Eileen Fisher, creator of the timeless clothing brand, shares lessons on simplicity and longevity. She discusses her inspiration from the kimono and the challenges of maintaining simplicity while scaling. The episode also explores the expansion of her fashion line and the importance of sustainability.
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Quick takeaways
Simplicity is the hallmark of the Eileen Fisher brand, allowing it to stay relevant over four decades.
The 80-20 rule helps Eileen Fisher balance simplicity and innovation while maintaining the brand's essence.
Deep dives
Teaching Kids Financial Literacy Through Storytelling
Entrepreneur Damon John felt compelled to fill the lack of books on financial intelligence and entrepreneurship for kids. He created the book 'Little Damon Learns to Earn,' telling the story of a six-year-old who starts a t-shirt business to buy a poster of his favorite hip-hop artist. The book uses simple and relatable storytelling to teach kids about financial literacy and aims to develop their lifelong interest in managing money.
Keeping Simplicity at the Heart of a Brand
Eileen Fisher, founder of the Eileen Fisher clothing brand, emphasized clarity and simplicity as the hallmark of her brand. The minimalist garments can be mixed and matched to create simple and stylish outfits. Fisher's vision for simplicity in fashion was inspired by the overwhelming complexity of fashion trends in the '80s. She drew inspiration from the timeless and elegant simplicity of the traditional Japanese kimono. By staying true to the core idea of simplicity while evolving with the times, the brand has maintained its relevance over four decades.
The Power of the 80-20 Rule and Keeping Things Simple
The 80-20 rule, also known as the Pareto principle, is a guiding principle for Eileen Fisher. She applies it to her clothing lines, ensuring that 80% of the designs stay consistent with the brand's essence, while leaving 20% for newness and freshness. Fisher believes in finding the right balance between simplicity and innovation to avoid becoming stale. She also recognizes the importance of simplicity in decision-making, and how it helps Instagram founder Kevin Sistrum keep his product user-friendly and focused while accommodating varying use cases.
Sustainability and Social Responsibility in Business
Eileen Fisher is known for her commitment to sustainability and social responsibility in the fashion industry. The brand takes back used clothing from customers, donating, reselling, or remaking them into new items. In 2016, Eileen Fisher became a certified B Corp, striking a balance between profit and purpose. Fisher believes that businesses have the power to create positive and lasting change in the world through practices like regenerative agriculture and clean water initiatives. She also advocates for profit sharing and employee ownership as a means of fostering connection and accountability within a company.
Simplicity is notoriously difficult, but it’s key to iterating successfully — and staying relevant. Featuring cameos from entrepreneur superstar Daymond John, and Instagram co-founder Kevin Systrom, this episode shares lessons from the timeless clothing brand, and its namesake creator, Eileen Fisher. During her 40 years at the helm, the company has scaled from a small shop on Madison Avenue, to one of the fashion world’s most recognizable, and sustainable brands.