Bold Moves with Bold Colour
- Kinsman Quarterly
- Mar 14
- 5 min read
Updated: Mar 15
Audra Gordon
Many people spend their entire lives in roles they hate and never develop the courage to explore careers they are truly passionate about. I am not one of those people. I started my professional career as a banker in New York, then later traded this cosmopolitan city for Hong Kong to lead an international banking team without ever visiting. I later took a career break to pursue my MBA full-time. This break led me to a semester studying abroad in London, a summer internship in Ghana, and a career that I truly love. Unlike many, I thoroughly enjoyed my career in financial services, which afforded me the opportunity to cultivate relationships and serve clients across the globe. However, I had developed an interest in the African continent and desired to explore a more impactful career.
After my studies, I embarked on a six-month solo journey across Africa by road. During this trip, I met a traveler who shared that she owned nothing black [in her closet]. Our conversation about our shared love for vibrant clothing sparked my idea of launching a vibrant resort-wear brand for color lovers of all sizes. I mentioned that someone should create a brand for people who loved vibrant clothing, but I did not know then that I would take action on the idea.
I was aware of a few brands that were centered around color. However, their styles were not what I had envisioned, so I quickly realized there was a gap in the market for vibrant travel fashion. As a taller expat in Hong Kong, I faced challenges accessing clothing in my length, and sizing was also problematic. Therefore, size and height inclusion became a core part of my brand’s identity.
How did the mission of your brand take shape?
At Beam Bold, we are on a mission to empower women and girls of all sizes and heights to feel confident in color. We aspire for our vibrant clothing to evoke joy and enable our clients to feel like they are on a tropical holiday even while exploring their own cities.
I launched the brand with clothing in five styles and three lengths but added a petite length shortly after inception when I realized that our short length was too long for many locals in Hong Kong. Our timeless pieces are now available in a full size range from XXXS to 3XL, including petite, short, regular, tall, and custom lengths.
Beam Bold has mostly gained traction across Asia and now has the majority of our clients based in Hong Kong and Singapore. We also ship globally, so we have been expanding our client base across the globe. The brand was one of four international brands recently selected for the Festival 8 International Showcase in Sulawesi, Indonesia.
We have been featured in several international magazines and most recently secured the cover feature in interCaribbean Airways’ inflight magazine, Cacique.
3. How does your Caribbean background play into Beam Bold’s designs?
My love of fashion began at a young age while growing up in the Caribbean with my grandmother, who was a seamstress. I was surrounded by vibrant clothing, which is the essence of Caribbean fashion. I also remember having a sense of pride on Independence Day when we wore clothing in the colors of our country’s flag—blue, yellow, and green. My brand is centered around color, so our brand colors are those of my country’s flag and my favorite color—orange. There is a color to complement every skin tone, and our Caribbean-inspired pieces flow effortlessly like an island breeze.
4. Your brand is not only beautiful in a fashion sense, but it also takes into account the beauty of earth. Discuss your concerns about African landfills and how it plays into your designs.
During my travels across 26 African countries, I have seen firsthand the impact of textile waste on the African continent, so I vowed to do something about it. I was also contacted by a company in South Africa to assist in sourcing machinery to tackle the textile waste problem in Africa, which made me more aware of the magnitude of the waste issue at the time.
Our made-to-measure business model addresses the fashion overproduction problem, encourages consumers to buy less, and invest in pieces that fit well and are designed to last. Our versatile designs are made with extra seam allowance and adjustable elastic to extend the life of each piece and to divert textile waste from landfills in Africa.
5. Share about the personal sacrifices you made to maintain your business during the pandemic along with your determination to keep going.
2020 was a very challenging year for many, and Beam Bold was also highly impacted by the global pandemic. Before the rest of the world learned about Covid-19, Hong Kong closed its border with China, and during that time, many industries, including the fashion industry, were at a standstill.
I later learned that all of my fabric was stolen, so I was determined to restart my brand after the devastating loss. One client contacted me and shared that her husband had lost his job, so they were relocating to Italy. However, her request was to purchase a matching watercolor skirt for her daughter before their departure. Many clients shared how their vibrant clothing lifted their spirits during those dark times. These stories inspired me to keep going. I specifically remembered hand-delivering an order to Discovery Bay to a client who is plus-size and over 6 feet tall. My exchange with that client had a lasting impact and fueled my desire to continue to impact women and girls across the globe who faced challenges accessing clothing in their size.
6. What would you tell anyone—especially women—tempted to move out of their career comfort zones to fulfill a dream that may involve years of hardship and sacrifice?
I would encourage women to find something they are truly passionate about and do what they love. You may need to pursue your passion at night and on weekends while working a full-time job, but never give up on your dream.
I have created a four-step method to inspire career changers to do what they love. LOVE is an acronym:
L – Leverage your network. This encourages you to tap into the relationships of people in your network who have gone before you, especially in the research stage.
O – Overcome your fear. Too many people project their fears onto you, or many become paralyzed by their own fears, but it’s important to overcome fear to get started.
V – Validate your idea. This promotes the idea of starting small and iterating along the way.
E – Expand through collaboration. Creating strategic partnerships is imperative in the growth stage of business, and mutually beneficial collaboration can sustain you through business challenges.
Therefore, do what you love, but do it with LOVE!
7. How can customers and retailers get in touch with you to get Beam Bold in their closets and inventory?
At Beam Bold, your size is standard. We customize timeless pieces for your perfect fit and length at no additional charge. You will have the freedom to wear your vibrant clothing as matching sets or color-block your favorite colors and prints. Brighten up your mood with matching mommy & me looks! Contact us for further inquiries.
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