Spotlight: Garnish Apparel
Garnish Apparel is a small fashion house located in Portland’s Pearl District. With over two decades in business, about 95% of what it sells is designed right in the store. It specializes in styling professional women, helping them find pieces that suit their lifestyles and bodies so they feel confident and ready to take on their world. “Sustainability is central to how we work,” shared Erica, the owner. “We use deadstock fabric, which is excess yardage from other design houses, and we recycle our own scraps. It leaves us with about one bag of trash a month.” Read on to learn more about Erica’s journey running Garnish Apparel.
How do you feel Portland shapes or influences your business?
Erica: Portland is a casual town. People come in and ask where they'd even wear these clothes. I tell them: wear them to the grocery store. Most of our pieces can be dressed up or down, and we teach people how to wear the same thing in different ways. We're here to show Portlanders that they can dress in a way that makes them happy.
If you could go back to the beginning, what would you have done differently?
Erica: If I were smart, I would have listened to the SBA advisor who told me to focus on a handful of products. But I have ADHD, and that would have been really boring for me. Creativity is my favorite part of the job. In a small business, you're always wearing a dozen hats and constantly learning — I love that and sometimes it exhausts me.
What has been your biggest success to date?
Erica: Partnering with the community. People started coming to us asking for donations, and we wanted to build something that would benefit both sides. About fifteen years ago, we created parties and stylist appointments that come with store credit as the donation. It's a way to support the community while introducing ourselves to new customers at the same time. We now donate to around 300 nonprofits a year.
What has been your biggest challenge?
Erica: How long do you have? How do I summarize the challenges? People have endless options now. The whole world is in the palm of their hand, and the competition for their attention is relentless. Someone will come in and say, "I bought this dress from you ten years ago and it's still my favorite." And I think: it took you ten years to come back? Convenience drives everything. Everyone wants beautiful neighborhoods with cute shops and cafés, and then they shop online. It's hard to compete when bigger businesses have every advantage.
What's your best advice for someone who wants to start or run their own small business?
Erica: You have to want it with your entire heart. And get as much experience as you can first. I started at 27 knowing nothing about marketing - nothing about anything, really. I came from a family of small business owners, which helped, but it was still very challenging. Learning how to market is one of the most important skills you can have. Get that experience before you start.
