Today we’d like to introduce you to Courtney Barriger.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Courtney. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
It feels like I’ve lived multiple lives to get to where I am today. Early on I had my heart set on becoming an adventurous Christian Missionary, saving souls in the jungles of S.E. Asia. A lot has happened since then, and I consider myself to be more of a mystic, but I am still wholeheartedly focused saving… saving the Earth that is.
I am in the business of Sustainable Fashion. And if that is new to you, good. I have a lot I can teach you, I’m writing more than one book on the subject right now in another window as I write this article.
It came to happen after winning a reality TV Show (So LA, I know), that I was able to start my own clothing line. And true to my creed of always doing my best to make the world a little better than I found it, it became painfully obvious that the fashion industry had a lot of room for improvement. It has been named the second most polluting industry in the world – and somehow has slipped everyone’s notice.
The implications were far more worrisome than just creating an apparel line that would do as little to harm people and the environment – as scientifically possible at the moment. The public had a right to know.
So I launched my brand Holding Court with three distinct chapters. Give. Take. Story. One that “Gives” you scientifically backed research on Fast Fashion – E.S.Now – a book and podcast coming soon. One that lets you “Take” home eco-friendly fashion – Wear. And one that tells the “Story” of the need to change our fashion consuming habits in the form of fictional books, films and so on.
And that is where I land today. In a state of three amazing artistic endeavors, poking at the public to hold court on fast fashion.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Oh no, not smooth at all. If anything, bumpier then the average road, with a lot of dead ends. I’m taking about “me too” moments, bankruptcies (not mine, thankfully), expensive projects dead in the water, and bruised friendships.
Running a business is hard. Most people have hobbies. And sometimes I wish I wasn’t called to be an entrepreneur. Because I have often found that what appears to be an easier path – i.e., someone wants to help you, award money that is supposed to make your dreams come true, and so on – are smoke screens for someone else’s intentions that may in fact, pull you further away from reaching your goals.
The reality show declared bankruptcy and the funding vanished. I picked up an investor who turned out to basically be a mad hatter with the intensions of a sugar daddy. And all the while, I was working with my best friend as a partner, and we had to step away from a huge project in order to save our friendship. Which we did. But we lost money.
All of this, as it turned out, was happening because I made choices to be co-dependent on other people for financing, responsibility and emotional support. The bumps in the road were me not listening to my intuition and letting someone else take the lead so that I could be safe.
Today, I am the sole owner of my company and sole financial backer. And I would not have it any other way.
Please tell us about Holding Court.
My company was created to hold court on sustainable fashion. We don’t want to just sell you another t-shirt and add to the problem, we aim to educate and tell stories in a way that will get people engaged.
2020 is a big year for us! Since we launched in 2018, practically on my own, it has been a slow assent of the mountain. While our first basics collection has been underway, I have been busy writing the first big project for “Lore” which is our storytelling division. “The Royal Robe” is a children’s story written in verse and illustrated by myself, and tells the story of a young hero who finds herself in a crisis in a world like our own. The book is set to be published this spring in London with The 14th Factory Gallery and will be on the bookshelf at The Tate Modern and British Museum. Crazy!
This week all of our eco merchandise is coming in, and we are totally bonkers for it. The wait has been astronomical, but the pay off good. Our collection is totally eco-friendly, made of eucalyptus and recycled spandex, made in LA, and is perfect for yoga, meditation, lounging and living your best life in comfort. We are shooting a little fashion film for it shortly, but I can share a few pre-released images.
Depending on how things line up, before or after “The Royal Robe” goes into print, a project in the “Curricula” division of our company is breaking free. E.S.Now – Environmental Style – is both a podcast and a coffee table book on the A-Z of sustainable fashion, and features guests from The Lonely Whale, Project Runway, PETA, Earth Alliance, and so many more. I can’t wait to share all of the astounding information I’ve learned about the fast-fashion industry by interviewing the experts. It has been one my most rewarding pursuits thus far.
Holding Court is different because of its approach. A triad of Giving, Taking and Telling Sustainable Stories interlink to create a fully realized discussion of sustainable fashion. All of these things are interlocked, and so we go to them, a trinity if you will, to walk in our intention of stewardship to our planet.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
The wise person in me says “you can’t have done anything different because you would never be where you are now without mistakes!”
Oh, if I could talk to a younger Courtney, I would say “be brave, and to just do it all on your own.” I can’t begin to name how many times I have given my power away out of insecurity, although I’ve had all of the right tools all along. It is hard to be a woman in a foreign city with no financial security… trying to change, of all things, the way we consume! I wish I could have been stronger in the beginning.
The reality is, you are going to make mistakes no matter what, and as long as you are staying keen and changing your approach to problem-solving the next round, you are doing alright.
Pricing:
- Vega Pant $80.00
- Alya Tank $40
- Alula Tank $35
- Ritual Gold Triangles Necklace $195.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.holdingcourtinc.com
- Phone: 904-304-4752
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/holdingcourtinc
- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/holdingcourtinc
- Other: www.esnow.org
Image Credit:
Courtney Barriger
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