Robert Geller, a fashion designer with a rich background at Marc Jacobs and co-founder of the cult label Cloak, shares his inspiring journey. He discusses the magic of his creative upbringing in Hamburg, shaped by his vintage boutique-owning stepmother. Geller emphasizes his philosophy of saying yes to new opportunities, revealing how this mindset has propelled him from an intern to creative director at Rag & Bone. He candidly reflects on the highs and lows of building a brand and the valuable lessons learned through taking risks and embracing challenges in the fashion industry.
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question_answer ANECDOTE
Relocating On A Whim
Robert Geller moved his family from New York to Portugal on a whim and they stayed after falling in love with the place.
He prioritized family time and sought a slower pace while keeping creative life active.
insights INSIGHT
Shaped By Japanese Avant-Garde
Early exposure to Japanese avant-garde labels shaped Geller's aesthetic and love of fashion.
Visits to Paris boutiques revealed 'the magic of fashion' that guided his career path.
question_answer ANECDOTE
RISD's 'Bauhaus' Foundation Training
RISD's foundation year forced students to tackle unfamiliar challenges and built confidence through doing.
Geller learned to draw, sew, and research, which reshaped how he starts collections by building a creative world.
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Growing up in Hamburg with a photographer father and a stepmother who ran a vintage boutique, Robert Geller was immersed in the world of fashion, art and creativity from a young age. His journey from Marc Jacobs intern to co-founder of cult New York fashion label Cloak to creative director at Rag & Bone is the result of his personal philosophy of saying yes to new opportunities.
“The key thing is saying yes. Just do it and try it. It's always better to do something than not to do it,” shared Geller. “Even if it doesn't go right, you learn a ton from it. You're always better off going out and trying something."
This week on the BoF Podcast, founder and CEO Imran Amed sits down with Geller to explore his journey, learn about the ups and downs of building an independent fashion label, and why he’s taken on his new role as creative director at Rag & Bone.
Key Insights:
Growing up, Geller was deeply influenced by his creative surroundings and his stepmother played a pivotal role in shaping his fashion sensibilities. “She owned a second-hand store in Hamburg, but she only sold Japanese fashion labels,” he recalls, pointing to brands like Comme des Garçons and Yohji Yamamoto. Trips with her to Paris, where she would take him to “beautiful boutiques,” ignited his passion for fashion. “At a very young age, I really enjoyed it. I sort of found the magic of fashion in these places and in these clothes.”
Geller’s first major venture in fashion, Cloak, became a cult label in New York in the early 2000s. Geller left Cloak after the A/W 2004 collection, with the brand finally closing down in 2007. As Geller candidly explains, “We were not really focusing on making money. We didn’t know how to do it, but we knew how to make great clothes and how to put on fun shows.” The purity of vision behind Cloak was undeniable, but it ultimately lacked the business foundation needed for sustainability.
While Geller has always embraced creativity, he also understands the importance of balancing it with the practicalities of running a business. “I respect the need for the sales and need for the business, that’s the fuel,” he says. “One cannot exist without the other. You can’t have a collection without getting the business right and having sales,” Geller adds.
After years of running his own label, Geller made the leap to become creative director at Rag & Bone in 2023. Reflecting on his approach, he says, “It just needed another layer of excitement... I felt like it was lacking conversations, the exciting pieces, the layer on top that really exemplified the peak of the brand.” Geller’s vision involves integrating the brand's core strengths, like denim, with modern elements to create a cohesive, elevated collection. “It’s not a revolution... we're just trying to layer something on top that’s exciting.”
The Business of Fashion Podcast