Elizabeth Dran — empire coven

AGE || 33

COMPANY NAME || Good Omen

JOB TITLE || Owner

YEARS LIVING IN NEW YORK || 16

SOCIAL HANDLES || @Good_omen_NYC

COMPANY WEBSITE || Good Omen

What did you want to be while growing up?

An astronaut or an astrophysicist. I’ve always really liked the stars but it turns out I’m pretty bad at math and pretty good at art.

What’s the best piece of advice you were given when starting out?

Well I got a lot of advice from pretty much anybody who had an option gave it to me. I have kind of come to find the best thing you can do is plan for everything you can possible think of. But know that the thing that’s going to get you is the thing you never thought of. So just always pad your schedule even more. Plan for everything, pad it out, and then add two weeks.

How did you background prepare you for launching Good Omen NYC?

I went to Parsons and received a BFA in Fashion Design. I always knew I wanted to start my own line at some point. I worked in the industry for eight years as a sweater designer for a lot of different companies. I started to make some contacts with fabric places and factories.

What is the most important thing you’ve learned since starting your company?

The best thing I’ve learned is to stay focused and do what you love and what you want. Within that you and your audience will find each other.

What’s the hardest part about being your own boss?

For me, I pretty much run the operation by myself so getting good, usable feedback is a little tough. It’s just me in my head. I do have a good text chain of very honest friends so that helps a lot.

What is your creative process like?

I am kind of in a running conversation with myself all the time. I just have the notes app and and will go in and say oh what about this shape or I will take a photo of something that’s inspiring. Or I’ll hear part a song and then do a quick sketch. Then, when in the calendar it says I have to design this season I just review all of my notes and kind of condense it to what makes sense.

How often do you have new collections come out?

I do them once a year. I do sweaters so it really makes sense to do Fall/Holiday.

Do you have a set number of pieces you put out?

It’s usually around 15/20 pieces and I slate them by delivery.

Where can people purchase your designs?

I have a great e-commerce shop and I have a few boutiques in the US. There is the Peper & Parlor in Hoboken, The Better Shop in Brooklyn.

How have you worked to keep female empowerment in your brand as you’ve grown?

It’s always been pretty important for me personally. It’s been pretty easy as my showroom is women owned and run and a lot of my factories are owned or run by women. For me, it’s cool to be in a position to hire women that I think are awesome.

What has been the Aha moment for you where you realized this is working?

It’s these moments of really exciting things that are kind of in spurts. Overall, it’s been really cool that I’m in a position to make a difference. I think it’s more of a cumulative thing than an aha moment specifically. I can make hiring choices and promote people that I think deserve credit or recognition. The other cool thing is being able to make changes in terms of sustainable product. Even when I started my company in 2016 every designer I knew was so interested in sustainability but the production just wasn’t set up for it. There just wasn’t a lot of interest in it. When I started my company I was asking my yarn mills for sustainable yarns and there was only couple and they weren’t that great. Because of demand from people like me and obviously a change in fashion, the last Pitti, which is the big Italian yarn show, I went to there was a huge sustainability exhibition. Every mill was like we have a couple sustainable options whether it’s organic or farm free or recycled. Everybody is doing it now. There is interest and demand. I’m glad to be a customer that demands that.

Do you hire internally for your company or just on a one-off basis?

It will be more like models and photographers. I pretty much run the show. The showroom I employ has a sales staff.

How did you know it was the right time to start your own brand?

I always wanted to start my own brand, that was always the end game. I had gotten to the point where I was sort of nearing the top of where I could grow. I just sort of said, you know I think have enough experience and I have enough connections. I had always wanted to try certain things I wouldn’t have been able to. So I just said now is good.

Do you have a motto?

I say follow your heart a lot.

How do you define success?

For me I feel like return customers who are happy giving feedback is the thing that I’m after. I want people to come back more than once.

What advice would you give to other women starting out in your field?

I would say learn as much as you can before hand. Entering fashion is not as hard once you get your foot in the door. Having a fashion degree doesn’t hurt, but you can get far with just cold emailing and legwork. Once you’re in work hard. I think for starting your own company, learn as much as you can because it’s definitely an undertaking. Any amount of knowledge doesn’t hurt. Find your lane and what you think is important. The world is huge and people will find you.

Which women inspire you?

I have lots of cool friends in the industry that have been doing this longer and are very inspiring. I can always go to them for advice. There is Amira Marion who has a line called Archive New York. She’s always been super cool and everything I would like to be.

What are some of your goals moving forward?

I would like to move into more gender neutral clothing and I’d like to move more into activewear. Knitted stuff and activewear are like best friends.

This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.