Female Disruptors: “Never give up”, with Brenda K. Swauger

Consistency is key — I try to be consistent with everything I do in life. Whether it’s creating my weekly business plan on Sundays so I’m prepared for the week, or even posting daily social media to maintain my online connections. I recently took a break over the holidays posting on social media, and a friend reached out to make sure everything was okay. Sometimes, you just need a break!

As a part of our series about women who are shaking things up in their industry, I had the pleasure of interviewing Brenda K. Swauger. Brenda K. Swauger is the owner and founder of BKS Custom Clothiers, Chicago’s premier female-owned custom clothier and made-to-measure design company. With more than 25 years in the luxury fashion industry, Brenda uses her design expertise and a keen eye for style to create custom wardrobes that allow executives to enter each room with confidence, looking their best. Throughout her years in the luxury fashion industry, Brenda has established lasting relationships with some of the most noted and respected fabric mills and tailors in the United States and around the world, and in doing such, she is able to offer some of the most prestigious fabrics and designs to her clients. In addition to owning and designing her own custom label, Brenda has experience working with some of the most noted luxury brands in the world including Louis Vuitton, Paul Stuart, and COACH, to name a few. Brenda has taught Fashion Business courses at Columbia College Chicago and the International Academy of Design & Technology in Chicago. Brenda is a graduate of DePaul University studying entrepreneurship and has formal training from the Custom Tailors and Designers Association in the craft of design, styling, measuring and more.

Thank you so much for joining us! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

As a young girl, I played with my mother’s clothes and jewelry and dressed up my dolls all the time. I guess you could say I’ve had a passion for fashion from the start. When I was 15, and old…