Rebecca Minkoff does it all, and then some. Since launching her namesake brand in 2005 with her brother, Uri Minkoff, the New York-based designer has wholly embraced just about every social media platform in existence. One of the first labels to launch a blog in the late aughts, Rebecca Minkoff content is now digitally accessible on — wait for it — Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Pinterest, Snapchat, TikTok, iTunes (Superwomen With Rebecca Minkoff, a weekly podcast), and, most recently, Clubhouse, Klarna, and even OnlyFans (more on that later). It would be an impressive juggling act for anyone, let alone a 40-year-old woman who admittedly isn't the target demographic for most if not all of the aforementioned services. "It sounds overwhelming," Minkoff told POPSUGAR. "The workload is a bit more, but it's not impossible. I might abandon TikTok soon."
Minkoff talked to us about embracing technology and her decision to show again at New York Fashion Week [1] amid a pandemic.
POPSUGAR: How have you been holding up during all of this?
Rebecca Minkoff: Good, all things considered. Health is top of mind. We're still in business — we're actually rehiring more of our team that we had had to offload back in March, so I can't complain. I think all this busyness is paying off.
PS: Why did you decide to host a live show again?
RM: Last Fashion Week was our test run for, "Should we still do this? Is it still relevant?" And the organic traffic to our site and sales from the last show eclipsed far and away any show we had done prior in terms of metrics, so for us it was a no-brainer. To be able to continue the conversation and dialogue with our customer, and the content you get out of it, is priceless. With everything being virtual right now, we need that content. The stubborn part of me also wants to showcase that you can do business during COVID, you can hire people during COVID, you can have events that aren't superspreader events. I want to be an example so that more people take those steps and feel like they can go back to work. There's an economic impact that I would hope will enable other people to feel comfortable doing the same thing.
PS: What sort of safety precautions will you have in place?
RM: Anyone that's working the show — my team, the models, everyone backstage — has to have a negative COVID test before entry. All the guests will have temperature checks and fill out COVID screening forms, and there will be about 20 people [allowed in] every 15 minutes in a very large space. Everybody will be wearing masks including all of the guests and models; there's hand-sanitizing stations spaced throughout . . . and now that the city has reopened restaurants, you're definitely in a safer environment at my show than in a restaurant.
"You're definitely in a safer environment at my show than in a restaurant."
PS: Given the current weather conditions and constraints, was it more difficult to put on a show this time around?
RM: Last time was definitely more difficult, since now we know what to expect and how to do it. It actually feels pretty smooth, knock on wood. Except we had a call the other day that the snow on the roof turned to ice, which is a legal risk, so we had to move [indoors]. I think that was the only drama outside of finding botanical plants in the middle of winter in New York City, but we found a greenhouse that has them.
PS: Have you gotten any pushback from people in the industry about presenting in person?
RM: Zero. I guess you could attack me, but then you'd be attacking Jason Wu, Christian Siriano, IMG, New York Fashion Week. We're all approaching this together and we're all being so cautious — I don't know what there is to push back on. Should we all just live in fear and hide in our houses and never come out? I don't think that's a solution.
![What are some highlights of the new collection?
RM: The collection was designed pre-COVID, but the ethos is our customer — that free-spirited bohemian rock aesthetic. There's a lot of comfort, but also great pieces that hopefully you'll be excited to wear when the weather turns — anything from a sweatshirt jumpsuit to a fringe leather jacket. We also have some incredible new handbag silhouettes. There's a half-moon shape called the Florence as well as some new iterations on classics like the Edie Crossbody. We also did a collaboration called Sunny Days with a designer who's been working for me for 14 years. We've really been successful during the pandemic at giving you the cosy, but still the fashion.
PS: What's your feeling about spring trends? Where do you think fashion is headed?
RM: I think it's going to be about the mix. You're going to wear your sweatsuit and throw on a leather jacket and have the calling card of your bag. I don't think that comfort is going to go away; I think that people who haven't put on jeans in nine months still might not want to put on jeans. The high-low is only going to continue. Your bag and your outerwear is going to become more important if your under layer is going to be pure comfort.
PS: Now tell me about this partnership with Verizon Media's Yahoo Ryot Lab. Your new collection will be an immersive augmented-reality experience?
