The Hidden Gem In Fashion, Featuring Brenda Polanco From The.Dott NYC
We all know the names of luxury designers: Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, Valentino, Louis Vuitton, etc. But who are the people behind these designers who practice the trades of sewing, handcrafted work, and pattern making at a level that becomes its own art form. These talented people work extremely hard. A regular day consists of 12 hours, could be more, and all times of the day or night as they take a designer’s vision and transform it into a luxury art. They are backbone of the fashion industry, but do we know their names?
Brenda Polanco, who has years of experience in the industry, created a business as a service hub for designers to streamline their line of work in an efficient and supportive environment as well as sourcing all kinds of talents from patternmaking to merchandise for prominent jobs.
Tearsheet by Casey Claros.
1. Name?
Brenda Polanco.
2. Profession?
CEO of The.Dott NYC.
3. Where are you based?
Harlem, NY.
4. Tell us about your background?
I have worked in the fashion industry for over a decade, most recently as the Executive Assistant and Closeout Buyer for Mood Fabrics.
5. Tell us about The.Dott NYC
The.Dott is a sourcing and production management company. We provide designers peace of mind by helping them manage the maze and range of vendors who supply fabrics, trims, and production services at competitive prices. In addition, we connect designers to other industry services from pattern making to merchandising their products for maximum visibility.
Tearsheet by Casey Claros.
6. What does an average work day at The.Dott look like?
An average workday for us is literally 12 hours of running from vendors to factories to client meetings.
7. What do you look for on your team of The.Dott as core qualities for tailors, dressmakers and sewers?
I focus on three core traits when deciding whom to work with as far as team members go: quality of work, consistency, and a positive disposition on life.
8. What skills according to you are necessary for a successful fashion designer?
Knowledge of the business, not just the design aspect. Every designer should learn or understand every aspect of her or his business, from the fabrics to production, even logistics. When designers have at least a basic understanding of the fashion business as a whole, they can avoid many things from going wrong.
9. What do you think about work ethics and what kind of ethics you believe in following while working with fashion?
When it comes to my thoughts on work ethics, I think as long as you are always willing to learn and better yourself in your field, you have a key recipe for success, especially in the ever-changing landscape of fashion.
10. What do you consider the important facets of the fashion industry?
Simple: INCLUSIVITY.
Tearsheet by Casey Claros.
11. What led you to start this business?
Being at Mood for almost six years and seeing many talented people walk through those doors, people who came from adversity filled backgrounds like myself, struggle to start a fashion line all due to lack of knowledge or fear, a lightning bolt went off. The.Dott was created to change that, to give talented people a chance and the education needed to jumpstart their dreams.
12. What's been the most rewarding experience through The Dott?
Providing opportunities. Being able to open doors, pave a way, create jobs for those who otherwise wouldn’t have a chance. That is and will always be the rewarding part for me.
13.Where do you hope to see your career go in the next five years?
In the next five years. I hope to open a manufacturing company, with a division that focuses on providing free training in different fields of the industry for those who want to learn, but do not have the means. My goal is to develop my community by training them and then helping them get jobs in the fashion world.
14. With COVID and tough times for retail business, what do you feel is important for your workers and company vision?
If COVID has taught us anything, it has definitely been to always be ready to pivot. This goes back to my earlier statement, never stop learning. That is definitely a huge part of my company vision.
15.Motto in life?
“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” I read this quote by Winston Churchill when I was 20, and it has stuck with me ever since.
16.Instagram?
@_the.dott
Brenda Polanco, photographed by Franco Lacosta. Franco describes Branda as “a beam of light in this room.”
Article by Alison Hernon, Editor-In-Chief, PhotoBook Magazine &
Franco Lacosta, Editor-At-Large, PhotoBook Magazine
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