Meet Megan Somerville of Hella Good Babes in Long Beach

Today we’d like to introduce you to Megan Somerville.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Megan. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Hella good babes started in March 2018. But this story really starts back when I was a young kid, and my mother would bring us to her office in Downtown fashion district every day. She is a vetran in the industry and had her own company in the LA apparel Mart where she helps start brands and did a lot of development. Being around that environment had an impression on me.

Fast forward to my late twenties I decided I wanted to start my second brand but do something a bit different than most. I have watched for years the waste that goes into the industry where companies over buy and over produce. This causes a lot of waste, and frankly, this is a big part of what is wrong with our industry. I noticed this and thought can we make beautiful, comfortable, and on-trend items out of other brands throw aways???

After much thought and being consulted by my mother Hella Good Babes had a few samples and yes made out of all remnant fabrics. Yes, I did have a few false starts along the way, and it took me a while to really find my way to now. In March we had our first shoot and shortly after our store was LIVE. I started selling to friends until I got my first-night market in May 2018. Ever since I have been working to build and create the vision that is Hella Good Babes.

Has it been a smooth road?
The biggest challenges have been overcoming my fears. As I said this is my second brand and the first one I loved very much, but I was really young. After a few years, I was lacking the confidence and wondering if this is really what I wanted. I was able to work through those fears and questions over time and getting to reach my dreams I am truly the only one stopping myself. I have had a few struggles with letting some small things get in my way for a little while until I decide that I need to overcome them. Production isn’t always easy but it usually works out in the end, and I don’t need to stress myself out.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Hella Good Babes story. Tell us more about the business.
Hella Good Babes is an LA-based brand of fashion for the fearless babes. Not only that but all of our designs are made out of remnant and rescued fabrics. We want to do things differently and use the textiles that others do not want and give them a life. It is not the easiest business mission, and I know it will have some issues when we continue to grow, but I am committed to trying to stick to that mission. I am also most proud of being an LA-based brand! And I want to always stay committed to that. I love this city, and it has always been my home. I am blessed to been raised here, and I want to try and always give back to the place that has given me so many opportunities. I know that this will come with a lot of higher costs, but it is a challenge that we will overcome!

How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
I see the industry making a big shift in its practices. At least I am hoping. I hope that we become more conscious as a brand, and so does this industry. It has always been about money, but I think that it needs to change. We need to make some changes in the way we produce and how we treat the people that make our clothes. It should be about looking good and also doing the right thing. We need to treat our people better.

Pricing:

• we always aim to keep our pricing under $100

Contact Info:

• Website: hellagoodbabes.com
• Phone: (562)787-8234
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hellagoodbabes/

Image Credit:
@lizzierosemedia @zstaten.photo

Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.