Press releases
“INHERENT” FOUNDER TAYLOR DRAPER MAKES HEADLINES AGAIN–NAMED DESIGNER OF THE YEAR FOR SECOND ANNUAL NYC CONTROVERSIAL ART SHOW “HIDDEN X SOUL” Invite-only NYC Controversial Art Show takes on gender dysphoria through music, dance, art, with conservative and progressive voices on topic of sexuality and gender
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 streetwear, 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 streetwear 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.
Sponsors of the INHERENT Fall/Winter 2023 Collection Show included:
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
IMPORTANT LINKS:
LINK to download collection images (photo credit: Elvia Gobbo Photography)
For sample or interview requests contact: myrdith.bookme@gmail.com
Designer Website: www.thisisinherent.com
Instagram: @Thisisinherent.
About INHERENT:
Taylor Draper established the brand INHERENT in 2016 with the mission of not only dressing men in style, but giving them wardrobe choices that gently challenge them to develop a sense of style that breeds self-confidence to face the world with their head held high. Began as an on-line shop selling custom suits and accessories, the business soon grew into a flagship store in Colorado Springs, CO. The company advances men’s mental wellness through its non-profit: Foundation by INHERENT. The Foundation by INHERENT is creating programs, resources, and events to change the face of men’s mental wellness. A portion of all sales made, and employee’s time gets put directly into the Foundation. The larger goal for Draper is normalizing feelings of anxiety, depression, or self-doubt while sparking honest conversation around mental health, ultimately giving men the confidence and courage to speak out.
“INHERENT” FOUNDER, TAYLOR DRAPER, DEBUTS Soft Envy - Fall/Winter 2022 Available In Flashship Store Now & Online.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 7, 2022
“INHERENT” FOUNDER, TAYLOR DRAPER, DEBUTS Soft Envy - Fall/Winter 2022 Available In Flashship Store Now & Online.
NEW YORK, October 6, 2022 | INHERENT founder and lead designer, Taylor Draper, presents his Winter 2022 collection under the Runway 7 umbrella at Sony Hall this past season of New York Fashion Week. The full collection is ready for consumers to purchase at their online store and at the flagship in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Show photos can be seen here and the lookbook can be found here.
“The inspiration behind this collection is bringing the desire, and longing to be surrounded by inspiration, to a place of love. It’s about reaching through boundaries created by geographic location, and promoting authentic self-expression. This collection is an amalgamation of Italian, West Coast & East Coast American, & British menswear, in a minimal, elegant color palette. It doesn’t matter where inspiration comes from, or how far away, as long as it is a desire and reflection of one’s authentic self.” says Draper.
When asked what inspired the color palettes and fabric choices, his response was short and sweet. “The color palette was selected from the midnight scenery. Fabric selection took the longest, as I had to make my own blend for the casual pieces (58% pima cotton, 39% modal, and 3% spandex). Reason being, the casual pieces don't fluff-out. They drape, more like wool. Draping was very important for this collection.”
For Taylor Draper, creating INHERENT is more than a passion project, it is a vehicle in which he wants to equip men, along with their families, to battle the all-too-common “walk it off” and “man up” approaches to mental wellness struggles. Draper proudly partners with local and national organizations, helping to build awareness around men’s mental wellness issues like anxiety, depression, stress, and self-doubt. Through his foundation, he helps men build a fully-functional, versatile wardrobe that awakens one’s inherent inner-confidence and authentic self-expression.
“The men and women I envision wearing this collection are people that seek quality to represent their authentic selves. There's a piece in here for everyone. Versatility was the intent.”
Draper’s goal is to partner with stores and boutiques around the nation and make the items available to a diverse group of people that want to look good, feel good, and do good—forward thinkers, who align with his own philosophy on how fashion meets mental health, in a space where society is often discouraging men to express their emotions.
“We exist for all men, everywhere. We exist to shake the stigma of men’s mental wellness,” Draper states on thisisinherent.com. “We exist to help men rise above the stereotypes and expectations placed on them by society. We can’t do this alone, and we can’t just do this for ourselves.”
###
ABOUT TAYLOR DRAPER, FOUNDER OF INHERENT:
Taylor Draper admits he realized his passion for menswear, oddly, during one of the darkest times in his life. “My wife and I were struggling, going to therapy weekly (sometimes more), and trying to pull ourselves out of a mess. I was not doing well mentally, but as time went on, I started to realize that getting dressed for each work day, in an outfit or suit that I felt good in, helped my headspace. I leaned into that and started studying more about menswear and its rich history, all-the-while, growing myself as a person and improving my mental health through therapy and support from other men. I realized, looking back on the journey, that dressing well and my own mental wellness were intertwined. When 2020 hit and the world stopped, I decided this was my opportunity to create something really special that could potentially help a lot of men just like me.”
Through a lot of pivoting, rebranding, and relationship building with some of the best fabric mills in the world, INHERENT emerged. It is a luxury fashion brand for every man, and it has a larger purpose. Dressing well is directly connected to mental wellness, and we wanted to shine a light on that connection through Foundation by INHERENT.
Foundation by INHERENT hosts events called “Huddles” to provide resources that support men on their journey to mental wellness. A percentage of every single sale through INHERENT, whether it’s online or in-store, goes directly to the foundation.
ABOUT MLM REPRESENTS AND MYRDITH LEON-MCCORMACK:
Myrdith Leon-McCormack’s work in the fashion and beauty industry, and as a former Huffington Post writer, has led her to become one of the most sought-after branding experts with her firm, MLM Represents.
Leon-McCormack oversees all practice areas and is involved in providing strategic direction to select clients. Her particular area of expertise is advising clients on how to best leverage their brand as an asset, to serve as a powerful leadership tool, and drive business performance. Her innovative strategies to connect consumers more effectively by associating them with the world’s most influential celebrities, musicians, artists, film makers, and personalities, have been part of her incredible success.
MLM Represents’ past and present client list has included Ron Carter, Isaiah Washington, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Lois Samuels, and Justin Davis. Her global business has afforded her the opportunity to travel the world—to great countries, such as Egypt, Qatar, The UAE, The UK, and France, to name a few.
Leon-McCormack is also editorial director of World Bride Magazine, where she drives the magazine into the 21st century, making sure that people of color are seen in a positive and progressive light. Her new roll as editorial director of Sharp Magazine Middle East gives her even greater access to a global market. Learn more at mlmrepresents.com.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, INTERVIEWS AND FASHION PULLS CONTACT:
MYRDITH LEON-McCORMACK @ myrdith.bookme@gmail.com OR +1 (917) 325-6951
INHERENT is named Designer of the year by HXS
INHERENT FOUNDER TAYLOR DRAPER IS MAKING HEADLINE AGAIN–NAMED AS DESIGNER OF THE YEAR FOR THE NYC CONTROVERSIAL ART SHOW- HIDDEN X SOUL
May 4, 2022
PRESS CONTACT:
MYRDITH LEON-MCCORMACK
917-325-6951
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
“INHERENT” FOUNDER TAYLOR DRAPER MAKES HEADLINES AGAIN–NAMED DESIGNER OF THE YEAR FOR SECOND ANNUAL NYC CONTROVERSIAL ART SHOW “HIDDEN X SOUL”
Invite-only NYC Controversial Art Show takes on...
more