Ryan Taylor is Creating a Life He’s Always Dreamed Of
The Houston designer gets personal with his crafts and achievements.
Ryan Knew by Ryan Taylor
“Ryan Knew is a luxury menswear brand centered around innovative and house staples that translate into wearable daily garments,” says Ryan Taylor, creator and design director of Ryan Knew.
Taylor always knew he had an affinity for all types of design before he established his love for fashion design. Whether it was film, fashion, or set design, the 10-plus years of practice have set the scene for how he makes designing clothes look easy today.
“To be honest, I was really just tired of watching a life at the time I couldn't afford,” Taylor says. “A lot of design and storytelling in my brand comes from my lack growing up; having a mother who worked two jobs left a lot of times we had to go without. When I used to walk into luxury department stores, I knew there was a level of design and or lifestyle I wanted to have and shape my life around.”
In recent years, many notable artists have worn Ryan Knew pieces. Some include Lil Baby, Khalid, Fivio Foreign, Groovy Ju, Shameik Moore, Boston Richey, Christian Combs, the late Pnb Rock, Latto, Coi Leray, and more. Despite the fact that Taylor says he doesn’t design exclusively for celebrities, he wants all types of people to feel confident in his apparel.
“My ideal customer is in the streets every day, but celebrities are the new walking billboards,” he says. “I've always been keen to build relationships that turn into advertising in a way.”
Taylor makes clothes for people who prefer to look opulent and feel comfortable. He specializes in denim with distressed details and unique washes. These often are incorporated with stacked finishes at the bottom of the pants and multiple pockets throughout to ensure storage and a comfortable fit. He also crafts cashmere and mohair blend pullovers that resemble jerseys and two-piece sets. The eclectic designer is also tapped into designing with leather through varsity jackets and outerwear coats and puffers. And his knack for knits — cable knit and wave knit sweaters, vests, and cardigans make for a great extra layer in any season.
During New York Fashion Week, Taylor and his colleague trekked around the city attending multiple fashion shows in Ryan Knew outfits. The looks caught the eyes of photographers and influencers, including a featured video on the popular Instagram account @fitsfromthestreets.
Taylor is notorious for the fashion shows he hosts in Houston when he launches a new collection. His August runway show, for example, had well-dressed people standing in line outside the venue to get the best seat in the house. Many supporters of the designer flew into the city to act even further on their support. The show's success left Taylor feeling humbled and appreciative of his community in and out of the city.
“I was always told if you can't join it, build it,” Taylor says. “The Ryan Knew show was built on not having the resources or recognition at the time I started to place my brand in the same atmosphere as the majors. As the brand rose, I wanted to build an atmosphere in a barren place that hadn't seen what the fashion schedule and showings were like. Now mixed with storytelling and actual fan interaction, the show is an overcapacity homecoming event for the brand and our supporters from around the world...It's that big.”
Looking into the future of Ryan Knew, Taylor aspires to continue growing and expanding his brand to a broader range of fashion lovers worldwide.
“I would pray that we continue the current path we're on and almost at the time to announce our first major retailer,” he says. “At this time, the focus is the consumer, them knowing the brand, them seeing the brand without logos and constant recognition of that, motif building and continued storytelling through branding and consumer interactive events.”
