Interview: Stacy Igel, Founder of Fashion Brand BOY MEETS GIRL®

Featuring her book about fashion entrepreneurship and how to find success in business and life.

When I heard about Stacy Igel’s new book Embracing the Calm in the Chaos: How to Find Success in Business and Life Through Perseverance, Connection, and Collaboration, I was excited.

Stacy is a very well known figure in the fashion industry being the founder and creative director of BOY MEETS GIRL®, a global impact brand known for its iconic double-silhouette logo and purposeful, edgy, contemporary athleisure wear.

The brand has been around for over 20 years, no small feat in an industry where we’re seeing on an almost weekly basis, brands big and small closing their doors.

But Stacy has managed to thrive, building a strong brand and business, securing exclusive fashion partnerships with Paris’s colette, Bergdorf Goodman, Roots Canada, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdale’s, Target, NBA’s Chicago Bulls, and Atlanta Hawks. And being featured in InStyle, Elle, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, Allure, PEOPLE, Teen Vogue, Seventeen, Women’s Wear Daily, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and dozens more.

Launching, running, and growing a fashion business is a long game and requires dedication and work to build up a strong business mindset. Because, as Stacy describes, there’s a lot of chaos!

In Embracing The Calm In the Chaos, she dives deep into what it’s like to run a fashion business in your own terms and provides practical tips and takeaways for all of us to use in life and business.

Stacy has kindly agreed to answer some questions for readers of StartUp FASHION about her new book and advice for staying focused on your journey of fashion entrepreneurship.

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Nicole: You wrote Embracing the Calm in the Chaos to share what it's like to be a businessperson, a woman, and a parent and how to balance all of those things. Why do you feel that this is an important story to tell?

Stacy: Here is a clip from my introduction of my book that gives the best reason why!

The road to achieving success is a long one—sometimes it’s bumpy, sometimes it’s smooth, sometimes it’s absolute chaos. In my experience as a fashion designer and the founder of BOY MEETS GIRL®, a mission-driven, global, athleisure lifestyle brand, the best way to realize your goals is to embrace the calm in that chaos and keep moving.

Twenty-five years ago, while I was studying abroad in London, working for the iconic British designer Dame Zandra Rhodes, I heard the only joke from a friend that’s ever stuck with me and, ultimately, defined my outlook on life, both professionally and personally.

There was a man who lived on the beach. First thing every morning, he’d take a long walk with his coffee and his newspaper. One day, as this man embarked on his walk, he wasn’t in a good mood and noticed, much to his irritation, that there was a snail poking at his foot. Exasperated, he picked up the snail and threw it as far as he could. Ten years later, the man set out for his same walk with his coffee in hand. He opened his front door, bent down to pick up his newspaper, and there was the snail, who said, “Hey, man, what did you do that for?”

When I thought about why this joke resonated with me, I realized that it’s because it’s the perfect parable for building a company, which was my dream from a very young age. Of course I didn’t understand what it would take to achieve that dream until I lived through it, but now that I’m on the other side, I’ve learned more than I ever could have expected.

The first thing I’ll tell you is that entrepreneurship isn’t easy, but it is rewarding.

Along the way, you’re going to have major successes. You’re going to have failures and be let down. You’re going to rise up and transcend. You’re going to have disagreements. You’re going to hire and fire employees, whether you like it or not. You’re going to land a major deal, and maybe that deal will go sour, but then you’ll get another deal, and everything will be great.

The life of the snail is about the journey being the destination and about progressing at your own pace. It’s about never giving up and pushing yourself forward—that’s how I remain calm amidst the chaos.

What I always say to people starting out in fashion, or any industry, is that the clock doesn’t stop, but you don’t have to race against it. You do, however, have to work hard all the time and really believe in what you’re putting out there. If you don’t believe in what you’re putting out there, and you can’t differentiate yourself in the marketplace, don’t bother.

You have to think about what you want to do, who and where you want to be, and how you’re going to get there.

Things didn’t always materialize immediately for me, but I had this excited and positive energy that kept me going.

Whatever you decide to be, whatever age you are, whether you’re just starting out or you’ve taken a few laps around the block, you have to put in the hours and the elbow grease. My story is about how I’ve grown my brand for twenty years, while handling challenges, doing what I love, and still being able to contribute to the world around me.

