INHERENT Fall/Winter 2023 Runway Show
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.
Draper has long endured a personal battle with mental health issues, in particular depression. He first came to formal terms with his condition at age 15 following a troubled childhood in Florida. At the time he was diagnosed with clinical depression, he weighed over 300 pounds, and saw nothing changing if drastic measures weren’t taken. Knowing that to have any hope of escaping the demons that plagued him, his mother and he would have to make a major life change. They moved to Colorado Springs to start anew and rebuild their futures upon a healthy foundation both physically & mentally.
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.
