Get to Know Veronica Swanson Beard and Veronica Miele Beard

The sisters-in-law behind the U.S. model Veronica Beard might need the identical identify, however, extra importantly, additionally they share the identical inventive thoughts.

“The uniform for the layered life”— that’s the Veronica Beard motto. As two working mothers, Veronica Miele Beard and Veronica Swanson Beard (the sister-in-law inventive administrators) acknowledge that girls have loads occurring. From going to the workplace to cheering from the sidelines of a soccer sport and every little thing in-between, your wardrobe needs to be constructed on your life, and never the opposite method round. Right here, the designer duo behind the American model Veronica Beard chats about how an opportunity encounter at a marriage was a recent clothes firm.

Welcome to Canada! What sparked the choice to open your first retailer in Toronto?

Veronica Miele Beard: “The Canadian market has been large for us for the reason that starting — it’s jacket climate right here all 12 months spherical!”

Veronica Swanson Beard: “It’s been wonderful since we opened the store in the spring! The success and welcome we’ve had right here have been so good.”

So, beginning at first, an opportunity encounter at a marriage in 2002 modified each of your lives. Did you meet one another or your husbands first?

VSB: “Husbands. We have been seated on the identical desk. Veronica and Anson Beard have been married, and I used to be sitting throughout from Anson’s brother, Jamie. Veronica and Anson have been attempting to set us up, and my now-husband was being tremendous flirty. I used to be like, ‘There’s no method that is going wherever — there can’t be two Veronica Beards!’ After which Jamie and I ended up getting married.”

Then the place did the thought to start out the model Veronica Beard come from?

VSB: “There have been years of dangerous concepts earlier than the Dickey Jacket. We might get collectively at household gatherings and evaluate notes on the fashion industry. We each have an entrepreneurial spirit and a love of style, so it appeared pure. The Dickey and Dickey Jacket arose, and that was it!”

While you launched the Dickey Jacket in 2010, it rapidly grew to become vital merchandise. Why do you assume it struck a chord with so many individuals?

VMB: “It checked many bins. We beloved the thought of the dickie from menswear, however we realized that there wasn’t something comparable on the womenswear entrance. Our prospects love a layered-blazer look however not the majority of all of the layers. The Dickey Jacket creates a sophisticated look in seconds — and as girls, we all know we’d like all the additional time on the planet.”

How do you steadiness being each in-laws and enterprise companions?

VSB: “At this level, now we have identified one another for 22 years and been in enterprise collectively for 13. I imply, now we have the identical identify, share the identical workplace and are mainly joined on the hip.” [Laughs]

VMB: “We now have to agree earlier than we transfer ahead. We’d struggle or disagree, nevertheless it’s set to work. There is no such thing as a different possibility.”

VSB: “And a large a part of our success has been that there are two of us and we are able to off-load and share duties. We now have any person to name and commiserate with in regards to the fears or the failures after which have fun the successes with. That’s the best factor on the planet.”

A part of Veronica Beard’s DNA is believing in enduring private model. Are you able to elaborate on that?

VSB: “I believe it’s once you see a girl with a novel signature, like she all the time wears all black or has wonderful silver hair. And it’s actually about confidence. We all the time say that once you look good, you are feeling good — so once you’re sporting one thing that you just really feel nice in, you stroll right into a room with that vitality.”

So how do you retain the model present whereas additionally honouring this motto?

VSB: “We all the time say that the very best companies are those that each change and keep the identical as a result of that’s how a model maintains its DNA. For us, Veronica Beard delivers classics with a twist. You’ll be able to put on our blue blazer at the moment or 10 years from now — it’s a eternally model.”

VMB: “If you happen to have been to witness a design assembly with us, you’d see that it’s not us sitting round going ‘That is the development and we’re gonna set it.’ It’s extra like ‘These are the trends that are coming, and this model is lacking from the market.’ It’s additionally us going ‘Is it lengthy sufficient in order that when she hails a cab, there’s no pores and skin exhibiting?’ and ‘Are the butt pockets in a spot the place they make her ass look greater?’ You realize what I imply?”

This text first appeared in FASHION’s October 2023 situation. Find out more here.

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