Josh Riesgo of Devereux Golf: 5 Things You Need To Create a Highly Successful Career In The Fashion Industry

As the industry at large continues to evolve, a hot topic is how fashion can become more environmentally conscious. If factories operated more efficiently and waste was limited, we would have a better chance of sustaining a market that everyone seems to be jumping into.

As part of our series about the 5 things you need to succeed in the fashion industry, I had the pleasure of interviewing Josh Riesgo of Devereux Golf.

After graduating from Friends University with a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Management, Josh began his professional career in business development, but it wasn’t long before Josh changed paths to pursue his passions in the fashion/design industry. Now as the Head of Design/Product Development at Devereux Golf, Josh uses his personal experiences, industry knowledge and keen understanding of their audience to create innovative designs in the activewear space to make golf more inclusive and personal for players at any level. An avid golfer himself, Josh can most often be found enjoying the sunny Arizona outdoors with his wife and two little girls.

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

It started at PING golf, where I was involved with e-commerce product development. I felt that PING had an opportunity to take a few more risks on the direct-to-consumer side of the business. So, I started to put together concepts for unique products that could help tell their story. I found that I really enjoyed the process, so I continued to dive in and learn more about design. Then, PING decided to create a position within the soft goods design team, and I have been developing my design and product development skills ever since!

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started?

Now, I don’t know how interesting it is, but realizing the amount of development that goes into a design was pretty eye-opening. There is so much more involved than just making something look nice in Illustrator or on the computer. You gain an entirely new perspective when you take a product from a concept to a finished item available to purchase.

It has been said that our mistakes can be our most excellent teachers. Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

I’ve done everything from selecting incorrect Pantone numbers to providing the wrong dimensions for a graphic. The moral of the story is always double-check your work!

What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?

At Devereux, we’re really doing things differently in a very traditional industry. We aim to take a fresh look at the too often stale world of golf, because we don’t think you should feel like you’re putting on an impersonal uniform for a round with friends.

Feeling good in your clothes furthers your personal confidence and allows you to bring your identity and style to the greens. That’s our mission at Devereux — bring inclusivity across the board to the game of golf — and I am incredibly proud of our ability to tell a story that resonates with golfers through these designs and style.

I think we have concepts and designs that offer something fresh in each capsule, collection, and collaboration. Once we bring a design to market, we do an excellent job of storytelling to connect with our community, and that community connection and feedback is very important to us.

Which tips would you recommend to your colleagues in your industry to help them to thrive and not “burn out”?

Don’t always take the job that pays more. Instead, take the job that values you more. Designers can get burnt out quickly working for the wrong team or organization. Find the team and work that is the best fit for you.

How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?

Here’s the thing about golf: it’s actually a really fantastic avenue for strangers to become friends. I’m an avid golfer myself and always love meeting people from everywhere and anywhere that find themselves on the course.

With that being said, it can also be a very intimidating game and environment to an outsider. At Devereux, part of our mission is making sure the game is rooted in having fun at any skill level and being overall more inclusive. Personally, I think an effective way to create this inclusivity within the sport is through design.

Do you have a favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share a story of how that was relevant to you in your life? (See question 5)

Working with the right people is essential. Conceptualizing and being creative are much easier in a welcoming environment that accepts your ideas and values your contributions.

Do you see any fascinating developments emerging over the next few years in the fashion industry that you are excited about? Can you tell us about that?

Golf is going through a fashion revolution. There’s a good chance the best-dressed person in the room is a “golfer”!

Thank you for all that. Here is the main question of our interview. What are your “Top 5 Things Needed to Succeed in the Fashion Industry”. Please share a story or example for each.

1. Find Your People — This is essential! Find teams and people you like and respect.

2. Stay Authentic — Don’t sell your soul for more profit.

3. Focus on the Vision — And stay open to how you can pivot and change to meet this vision at every turn.

4. Don’t Compare Yourself to Others — It’s all about authenticity and honing in on your goals, vision and route getting there.

5. Don’t Become Stagnant — With some brands, you can guess what is coming down the pipe before it even arrives. Don’t be that brand.

Every industry constantly evolves and seeks improvement. How do you think the fashion industry can improve itself? Can you give an example?

As the industry at large continues to evolve, a hot topic is how fashion can become more environmentally conscious. If factories operated more efficiently and waste was limited, we would have a better chance of sustaining a market that everyone seems to be jumping into.

If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be?

I’m going to take this one from a golf perspective: my movement would be, and it sounds pretty simple, getting out and playing more golf. Because being part of this sport — the comradery, game, environment — can create incredible amounts of good for people.

Personally and at Devereux, we see a lot of value in simply being on the course with friends and having a good time. In these moments, we share original ideas and let go of a lot of the mundane things that hold us back. Finding joy and friendship within an inclusive, active environment sounds like a great deal of good to me.

How can our readers follow you on social media?

They can follow Devereux on Instagram @DVRXthreads, or can follow me at @jriesgo!

This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for joining us!