Meet Stacy Igel in Our Post-NYFW Wrap-Up
by Chris Collie, NY Senior Editorial Director
What do celebrities such as Rosario Dawson, Rachel Bilson, Nina Dobrev, and Kendall Jenner have in common? They all wear Boy Meets Girl®, the fun, edgy brand worn created by Stacy Igel.
The brand’s iconic boy and girl silhouette logo has been featured in publications including InStyle, Teen Vogue, Lucky, Seventeen, Women’s Wear Daily, and The New York Times, is currently sold at Nordstrom, and has previously been seen on the racks of department stores such as Bergdorf Goodman and Bloomingdales.
Inspired by the vibrant New York art and music scenes, Boy Meets Girl® has been a staple and leader at New York Fashion Week, as well.
In 2011, Boy Meets Girl® launched Boy Meets Girl® University, an initiative to reach high school and college students and educate them about the fashion industry. Boy Meets Girl® also takes pride in its involvement with the Young Survival Coalition, helping to raise awareness for Breast Cancer since 2001, as well as the National School Climate Center’s BullyBust Campaign, helping to prevent and raise awareness of bullying in schools.
We caught up with her at her last New York Fashion Week show.
Q: I am sitting here with Stacy Igel, mastermind behind Boy Meets Girl.
(Does a drumroll on the table) I don’t know what I’ve just done. (Laughing)
Q: Let’s take it back to the beginning. What was the first concept of Boy Meets Girl; what did you originally envision?
Uh-oh; this is going to be a long one. Boy Meets Girl is about that time in your life … about your first concert, about that time you first walked by someone on the subway, just about that time where you go to the coffee shop, and that guy you always see, he knows your drink … it’s about the iconic, timeless story.
That’s what’s happening here tonight. It’s about collaboration … about artists, musicians, and dancers, and fusing that all together. That’s the ethos of the brand, and that’s why we’re in a small space tonight: to really show that, and be focused on who the brand is. It’s not a runway show; it’s all about the people wearing the clothes, such as the artists. We have some mannequins displaying some clothes, but it’s really about the collaboration between people. That’s what you’re going to see tonight.
It’s about the iconic, timeless story. It’s about collaboration.
Q: Well, we’re excited! One thing you mentioned was the intimacy, and I see your logo is always the boy and the girl facing each other. Are you big on the intimacy reflected through the creation of the clothes? Is that why you collaborated with everyone here tonight?
Yeah, it’s about their art. It’s a reflection of that time for you; it’s not about me. It’s about everybody.
It’s not about me. It’s about everybody.
Q: How do you feel you’ll grow in the next 10 years? Where do you see it going?
I want the brand to be a global brand. I brought Wil here [referring to Randy Jackson’s new artist], who’s an international pop star in Singapore. He’s not yet well-known here, but he’s known internationally, and I also brought the heart of New York here.
I’m bringing underground here, the street team, and I want everybody to know the ethos of what Boy Meets Girl is. So I want to expand globally, domestically, and internationally, and keep doing what we’re doing: working with incredible, talented people.
Show Recap
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Tonight, actually, we’re launching our website, which is powered by Shopify, who’s my partner on the website. So that has happened.
Q: Wow, how did that come about?
They wanted to work with a designer and someone who they could collab with and do a whole new strategy. I wanted to work with them because, you know, I want the most sophisticated everything: the best apps, the best shopping experience, and who better to partner with than Shopify?
I want the most sophisticated everything: who better to partner with than Shopify?
Q: Very true, very true. Now from what I’m seeing in the clothes is you went in the direction of black and the whites … monochromatic.
Black, white, monotone grey: that’s what our girl buys, you know. (chuckles) We sprinkle in some iridescent and florals and stripes, but at the end of the day, she buys black white and grey from us. Every year I sell the same black hoodie and t-shirt like hotcakes, but of course, there’s more beyond this. Tonight though it’s a black, white, and grey story, it really is.
Black, white, monotone grey: that’s what our girl buys.
Q: Regarding New York Fashion Week, how have you seen it change? Do you like the direction? Is this why you’re doing a more intimate space?
I believe for me, you know, I always do something new and fresh and different, and work with different artists, and I think that fashion week has changed a lot. I think traditional runways are going away, and that you need to be creative. It has to be a new concept, and you have to think technology, and you have to think so many different ways. For me, I think it’s completely changing. Not everyone wants to go to a runway show. I love them; I’ve been going to them since I was very young. I still love going to them, but I think it’s become stagnant, so you have to be new and fresh and create something different. And that’s what I’m doing. [In her Austin Power’s imitation.]
You have to be new and fresh, and create something different
Q: Ok, one last question — and this is a doozie. What would you tell “you starting out” about the industry?
That’s a beautiful question, and I think I’m going to steal that one. I would say, keep doing what you’re doing, and believe in yourself. It is a f’ing hard hard-ass business. It’s tough, it’s really really tough. But if you can handle it, and stomach it … keep doing it.
So, would I tell myself not to do it? No. Because I believed in myself, and my vision, and I’m here today. It’s changed so much with “fast fashion,” and it’s a very different business. I would say to myself then, “Believe in yourself, kick ass, wake up, kick ass, repeat” … and that’s what I do!
Q: I want to thank you for taking the time. Love you, Stacy.
Thank you, love you too!
Boy Meets Girl
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Wake up, kick ass, repeat.
With love,
FWO