4 Kids Who Are Disrupting the Fashion Industry These young designers are throwing a wrench into the fashion industry by doing things like helping to save the planet and introducing inclusive trends.
By AJ Agrawal Edited by Dan Bova
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When you were a teenager, you probably spent considerable time worrying about your appearance. Whether you were trying your best to fit in with the "cool" kids or to be as different as possible, you probably considered clothing a major concern. Apart from wondering what others thought of your appearance, you were likely also obsessing over that cute boy or girl in your class -- and your future.
Related: This 13-Year-Old Entrepreneur Just Debuted Her Clothing Line at NY Fashion Week
And, maybe, just maybe, you had a little bit of brainpower left over for homework.
Prepare to feel some FOMO (fear of missing out) because here I'm going to describe some of the crazy kids who do more than just scour the local mall for the perfectly distressed pair of jeans. These kids create them. In fact, these four young designers are throwing a wrench into the fashion industry in a variety of ways, from helping to save the environment, to introducing inclusive trends, to just straight-up rocking their fashion choices:
Madison Maxey: Extending a warm welcome to our new robot overlords
While some may shy away from incorporating tech into their everyday lives, Madison Maxey charges ahead down this path -- and disrupts the fashion industry with her "creative technologist" fashion designs. She does more than just design great, hyper-functional clothes, though; she's also created a whole company, Loomia (formerly The Crated) around a new type of fabric she invented that has circuits right in the fabric. This allows her soft, touchable fabric to self-heat, light up and more.
Maxey's dream is to create a world where clothing and fabrics are more than just decoration and do more than provide just one function. If she gets her way, you'll be able to literally light up the room whenever you desire, or keep a newborn warm or wake up during the correct part of your REM cycle.
Moziah Bridges: Bringing dapper back
Most kids squirm at the thought of formal clothes, but not Moziah Bridges, founder of Mo's Bows. After becoming frustrated, at the wizened age of 9, over the lack of bow-tie options, Bridges started sewing his own, and then sold them on Etsy. He's now a social media success getting ready to launch a children's line of dapper clothing; he's mentored by Shark Tank's Daymond John.
In addition to being a great designer, Bridges has gotten started with philanthropy early. His charity, "Go Mo!" sends local Memphis children to summer camp.
Related: This Designer Bucked Fashion Norms. Learn Why It Worked.
Isabella Rose Taylor: Big brand brilliance
Most adult designers dream of partnerships with retailers like Nordstrom and Williams-Sonoma, knowing that that type of success is likely out of their grasp. Not Isabella Rose Taylor! This designer, who is only 15, secured her partnership with WS just last month and is using the news to launch her new teen home decor line. Previously, Taylor landed a line at Nordstrom, which is no small feat but became possible following her success at New York Fashion Week and speaking engagements with TEDxHollywood and TEDxJanPath (in India!).
Taylor has been featured in Teen Vogue, Elle, Forbes and Entrepreneur (a previous article) and has been interviewed on major talk shows such as Steve Harvey and The Today Show. Considering how much success she's seen already, we can't wait to see what her future brings!
Essynce Moore: Enabling pint-sized entrepreneurship
Think your 6-year old's fashion opinion is limited to overalls paired well with an Elsa backpack? Think again! Essynce Moore started her business life in the first grade and now is the owner of Essynce Couture, LLC, as well as Essynce Couture University. The latter is a conference circuit that encourages youth to get involved in entrepreneurship by not only motivating them but also teaching valuable skills such as planning and marketing.
Related: How Russell Simmons Plans to Style and Inspire Millennials Through Fashion
It's easy to feel inspired by these young fashion designers, but don't hoard all that motivation to yourself! If you have a young entrepreneurial spirit living in your home, start watching for signs that he or she has the same potential for vogue stardom, and make sure you encourage your young entrepreneur to follow his or her couture passions.
