Features

In His Shoes: Rueben Reuel

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By In Her Shoes Contributor: Brianna Arps, @briannaarps

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What happens when passion meets purpose? Essentially, it’s a recipe for living out one’s wildest dreams. And that’s the exact magic designer Reuben Reuel has been successful in manifesting since 2012, the year he launched his womenswear brand entitled Demestik.

Venturing down a new career path that had previously sparked an interest as a child, Reuben set out to create and inspire every woman to look and feel her best through the art of fashion. Success is an understatement.

Keep reading for the deets from our exclusive chat:

In Her Shoes: What fuels your creativity when conceptualizing new designs? What does the design process look like for you?

Reuben: Women, color, print and shape. I think about all of the elements that make a woman feel like a woman when she wears clothes. I’m mainly inspired by fabric, so I will buy fabric and then decide what prints will work with what silhouette.

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In Her Shoes: As a follow-up, what keeps you motivated?

Reuben: My love of creating, my love for making people feel good in how they look.

In Her Shoes: Vibrant prints and traditional fabrics are among the strongest visual elements associated with Demestik. Explain why you chose to highlight African and Dutch culture, incorporating both into your popular, celebrity-adored womenswear collection.

Reuben: I wanted to highlight the vibrant prints, my appreciation for classic American designs while incorporating my own sense of style. When I started the brand, these prints were not very popular in western culture and mostly seen in traditional African garb. It was my mission to show that the fabric is universal and can be worn in a modern way by many different cultures.

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In Her Shoes: What’s a day like in your shoes? I’m so eager to find out!

Reuben: Busy, fun, stressful, anxious, etc. Everyday is different, but all in all I am blessed.

In Her Shoes: You recently teamed up with Toyota to roll out a custom campaign. How was that? How did this partnership form?

Reuben: That was a great experience that was a surprise to me. I was happy to collaborate with Toyota to promote the 2017 Corolla in it’s 50th year.

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In Her Shoes: Can you give us any insight into what you’re working on now without giving too much away?

Reuben: I recently moved from New York to Saint Louis, Missouri to expand the brand and create in the Saint Louis Fashion Incubator with five other talented designers. My next step is to expand the brand into a lifestyle brand touching on home decor, menswear, and possibly children’s wear.

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In Her Shoes: You’ve already reached a major milestone by lacing Beyoncé in addition to other A-listers; however, what would you consider to be your greatest accomplishment thus far? What all do you hope to accomplish in 2017?

Reuben: My greatest accomplishment thus far is being able to support myself and do what I love simultaneously. I feel successful not because of money, but because I have been able to touch lives and inspire people with the gift God has given me.

 

As a New York City storyteller, filmmaker, digital content creator, and PR strategist, Renae Bluitt created "In Her Shoes" to empower and enlighten women committed to realizing their dreams.

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