RM: As a brand, we're always looking to widen that [technology] sphere. At past presentations, we've had up to 500 consumers in attendance. With COVID restrictions, we're only allowed 100 guests, and most of that is industry, so it was important that we give the customer [the experience of being] as close [to in-person] as possible. Having five outfits in AR is the closest they can get to touching and feeling the clothes.
"There's something to be said about having the opportunity to connect with your die-hard, truest fans."
PS: You're also partnering with OnlyFans. Why that platform specifically?
RM: I read an article about [OnlyFans] a couple months ago, and it was interesting to me that more influencers, musicians, etc. were moving toward that platform. There's something to be said about having the opportunity to connect with your die-hard, truest fans. If you can capture an audience of 10,000 who want to see [your collection], why not give it to them? For us, the platform is going to be free — there will be some add-on opportunities if you want mentorship or a one-on-one. I think future designers should monetize some of this content and aren't necessarily able to do the partnerships that influencers can do. For example, a designer could sell content on OnlyFans to even get the budget to do a show. It's a great way to get closer to your rabid fan base and potentially monetize things to get a collection off the ground.
PS: OnlyFans has become known for democratizing the sex-work industry, but its uses obviously extend beyond that. What will your brand offer exactly?
RM: There will be a lot of stuff from past events that never saw the light of day. We shoot a lot of content, so there's always extra. We've been shooting content this whole week that we wouldn't want to show on a bigger, more public platform, because we want to maintain a sense of excitement for the show.
PS: As a New Yorker, do you think the city will bounce back?
RM: I definitely believe in New York. You've seen it recover in the past, whether it was the recession in the '70s or after 9/11. It will be forever changed, but New Yorkers are resilient people. When things loosen up again and all the rules are lifted, you'll see it come back. You already see it in other states where governors have been less strict — the economies are starting to recover at a fast rate. The sooner things open up, the closer we'll be to the New York that we used to have.
Look ahead to get a closer look at Rebecca Minkoff's spring 2021 collection.](https://media1.popsugar-assets.com/files/thumbor/fz6QhqlYYEDDuMu6ga0bVEZ6f5A/fit-in/1024x1024/filters:format_auto-!!-:strip_icc-!!-/2021/02/17/640/n/1922564/5d1d19f97632c673_Group_3/i/What-are-some-highlights-new-collection.jpg "What are some highlights of the new collection?
RM: The collection was designed pre-COVID, but the ethos is our customer — that free-spirited bohemian rock aesthetic. There's a lot of comfort, but also great pieces that hopefully you'll be excited to wear when the weather turns — anything from a sweatshirt jumpsuit to a fringe leather jacket. We also have some incredible new handbag silhouettes. There's a half-moon shape called the Florence as well as some new iterations on classics like the Edie Crossbody. We also did a collaboration called Sunny Days with a designer who's been working for me for 14 years. We've really been successful during the pandemic at giving you the cosy, but still the fashion.
PS: What's your feeling about spring trends? Where do you think fashion is headed?
RM: I think it's going to be about the mix. You're going to wear your sweatsuit and throw on a leather jacket and have the calling card of your bag. I don't think that comfort is going to go away; I think that people who haven't put on jeans in nine months still might not want to put on jeans. The high-low is only going to continue. Your bag and your outerwear is going to become more important if your under layer is going to be pure comfort.
PS: Now tell me about this partnership with Verizon Media's Yahoo Ryot Lab. Your new collection will be an immersive augmented-reality experience?
RM: As a brand, we're always looking to widen that [technology] sphere. At past presentations, we've had up to 500 consumers in attendance. With COVID restrictions, we're only allowed 100 guests, and most of that is industry, so it was important that we give the customer [the experience of being] as close [to in-person] as possible. Having five outfits in AR is the closest they can get to touching and feeling the clothes.
\"There's something to be said about having the opportunity to connect with your die-hard, truest fans.\"
PS: You're also partnering with OnlyFans. Why that platform specifically?
RM: I read an article about [OnlyFans] a couple months ago, and it was interesting to me that more influencers, musicians, etc. were moving toward that platform. There's something to be said about having the opportunity to connect with your die-hard, truest fans. If you can capture an audience of 10,000 who want to see [your collection], why not give it to them? For us, the platform is going to be free — there will be some add-on opportunities if you want mentorship or a one-on-one. I think future designers should monetize some of this content and aren't necessarily able to do the partnerships that influencers can do. For example, a designer could sell content on OnlyFans to even get the budget to do a show. It's a great way to get closer to your rabid fan base and potentially monetize things to get a collection off the ground.
