted in a partner; it felt really natural and more collaborative than transactional. And the business impact obviously is going to speak for itself.
Vogue: Talk to me about the past six months working together.
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