Throughout my journey, as I learned the many lessons I impart in my book, I also relied on the wisdom of my friends and colleagues—those with whom I have an authentic connection and those who’ve supported me, discovered me, collaborated with me, built something that inspires me, made me laugh, and ultimately possessed the same level of passion that I do.

[In my book] I share some of their expert advice, as I’m a firm believer that gleaning knowledge from like-minded individuals is essential to progress.

As my friend Amy Serino, senior vice president of brand merchandising for the Atlanta Hawks and State Farm Arena, pointed out:

“It’s important to find your tribe early. You’ll need these people several times throughout your career. The shared experiences and transparent point of view will be invaluable.”

Becoming and being an entrepreneur is a wild ride. As I said, it will be chaotic at times, with or without your support network.

Nicole: For more than 23 years you have run BOY MEETS GIRL®, your clothing brand that is carried in Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdale's, Target, and so many more and is certainly one of the first, if not the first, to offer "athleisure".

Running a brand like this is a lot of work. How have you followed your own advice about finding balance? Are there areas that you still struggle with?

Stacy: I've written an entire book on this topic! What I have learned, and it took me a long time to grasp, is that the work will always be there.

If you don't allow yourself time for mental health—such as walking, running, pursuing a hobby, meeting friends for a cocktail or mocktail, or simply acknowledging your accomplishments—you will end up very unhappy later in life.

There are too many issues in the world, and it's crucial to find peace within yourself by taking time for self-care.

Nicole: When I read that you're a big believer in entrepreneurs doing things "on your own terms", I was thrilled because this is the message that I have shared since launching Startup FASHION in 2009. 

What does "on your own terms" mean to you and why do you think it's so important for brand owners to embrace this concept?

Stacy: I have never followed what my industry is doing. Instead, I have created my own brand identity and remained true to it.

There is a quote I wrote ages ago that continues to resonate with many, and I stand by it. 

Nicole: You were recently interviewed on a podcast where you said: It's OK if you're not the biggest.

I thought this was really powerful. Can you elaborate on what you meant by that?

Stacy: You can be a multi-million dollar brand, a 50-million dollar brand, or even a billion-dollar brand. If you are making money, giving back, and achieving your goals, success can come in many forms.

At one point, I aspired to be bigger than Nike, but I realized that would require countless more hours away from my family, millions more dollars in investment, and much more.

I have found peace in not being as big as Nike, but I can collaborate with them, make a difference, bring the communities together, and be present for my family.

When building a brand, think about what you truly want and how you want to achieve it.

Nicole: What do you hope that both aspiring and established fashion brand owners will learn from reading Embracing the Calm in the Chaos?

Stacy: In "Embracing the Calm in the Chaos," I hope that both aspiring and established fashion brand owners, as well as intrapreneurs and individuals from all walks of life, will learn the importance of staying true to their own brand identity and values.

The book emphasizes that success is not solely defined by size or revenue but by achieving a balance between professional goals and personal well-being.

I also want my readers to understand that I am vulnerable in my book, sharing my story of building a brand from the ground up without any family in the business.

Despite setbacks, I persevered through them. I hope my journey inspires others to overcome their own challenges and find peace in their unique paths.

Ultimately, the goal is to create a brand that not only thrives financially but also enriches your life and the lives of those around you.

Nicole: Can you share a taste of what readers can expect from your book in the form of one or two pieces of actionable advice for aspiring fashion entrepreneurs?

Stacy: In terms of actionable advice — test your ideas with others.

When introducing new ideas or products, don't be discouraged if only 20% of your initial testers respond positively. That 20% can be the foundation of your success, as satisfied customers will tell their friends, who will tell their friends, leading to exponential growth.

Persistence and a willingness to iterate based on feedback are key to building a loyal customer base.

I think these reviews below are helpful for future readers…

You can purchase the book here and the audiobook here.

Both include 16 interviews with incredible entrepreneurs and leaders. Everyone featured or interviewed in the book is a friend of Stacy’s with whom she has an authentic relationship, built through the process of building her company. No one in the book is someone she does not know personally.