Burke Residency 32: BOYKO

EMMA: Can you introduce yourself and share a bit about your apparel?

HALEY: My name is Haley Boyko and I am the owner/founder of my brand Boyko. I fund the business myself, and started it with my savings. I design and make all of my samples out of my loft in Long beach, and get everything manufactured in DTLA.

E: The colors you use are bright and gorgeous, can you share more about your love for vibrant color palettes? Have you always had this penchant for bright colors?

H: I have always gravitated towards bright colors and prints so it was a given for me! I like to be surrounded by color, so even my apartment is a huge reflection of that and the entire space is super colorful. I feel confident and most myself in color and wanted to create pieces that would bring people a lot of joy!

E: BOYKO has such a strong visual point of view, where do you draw inspiration from?

H: I am a super process-based designer, so My initial inspiration and sketches usually develop a lot throughout the process of patternmaking and sample making. It's the main reason why I want to always be developing my own samples. My ideas evolve quite a bit from sketch to sample, so not only is it way more cost effective to make my own patterns and samples, it's a huge part of my creative process.

E: A small business one-woman show is not for the faint of heart - what have you loved about it and what's been the most frustrating? What has surprised you?

H: It most definitely is not! I am running on fumes a lot of the time but it's worth it (or hopefully will be down the road!). I still work my full-time job in footwear design so balancing it all is a challenge. The only reason I am able to make it work is because I am not a big sit-still-and-relax person (which I love/ hate). I feel most at ease when I am doing something and I always have to have my hands moving. So with that, I am able to make it all work. The most frustrating part is all of the mistakes are entirely my fault, ha. It's the part that love and hate the most. Everything being in my control is my favorite, but with that comes a lot more responsibility which can be really challenging. What has surprised me is how much I am able to handle as a person. I have had a lot thrown my way these last few years and have been able to handle it all reasonably well. You dont know how much you can handle until you are in the thick of it!

E: You offer pieces that are gender neutral and practically seasonless, how do you decide when to add new silhouettes or colors or prints? How would you like to see BOYKO grow and change as it continues?

H: Thus far, the times to add new pieces has been based on budget and what is possible. I would love to be releasing and creating more but it's very very hard! My spring collection is the biggest drop of newness I have had since I started the business, so I am super excited for that! I have learned to just lean in to what I love most and really bet on that. The styles that have performed the best are the ones that I believed in most and didn't have a bunch of outside opinions in my head. So I think establishing a higher level of confidence of what I know and what I like is a big goal for me moving forward. I also hope to continue expanding my size range!

E: What's your favorite under-appreciated color or print combo (at this moment)?

H: I love red and green! Everyone associates it with Christmas, but its such a joyful color combo. With the right shades it can be really amazing!

E: What advice do you have for someone who's maybe a little afraid to add more bold color to their life?

H: I feel like the comment I get most often from people who dress more subdued but like my clothes or what I wear is always the same. "I love that but I could never pull it off!" I think if people took the process of getting dressed everyday a little less seriously and had a little more fun, we would see a lot more color out in the world. As kids, we dress in fun, funky outfits and its just something that a lot of people grow out of, but maintaining that childlike confidence to wear whatever you want is something that is really powerful! Have fun with it and start experimenting. Clothes have a bigger effect on your mood and your day than you'd expect and if you let loose a bit it could potentially be a really fun and freeing experience.