PS: OnlyFans has become known for democratizing the sex-work industry, but its uses obviously extend beyond that. What will your brand offer exactly?
RM: There will be a lot of stuff from past events that never saw the light of day. We shoot a lot of content, so there's always extra. We've been shooting content this whole week that we wouldn't want to show on a bigger, more public platform, because we want to maintain a sense of excitement for the show.
PS: As a New Yorker, do you think the city will bounce back?
RM: I definitely believe in New York. You've seen it recover in the past, whether it was the recession in the '70s or after 9/11. It will be forever changed, but New Yorkers are resilient people. When things loosen up again and all the rules are lifted, you'll see it come back. You already see it in other states where governors have been less strict — the economies are starting to recover at a fast rate. The sooner things open up, the closer we'll be to the New York that we used to have.
Look ahead to get a closer look at Rebecca Minkoff's spring 2021 collection.")
What are some highlights of the new collection?
RM: The collection was designed pre-COVID, but the ethos is our customer — that free-spirited bohemian rock aesthetic. There's a lot of comfort, but also great pieces that hopefully you'll be excited to wear when the weather turns — anything from a sweatshirt jumpsuit to a fringe leather jacket. We also have some incredible new handbag silhouettes. There's a half-moon shape called the Florence as well as some new iterations on classics like the Edie Crossbody. We also did a collaboration called Sunny Days with a designer who's been working for me for 14 years. We've really been successful during the pandemic at giving you the cosy, but still the fashion.
PS: What's your feeling about spring trends? Where do you think fashion is headed?
RM: I think it's going to be about the mix. You're going to wear your sweatsuit and throw on a leather jacket and have the calling card of your bag. I don't think that comfort is going to go away; I think that people who haven't put on jeans in nine months still might not want to put on jeans. The high-low is only going to continue. Your bag and your outerwear is going to become more important if your under layer is going to be pure comfort.
PS: Now tell me about this partnership with Verizon Media's Yahoo Ryot Lab. Your new collection will be an immersive augmented-reality experience?
RM: As a brand, we're always looking to widen that [technology] sphere. At past presentations, we've had up to 500 consumers in attendance. With COVID restrictions, we're only allowed 100 guests, and most of that is industry, so it was important that we give the customer [the experience of being] as close [to in-person] as possible. Having five outfits in AR is the closest they can get to touching and feeling the clothes.
"There's something to be said about having the opportunity to connect with your die-hard, truest fans."
PS: You're also partnering with OnlyFans. Why that platform specifically?
RM: I read an article about [OnlyFans] a couple months ago, and it was interesting to me that more influencers, musicians, etc. were moving toward that platform. There's something to be said about having the opportunity to connect with your die-hard, truest fans. If you can capture an audience of 10,000 who want to see [your collection], why not give it to them? For us, the platform is going to be free — there will be some add-on opportunities if you want mentorship or a one-on-one. I think future designers should monetize some of this content and aren't necessarily able to do the partnerships that influencers can do. For example, a designer could sell content on OnlyFans to even get the budget to do a show. It's a great way to get closer to your rabid fan base and potentially monetize things to get a collection off the ground.
PS: OnlyFans has become known for democratizing the sex-work industry, but its uses obviously extend beyond that. What will your brand offer exactly?
RM: There will be a lot of stuff from past events that never saw the light of day. We shoot a lot of content, so there's always extra. We've been shooting content this whole week that we wouldn't want to show on a bigger, more public platform, because we want to maintain a sense of excitement for the show.
PS: As a New Yorker, do you think the city will bounce back?
RM: I definitely believe in New York. You've seen it recover in the past, whether it was the recession in the '70s or after 9/11. It will be forever changed, but New Yorkers are resilient people. When things loosen up again and all the rules are lifted, you'll see it come back. You already see it in other states where governors have been less strict — the economies are starting to recover at a fast rate. The sooner things open up, the closer we'll be to the New York that we used to have.
Look ahead to get a closer look at Rebecca Minkoff's spring 2021 collection.
Rebecca Minkoff's Spring 2021 Collection
