INHERENT, which began as a small on-line store in 2020, soon grew into a flagship boutique storefront in Colorado Springs, CO only a year later. But on the evening of Valentine’s Day 2023, INHERENT Founder, Designer & CEO, Taylor Draper, took his full collection of men’s & women’s custom made tailored sportswear to the runways of New York Fashion Week to the shrieking delight of some 400 guests who were on-hand to celebrate the debut as well as cheer on the monumental efforts of the designer himself. Draper’s decision to take to the runways of NYFW was not one taken lightly. He has long envisioned his collection on the runways, but it wasn’t until recently, Draper found the personal courage to do so.
A natural born entrepreneur, Taylor founded his first company at age 18 in the world of graphic design. While making many mistakes for certain, his first venture taught him the basics of business-building, marketing, and brand development. In 2017, after years of demanding 60-hour work weeks, Draper found himself once again battling crippling self-doubt, struggling with weight gain, and now facing divorce. To save himself and his marriage, Draper sought healing and support through extensive counseling and found confidence in the most surprising of places: his wardrobe. “I realized that caring for myself and my appearance gave me the confidence to show up to counseling appointments, helping me build strength to pick up the pieces of a broken marriage and begin to repair,” explains Draper.
For Fall/Winter, 2023, Taylor Draper elevated his concept of luxury fashion even further, with a collection that embodies all the trappings of luxury, while never forgetting to celebrate the company’s ongoing mission to promote men’s mental health. The collection draws inspiration from classic English tailoring, New York street-wear, and Ivy League styles mixing them all in a manner that only Draper can, to create his own unique blend of timeless and modern fashion under the INHERENT moniker.
For the two years leading up to this collection’s runway debut for Fall/Winter 2023, Taylor Draper has enlisted the help of branding guru Myrdith Leon-McCormack, founder of MLM Represents. Together, they have been seeking to not only grow the brand beyond its Colorado roots to be a truly global presence. One of the first major steps in achieving this goal is to feature the collection on the runways of NYFW, in partnership with several newly inked brand alignments that MLM has brought to the table.
The collection was constructed from wool, cotton, and cashmere suitings, twills, plush corduroy, and shirtings, with a serious dose of butter soft knitwear that showed up draped in thought provoking ways to create a feeling of accessible Avant Garde. His rich color palette of moss and forest green, chocolate brown, and midnight navy, with a few other colors added in for accents, create a sense of warmth and comfort during the colder months. The range of styles and silhouettes ran the spectrum, from traditional blazers and trousers to contemporary street-wear inspired pieces, all crafted with the highest quality materials.
Wearing INHERENT is a statement. A statement both of style and support for the mental health of men (and women) everywhere. “My mission will not be complete until phrases like ‘walk it off’ or ‘man up’ are redefined in our vocabulary to mean that a man is in touch with his feelings and can communicate them in a healthy way,” says Draper. “Every man’s first instinct should be to open up about feelings of overwhelm or depression without shame, guilt, or fear.” Through INHERENT, Draper helps men and women build fully functional, versatile wardrobes that awaken confidence and foster authentic self-expression. Designer Website: www.thisisinherent.com
Instagram: @Thisisinherent.
Sponsors:
*Non-artisan, Char Boutique Soul By Amal Ameen
*OMHH Hair & Beauty, Style Esteem, and Bifties
*Watches by: Piaget Watches
*Women’s Shoes by: Vanessa Noel
loved the wellness idea attached to the suits 💯