Billy Reid Commits to Fort Worth in a Major Way, Begins His Next Texas Expansion With New Clearfork Store

Fashion designer Billy Reid resides in Alabama, but he has Texas on his mind. Specifically Fort Worth at the moment. Reid is set to open his next showroom in The Shops at Clearfork.

This is someone who knows a little something about building ambience.

Reid hosts his Shindig festival in The Shoals area of Alabama annually ― where the worlds of fashion, music, food and art collide. But Reid’s globe-trekking lifestyle also still finds its way into his relaxed American designs which remain as relevant as ever.

With his new Fort Worth store set to open next month, Reid answered some questions from PaperCity Fort Worth in this exclusive Q&A.

PaperCity: How long have you been designing? 

Billy Reid: I’ve been designing the Billy Reid collection for 21 years, but worked as a designer for other brands before then.

PC: I’ve been to only one Billy Reid showroom, in Washington, D.C. What will the interior of the Clearfork store look like?

BR: There are no exposed beams or ductwork in this location, but we always have a great seating area. Reclaimed wood is being used on the floors and on accent walls. There will be one long wooden table when guests walk in. There will be accents of brass in the fixtures and clothing rails.

PC: When will it open in Fort Worth? What will the hours be?

BR: The official store opening is scheduled for November 15, but we’ll have a soft opening in the weeks before. Hours will be Monday through Thursday from 10 am to 7 pm Friday and Saturday from 10 am to 8 pm, and Sunday from 12 pm to 6 pm.

PC: How would you describe your apparel? To me, it seems to be refined casual and relaxed elegance, but always focused on cut, with quality fabrics and workmanship. Very wearable and functional designs with an American eye. How would you describe the aesthetic?

BR: I design clothing that I like to wear myself — clothing that fits into my life. Some people refer to my collection as “lived-in luxury” and others say it represents a downtown New York sensibility, but I see it as classic American style, with a Southern point of view. I’ve spent my whole career traveling. All of that comes into play when I’m designing.

We develop our own textiles in France, Japan and Italy, and make great things right here in the United States. So, it’s really not just about the South. It just happens to be that I’m a Southerner and that I live in Alabama. It’s really just clothes that we like.

PC: I want to include details about your made-to-measure services, since I think that is a unique bespoke element that you offer. Tell me a little about that and how it sets you apart?

BR: We’ve been designing custom clothing for our customers for more than two decades. The process begins with an in-person appointment where our client is measured and fitted. We offer many options for tailored clothing, tuxedos, trousers or shirting. The made to measure specialists merge my aesthetic with custom designs created specifically for each customer.

PC: When did you begin designing women’s clothing? 

BR: I started designing my women’s collection under the Billy Reid label in 2010. It’s currently sold exclusively at my stores and on billyreid.com.

PC: You only have one other Texas store in Austin at the moment. Why did you choose Fort Worth? 

BR: There are so many great things happening in Fort Worth right now, which is why we wanted to open our doors here. We had a store in Dallas in the past, and always had a loyal Fort Worth following there. When we were looking into opening a new store, we knew we had fans of what we’re doing right here, so it made perfect sense.

PC: Are there other locations coming in the near future? If so, when and where? 

BR: We also have plans to open in Dallas and Houston again soon. We’re exploring a new location for Dallas. And we are going to move to a larger space in Austin in early 2020.