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How Custom-Made Clothes Became the Latest Craze

For independent fashion labels, one-of-kind designs can help keep cash flowing.
Custom pieces from Juliet Johnstone, Rhee Studio and Small Talk Studio. Courtesy.
Custom pieces from Juliet Johnstone, Rhee Studio and Small Talk Studio. Courtesy.
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BoF PROFESSIONAL

Nick Williams’ custom apparel label Small Talk Studio was growing at a steady, if slow, pace for some time. The designer launched the line of hand-painted and embroidered one-of-a-kind designs in Oakland in 2017, later moving to New York to further cultivate his business while working part-time as an art teacher and case manager for a non-profit in Brooklyn.

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