Today we’d like to introduce you to Eric Fernandez.
Hi Eric, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My desire to stand out and be different, starting when I was a young boy, combined with my love for fashion and style gave me this drive. I’ve always known I wanted to start a clothing line and create my own designs, but I didn’t want to disappoint my parents by chasing a dream or career that wasn’t stable and financially secure. Looking back, it was also the fear of failure that kept me from pursuing this dream, in which not many people success. By the time I graduated high school, I decided to go to Long Beach State to study Structural Engineering because of my love for architecture. After a few semesters, something just didn’t feel right, I didn’t feel like I belonged to that community. I didn’t share the same interests, hobbies, and personality traits, so it was really hard to make close friends. That experience helped me realize just how important a community is for a creative and how important it is to surround yourself with like-minded and supportive people. I continued with classes but I wasn’t able to focus, I found myself obsessed with sketching clothing designs and exploring color palettes.
After some time, I knew my direction needed to change; I had to go with my heart and create. Again, I didn’t want to be a college dropout and let my parents down, so making this decision wasn’t easy but I now know it was right. So I dropped out, moved back in with my parents and started bartending full-time to support my dream. I then got a retail job at COS, a Swedish clothing brand, as a visual merchandiser learned a lot about the fashion industry and design from their perspective, all the while finding my voice and style. After five years at COS, right as COVID hit, I was presented with the opportunity and time to figure out what exactly I wanted for my brand and what it would stand for. A Creators Club was born. A lifestyle brand manufactured in Los Angeles with quality and a unique style that centers around the creative community. Creative journeys can be lonely like it had been for me. I wanted to build a community of creators that support and celebrate one another’s visions and drive.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It hasn’t been a smooth road. I have no background whatsoever in fashion or business so I am learning everything as I go. The internet and fashion/business books have been my best friends through it all. Sometimes, no matter how much research you have done, there will be obstacles that are unexpected that will discourage you and set you off course but you have to stay focused.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
A Creators Club is a clothing brand that focuses on building a community of creatives. Our clothing is all made in Los Angeles and is top-tier. Our focus is always on quality over quantity so we produce every collection in very small batches. Right now our focus is on menswear but we do see an opportunity to expand to womenswear. We’re focused on building a brand that every creative from all different fields feels proud to wear.
How do you define success?
The meaning of success to me changes as time goes on. Success to me right now means being able to do what you love and being able to live the life you want while doing it.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.acreatorsclub.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/acreatorsclub/
Image Credits
Daniel Barreto
