Ashley Smith is a true globetrotter, having crossed continents and seas in search of the beautiful and peregrine. But her greatest adventure has been the one that ties all those trips together. Smith, founder and designer of Otherworld apparel, has turned her love of travel into her career in the most stylish way.
Inspired by the majestic landscapes she encountered on her journeys abroad, Smith decided to take the breathtaking images she collected on her trips and transform them into luxurious scarves and kimonos. Smith’s prints take you into her world as viewed through her lens.
Even though her pieces evoke fantasy and dream-like pictures, Smith’s voyage building Otherworld hasn’t always been smooth sailing. The WeWork SoHo West member dishes on how she has learned to accept change during her company’s growth and how she keeps her head above the water when things get overwhelming.
WeWork: What was your initial vision for Otherworld, and has it changed?
Smith: My initial vision for Otherworld was a digitally printed scarf and kimono line that was globally inspired and affordable. This vision is still very much a part of the brand, but I learned two things very quickly: first, you have to sell a lifestyle in the luxury marketplace, not just products. So Otherworld is quickly morphing into a lifestyle brand, one that values style, travel, wellness, and celebration. And second, if you want to work with the big retailers, you’ve got to offer a full apparel line. Now, I’m expanding the line from just scarves and cover ups to a full collection. It’s been fun to see my sketches come to life and get final samples in.
WeWork: What is the most challenging part of your job, and how do you keep yourself from burning out?
Smith: The workload is certainly challenging, especially as a solo founder without a partner. Every part of the business falls on me. I’ve learned to be strict about prioritizing, which also includes free time for myself. I actually schedule in “creative hour” every week, when I get to sketch, read travel magazines, listen to music, visit a gallery, or even window-shop in SoHo. Having this time to simply create with no end goal in mind is really the thing that keeps me inspired.
WeWork: What advice do you have for those starting a business in fashion?
Smith: There are no overnight successes. So be prepared to work without anyone noticing you for a while, and don’t let it discourage you. In the fashion industry specifically, be really clear on what the brand represents beyond the clothes, and do this before you start making a product. It will inform your decisions every step of the way.
WeWork: Your pieces are inspired by your travels. Where are some of your favorite places?
Smith: I’ve put out three collections thus far: Moroccan Rapture, Indonesian Tides, and East Side Opulence. I have loved each of these places so much and have incorporated images of the Sahara Desert, the Great Wall of China and Mount Batur of Bali in my prints, to name a few. I’m working on a fourth collection—inspired by Guatemala—and I’m hoping to get to the Balearic Islands this summer to take photos for another collection.
WeWork: How do you balance your time between running your business and traveling the world?
Smith: Now that I’m running Otherworld, I try to go on two trips a year, so that’s not too terribly difficult to do, especially if it’s for seven to 10 days at a time. I choose my next country by researching the architecture, landscapes, and colors of the country, and ensure that the next location is going to work well for Otherworld prints. I also vet it to make sure it feels exotic—if people don’t ooh and ahh when you tell them where you’re headed, it’s probably not going to do well as a collection.
WeWork: What does an average day for you look like?
Smith: This sounds cliché, but my mornings start with a combination of coffee, meditation, and exercise. I have to feel good in order to be productive. From there it varies—some days I’m up in the garment district in fittings or fabric sourcing meetings. Other times I’m at my showroom, getting feedback from retail buyers or sales planning. And of course, I’m also at WeWork, emailing, calling, checking things off my list with a big fat Sharpie. It’s really nice to have a home base to come back to after running around the city so much.
Photo credit: Lauren Kallen