Back in the ’70s designer Stephen Burrows was one of fashion’s stars. His clothes were hot and magazines loved to profile the African-American designer. But it’s been a while since he’s been on the scene. In fact, he has had a fashion show in four years. But now the 71-year-old designer is looking to make a return to the catwalk and to do so, he has turned to crowdfunding to raise money, reports New York magazine.
According to the New York Times Burrows has launched a Kickstarter campaign. “My last collection was financed by rich friends,” Burrows told the Times. “I pitched my model to numerous investors, but this time no one stepped up. It did and didn’t surprise me. Fashion is a difficult business. Taxing. Tedious.”
On his Kickstarter page “Stephen Burrows Now!,” Burrows explains: “The funds raised on will enable me to rent space for a design studio/showroom, to purchase fabric and produce a ready-to-wear line. Create e-commerce and mobile commerce sites. It is my passion to custom design red carpet originals for rising stars and icons in music, fashion and entertainment.”
But his fundraising appears to be going slow. To date, he has raised just of $9,500 of the $300,000 he wants to raise — and he only has seven days to go. “My goal is $300,000,” Burrows. “Either I reach it by June 6 and get the money, or I don’t reach it and I don’t get the money.”
Burrows says he’ll move ahead even if his crowdfunding doesn’t work out. “I’m sure I’ll think of something,” the designer told the Times.
Burrows isn’t the only high-end designer to seek money via crowdfunding. Such designers as Patrick Robinson and Maria Pinto have done so as well.
There is even a crowdfunding platform created just for designers. Before the Label was founded in New York City earlier this year by Benish Shah, Sheheryar Sardar, Uzma Kaleem, Nyla Hasan and Aziz Hasan. “Before the Label was born to help designers save money by only producing what the market has shown an interest in, while supporting no-waste production (only what has been sold is produced),” Shah told the Guardian. “It’s a way for brands to grow their business, understand the market and gain consumer insight.”
