AGM: What inspired the creation of ERIN BAILEY, and what opportunity did you see within women’s golf apparel?
EB: As a child, I was my grandmother’s guest at her Municipal Tuesday morning ladies’ golf league. There was something about watching a group of impeccably dressed women drink 10am highballs and play below average golf that made me feel like I was getting a preview of my future. I have achieved the “playing below average golf” part, but I struggled to find apparel to make me feel impeccably dressed like those ladies.
Ultimately, I want more women and girls to have access to and play golf. ERIN BAILEY was born from a desire to honor my grandmother, Eileen Bailey, who introduced me and so many other women to golf, and create truly functional and stylish apparel for women.
The marketplace is evolving quickly, but the women’s category still has a lot of opportunity for woman-led and -designed brands. Of course, pockets matter; that’s low-hanging fruit. The product also needs to have a point of view, fit properly, and flatter the wearer, all while being retail-friendly. That means giving clubs the ability to serve their membership without requiring dozens of SKUs.
