Billy Reid

Billy Reid’s expanding his eponymous fashion empire and growing his Nashville outpost in the process.

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Billy Reid wears a lot of hats—which is fitting, given that he’s a fashion powerhouse.

Hot on the heels of his new, expanded retail space in Nashville, the CFDA-winning designer and owner of a slew of eponymous boutiques is excited about new partnerships, new opportunities, new ways to serve his clients, and, of course, his new Nashville store.  

“When we started Billy Reid, we didn't wholesale it—the points of distribution were our stores,” he says.

“We always wanted the stores to feel like you're walking into someone's home. We created that feeling of hospitality and entertaining people. Experience is such an overused word right now, but that's what we created. And to this day, we continue to do that. That's really been a calling card of ours and something that is at the core of how we run our customer relations. And just the vibe of the store, in general.”

The new Nashville store has that in spades. After spending a decade in the Hill Center, it was time for a larger space. And that’s a testament to the local clientele. 

“Nashville has supported us so well,” he says. “We've had a store for ten years there, and it's because of the local support. Yes we have tourists and there's more tourists than ever in Nashville, but really it's the local support that kept us going.”

The new Edgehill space offers an additional 500 square feet for those local shoppers, with soaring ceilings and a garage door that opens to an outdoor courtyard, perfect for entertaining. 

Reid’s dedication to hosting chic retail experiences is in his DNA. His mother ran a women’s clothing store out of his grandmother’s house. “She was really ahead of her time in some ways. It was just kind of a hangout there in the town, and she had a terrific business,” he says proudly.

Reid is expanding on those experiences with his supper club series. “We have kitchens in some of our stores, so we’ll occasionally do dinners and invite a chef friend,” says Reid.

“Maybe it's for 25 to 40 people, depending on the gathering. It’s just another way to do something nice for your customers and the people that support you. It’s something we really enjoy doing on a personal level, and it's been great to share that with people.”

Reid is also sharing is his love of Scotch. The designer has partnered with The Balvenie, Scotland’s premium handcrafted single malt Scotch whisky. Reid says the brand’s craftsmanship reminded him of the work behind his own line, and he was intrigued. 

 “It’s a really special process they go through to put it all together,” he says. “They were looking to expand their awareness within the fashion community in the United States, and trying to creative events where they could get their product in front of people. We felt that with our supper series and all the different events that we have this could be a perfect match. It's worked out wonderfully for all of us.”

Another perfect match: Fashion and music. And Reid is bringing them together—along with food, spirits, and more—at the 11thannual Shindig, Aug. 23 to 25. Acts like The Raconteurs, Margo Price, Drivin N Cryin, and others will perform over the three-day festival in The Shoals, Alabama. There will also be incredible meals prepared by famed chefs including John Currence from New Orleans and Rob McDaniel from Alabama. And of course, fashion will play a key role with a special runway show of the Spring 2020 Billy Reid collection. 

“It's definitely a full ride—a mix of music, food, fashion, and art, all sort of intersecting in one place for three days,” says Reid. “We try to bring in just really great craftspeople in their field and try to share that with whoever's here.”

So what’s next for Reid? The sky’s the limit. 

“There's definitely things down the road,” he says. “I really love working on interiors. That's probably one of my favorite things with the shops, being able to work on some of those projects. I would love to expand on that part of things maybe down the road. [This is] a business where you're constantly learning and constantly evolving. We’re really trying to make the best stuff we can possibly make. I just want to continue to learn and get better.” 

1200 Villa Pl. Ste. 403, 615-292-2111; billyreid.com