Kyle Bryan isn't just a fan of being detail-oriented — it informs the entire philosophy he brings to work. And as branding director for the fashion house LaQuan Smith, that work is luxury.
"It's all about understanding that details are going to make a brand full and make it make sense," Bryan said. "Luxury is all about the story."
As the one in charge of amassing new clients, it's up to Bryan, 28, to land strategic partnerships and A-list talent. Over his seven years at the company, he's managed to help grow the company's elite client roster, which had already included stars like Rihanna, Kim Kardashian, and Jennifer Lopez.
His secret: caring a lot about what others may overlook — that is, focusing on inclusivity on the runway, tailoring experiences to particular clients, and taking a vested interest in networking to land new strategic partnerships.
"Kyle has a work ethic that is unmatched," Jacqueline Cooper, vice president of LaQuan Smith, told Business Insider. "Kyle is the glue that holds everything together."
Telling a new story
Bryan started working at LaQuan Smith — the fashion house owned by its eponymous black designer — in 2015, with what he says were very clear intentions.
"I came in with a mission to really help create the first luxury American brand by a Black designer," he told Business Insider. "That story hasn't really been told before."
He says the company's main goal as a Black-owned business is to help rewrite the legacy of Black luxury entrepreneurship, while also creating a brand that is inclusive of all people and sizes.
"As a brand, it's important for you to have a diverse set of users and people," he said. "The best brands are the ones that do that — Tom Ford, Versace — it's not just for one particular woman."
That philosophy often shows up on the runway.
Getting the casting and modeling just right
According to Bryan, model casting holds "incredible importance" for how the brand is represented on stage.
For example, casting a big name such as Winnie Harlow, a Canadian model and advocate for those with vitiligo, brings with it the eyes of her 8.3 million followers on Instagram. It also adds prestige to the show, for the company to be able to list off the models who came to wear their clothes.
To guarantee success in those high-stakes moments, Bryan will often accompany his casting directors as they select and fit the models — an uncommon practice for brand directors.
"The walk of the girls, the strength of the girls, their eyes, their hair — it's all so important to us," Bryan said. "And I know LaQuan trusts my eyes, so I have to be on the ground to make sure the girls match what we are trying to do."
Off the runway, Bryan says he makes sure to stay just as attentive to clients' needs. During showroom appointments, for instance, the showroom will play curated soundtracks so that buyers feel more at home.
Bryan says this has helped the company expand its wholesale accounts from small specialty boutiques into major retailers, such as Saks Fifth Avenue, and eCommerce giants, such as Revolve and Moda Operandi.
"Hip-hop is playing in the background when you come into our sales appointment because that's our genuine story —that's our New York nature," he said. "I think people respond to that and they're like, 'That's genuine, that's authentic. And I want to be a part of it.'"
Client experience coupled with "on-the-ground networking"
Bryan also credits a dedicated approach to networking for helping the company land major accounts. He says the brand makes sure to go to the right events and invite the right people to their parties. This helps the label meet the right buyers, potential clients, and executives.
"That's how some of our greatest relationships were formed," he said. "During Paris Fashion Week, at midnight, in a bar somewhere with really amazing fashion executives."
As a result of his efforts to be inclusive, LaQuan Smith has now partnered with numerous major companies, including Samsung, ASOS, Revolve, Disney and Marvel, Moet Champagne, and Lyft.
"Fortune 500 companies are always looking to diversify and show themselves in a different light," he said.
On social media, Bryan says the brand doesn't do any paid marketing with influencers or celebrities and depends solely on creating "organic relations" with potential clients. Such is the power of being attentive to the needs and wants of the market, Bryan says.
"A lot of women and celebrities will directly reach out to LaQuan and say, 'I would love for you to make me something,'" he said. "That's how some of our best stuff has happened."
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