Today we’d like to introduce you to Gaynelle White.
Hi Gaynelle, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
In 2005 on the brink of a divorce, afraid and nervous about how I was going to continue to provide an enriched life for my four daughters, I literally prayed this prayer: “Lord, I need to make money to continue to support my children, I do not want to work at Target or Macy’s or even have to go out of my home. I want to continue to help them with their homework, cook dinner and just overall be there for them (as I knew they were about to lose a parent in the home). Lord, I need a miracle!” Two weeks later, my neighbor, with whom I’d only had a waving hi and bye relationship with, asked me to make her a shirt for a fashion show she was premiering her purse line in. I asked her why she’d asked me, of all people to make a shirt, her reply was simply, “your dress so cute I thought you made your clothes!” I still to this day don’t know why I agreed to do it, but I did! Little did I know that her request was the answer to my prayer. Without any funds to purchase fabric, I had to use the resources I had at my job as a program director of a parenting program for at-risk families. I took a new men’s tank my ex-husband left and died it, changed the back of it, added patchwork and cut out the letters FREE and sew them onto the shirt. EVERYONE LOVED IT!! The shirt I made for her landed me a gig with the Bernie Mac Show. One of the attendees of the fashion show was the wardrobe director for the show and she requested that I make shirts for the show. I literally made $1200 from making ten shirts. I knew then that not only did God answer my prayer, but I l wanted to make more (money and shirts!) and I absolutely loved using my creativity. Soon after, my shirts were in five boutiques and eventually got a nudge to start to try making more than shirts. I did and Each week, we sold out!! I used to sew from 5 am until time to go to work at 9am and then I would hop right back on the sewing machine after working my full-time job and cooking dinner until 3 am.
After a year of selling in marketplaces, fairs and pop-up events, as a Mother’s day gift my daughters cleaned out my back yard and turned it into a sewing studio which after six months, we turned that into a boutique in which I operated after work and on the weekends. Eventually, the passion for my newly found creative career overshadowed my professional career and I could feel the nudge to step out on faith. and leave my job to pursue entrepreneurship. With absolutely no savings, in the middle of a recession, no experience and being a single mother of four, in 2007, by the grace of God and help from my now husband, we opened our first store in Inglewood, California, of which I operated while working full time, eventually, I turned in my resignation because doing both became increasingly difficult. Our start was nothing short of easy, but I was certainly up for the challenge. My daughters would rotate weekends and help after work and fate allowed my husband to work with me. After five years, we outgrew that space and moved to a larger store.- where our sewing production team and retail store team grew… it was there that I honed in on my design skills and we began doing elaborate fashion shows, pop-up events and stylists came to recognize the brand and business began to really flourish. I have owned and operated Philthy Ragz for the past 14 years. I now operate a 5000 square foot manufacturing facility with our own in house pattern makers, sewers and cutters as well as a showroom and e commerce division and have designed over 150 designs and ship globally. I have never been to school for sewing, design, business or apparel manufacturing. I am a self-taught entrepreneur, grateful to God.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has absolutely not been a smooth road. I did not go to school for sewing, design, manufacturing, or retail store management. Because I had no experience in any of the areas mentioned, I made many mistakes that lead to bank levies, repossessed cars, downsizing my home, loss of fabric, being hospitalized, strained relationships with my children, almost losing my marriage, sacrifice of personal life.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Philthy Ragz specializes in designs that cater to the lifestyle and story of the women we so proudly serve. What do I mean when I say story? When designing, I completely embody my customer: where is she going, what does she want to say without uttering a word? What body parts are most important to accent or not? Her story is who she is- there is no one design that does not consider who “she” is? The clothes that I design are centered around the socialite, audacious, bold and for the progressive uninhibited woman. I used to be 312 pounds so I am well aware of what a woman with curves and a ‘story’ wants to embody. Because of my weight loss, I am sensitive to every aspect of my client’s body and lifestyle. I am a self-taught designer, I have never been to school for design, but I was born with a gift. We stand apart because I design and own a manufacturing facility as well as sell classic trends in our beautiful showroom. I started this business at 38 years old and God gave me a second chance to live out my calling.
I am proud that I have been operating a business for 16 years and have sustained and survived through a recession and a pandemic. I am proud that I have customers that choose Philthy and trust me with their special moments in life. I am proud that what I started as a need for provision for my daughters has provided jobs, started off careers, provided hope and inspiration to others. I am proud that I chose to jump, which has been an inspiration to my daughters, family, friends and customers. I am proud that God chose me to live out my dreams out loud, many want to live out their dreams but lack the tenacity, faith and patience to stay the course. I am most proud that my children saw me bend but never break. I am proud that they took notice to what we have built and they are becoming future leaders, entrepreneurs and productive members of our community. I am proud that I am a contributor to our culture who has a hand in shaping women’s images, emotions and lifestyles via fashion and business.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I don’t believe in luck. I believe in the favor of God. When you’re chosen, I don’t believe there’s no such thing as coincidence, it’s called providence. Everything I have, everything that I have accomplished is because I prayed for it. I have never given up, I always seek information, I am a giver, I speak into other people, I don’t operate my business in fear, I have been relentless in the pursuit of operating a brand that honors the people we serve, and I think outside the box.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: shopphilthy.com
- Instagram: @philthyragz
- Facebook: Philthy Ragz
- Twitter: Philthyragz
- Yelp: Philthy Ragz
