Early Career and Discovering Passions
Growing up with two sisters, fashion was a constant in Ramy’s household. Guided by her mother’s unwavering passion for creating clothing, Ramy developed an adoration for dressing up and self-expression through her wardrobe. She exclaimed that, “Fashion was in my blood from the earliest time that I can remember!” Whether it was weekend shopping sprees or sewing lessons, fashion was a thread that wove cherished memories into Ramy’s childhood.
Following college, Ramy devoted ten years to pursuing marketing and advertising. However, the arrival of three children posed a daunting task of balancing her professional aspirations with the demands of motherhood. Once her youngest daughter started school, Ramy found herself with more free time and decided to reenter the workforce.
Founding Ramy Brook
“There was something missing from my wardrobe.” Ramy identified a missing piece in the fashion puzzle: chic tops that seamlessly pair with denim. Living in NYC made it easy to explore a wide assortment of garments. Ramy curated a small collection of six tops and one dress, which she showcased at trunk shows. Her first show was held at her sister’s home in New Jersey, and was followed by house parties in Miami, LA, and New York, wherever she had a friend. No matter where she traveled, there was always someone she met who was connected to a local boutique owner. This network of connections laid the foundation for her thriving wholesale business. Ramy detailed, “It very much happened organically - there was a white space in the market at the time, and a lot of people seemed to want it and need it.”
Facing Challenges…
In the beginning, Ramy’s business revolved around direct-to-consumer operations, primarily through trunk shows. Ramy explained, “As you start to grow and work with department stores and other places, terms and things change. You begin to realize that you are running a business.” Ramy had to adapt to this new method of sales: “It was challenging for me to learn how to work with the department stores. They wanted certain computer programs that I did not have access to and liked things shipped in a certain way. There are so many rules and, as a small business owner, that was a huge learning curve to me.”
In addition, in the midst of the Covid crisis, Ramy found herself confronted with the challenge of changing societal needs, as people were now prioritizing comfort over her “going out” tops due to the stay-at-home lifestyle. She explained, “We had to learn how to pivot in order to get through that time. We ultimately came out the other side in a great way. This taught me the importance of being able to pivot while owning a business.”
Sustainability at Ramy Brook
Ramy recognizes the importance of integrating sustainable fabrics into the fashion industry. She explained that numerous stores inquire about the sustainability of our materials and practices. At Ramy Brook, “All of our factories adhere to every rule in terms of production best practices, employee benefits, and treating our employees right. So we have that all checked out. And where we can, we try to use sustainable fabrics.” Ramy explained that when she first created Ramy Brook, sustainability was not a major priority in the fashion sector: “People were just starting to use faux fur and maybe even vegan leather… but now, the fabric developers ask for sustainable fabrics all the time.” After recently traveling to a fabric show in Paris, Ramy reflected that almost every vendor had a section on sustainability!
“Once the big players ask for sustainable fabrics, it becomes more available to someone like me. For example, Ralph Lauren is focusing on sustainability, so all these fabric developers are going to give it to them. They are now developing it because somebody like Ralph Lauren is asking for it, which makes it better for someone in the contemporary world who also needs it. The more the bigger players and luxury brands start to request sustainable fabrics, the more the availability of them will start to trickle down.”
Mentorship
In the early days of Ramy Brook, Ramy found support and guidance from two women who were instrumental in her journey. One of them was Stefani Greenfield, the visionary behind Scoops, a popular 90s clothing brand based in NYC. Ramy reflected that Stefani “sat with me and taught me so much about retail. She was unbelievable, and it was really a friend of a friend. She really was so kind in helping me.” Ramy was fortunate enough to also receive guidance from Jennifer Miller, founder of a thriving jewelry brand. Ramy explained,“Jennifer and her husband really know how to run a business and she was also extremely helpful in terms of being a women-owned business and someone who started small and ended up opening a bunch of stores and became very successful.”
Ramy’s 3 Tips for Success:
Ramy elaborated on the diverse marketing avenues in the fashion sector that were previously unavailable when she started Ramy Brook. With the endless opportunities in social media and TikTok shops, Ramy believes there are countless ways to launch your own thriving business.
“I think that you should always “go for it.” There are going to be a lot of people who tell you that you cannot do it, or this is what you need, or so-and-so tried that and failed, so why would you succeed. The truth is you do not know whether you will succeed until you try.”
“It is so important to listen to advice, especially from people who have failed in certain areas so that you can avoid the same mistakes.”
“It is also so important to follow your dreams and pursue areas that bring you joy. Stay responsible but go for it!”
