Usually, when one thinks of a liberal arts school graduate, he or she rarely imagines a fashion designer. Leslie Robertson is an exception to this commonly held notion. A 2009 graduate of Colorado College, Robertson is now the co-owner of a fashion label called Blackberry Maverick.
Founded in May 2013, Blackberry Maverick melds the classic styles of the ‘50s with the edginess of the ‘80s. The name “Blackberry Maverick” was chosen to represent both a nostalgic pursuit of happiness as well as a sense of individualism of one who does not go along with a crowd.
Robertsons’s love of fashion began with making doll clothes as a child. It then morphed into making clothing for herself and her friends. At CC, she founded the Sewing Club and the CC Fashion Show.
Robertson gave a great deal of credit to CC for helping her pursue her passion. “The real question is, what resources [at CC] didn’t I use?” She said on this topic. She mentioned that the Arts and Crafts department, the Costume Design department, and the communications department were all very helpful in starting her off.
“In addition,” she said, “having access to so many great venues, workspaces, and equipment played an important role in the success of both organizations [Sewing Club and Fashion Show].”
During her time at CC, Robertson was featured both in Time Magazine and the Today show. Both features emphasized the comeback of sewing in nontraditional avenues.
Like many Colorado College students, Robertson chose not to go straight into the business world after college, but instead to travel.
“I went to New Zealand by myself with $2,000 and no plan,” she said. This experience was extremely valuable to her decisions about her future as well as to her personal life—she met her husband!
She decided to move back to Colorado Springs and utilize the resources that CC offers to alumni. “I spent many hours feeling like a student again at the CC Library,” she recalled.
Outside of research and development of her label, she worked two waitressing jobs in order to both network in the community and fund her company. Like any entrepreneurs, Robertson and her co-owner, Lexi Raney, ran into some challenges along the path of success.
On the struggles that the team has recently faced, Raney, a graduate of the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in San Francisco, said, “This year has been such an amazing learning experience. We over-designed, weren’t true to our brand, were rejected by every retailer, ran into expensive construction problems, you name it.”
Robertson warns aspiring entrepreneurs, “When breaking into the market, it is ridiculously hard to get people you need on your team who don’t know you yet to believe that you have something that the other thousands of emerging brands don’t.”
Robertson and Raney took the necessary steps to gain control, purpose, and exposure. They eventually gained some major ground as they were featured at Phoenix Fashion Week in October 2014.
“Our ability to take criticism and valuable advice from the people we worked with during our first collection has enabled us to create relationships with them so that they are invested in us, our brand, and our success,” said Robertson.
Although successful, the owners of Blackberry Maverick are not forgetting their roots. Robertson and Raney are currently looking for CC students with drive and creativity.
Firstly, the team is offering an unpaid internship for an interested student. Secondly, they are taking submissions for a promotional fashion piece that represents Blackberry Maverick’s “Fearless Female.”
More into wearing clothes than designing them?
There is now a special offer for CC students to pick up a Capsule Collection Dress at the Blackberry Maverick friends and family discount rate (between $75-$95).
Check out their website, blackberrymaverick.com, for more information.