🪡 Building Diadems: Ruthie Davis Fashion Micro Business Workshop

🪡 Building Diadems: Ruthie Davis Fashion Micro Business Workshop
Philadelphia Fashion Incubator Reflection

Earlier in April 2025, I had the incredible opportunity to attend a micro business workshop hosted by Ruthie Davis at the Philadelphia Fashion Incubator. As a designer navigating the ever-evolving landscape of fashion entrepreneurship, this workshop was equal parts wake-up call and inspiration. Ruthie Davis pulled back the curtain on the fashion industry and shared truths many of us don't get to hear, especially those of us building brands from the ground up.

One quote that Ruthie Davis pointed out from a Business of Fashion article was:
“It’s often the riskier product that becomes the best seller when you are a smaller brand.”
Ruthie Davis believes this line should challenge micro brands to reframe how they approach product development. Trusting your instincts, especially when validated by customer feedback, is part of learning how to lead a brand that’s rooted in authenticity, not just market trends.

Cash flow is critical. Mrs. Davis couldn’t stress this enough. Fashion is a business before it is an art, and having a solid grasp of finances—knowing what you’re spending, what’s selling, and how much of it is funding you—is essential. She reminded us: You can’t fund your brand and not pay yourself forever. Desperation sales—constant discounts just to move product—can become a trap. Once you start that cycle, it’s hard to break free.

Design for your real customers, not your idealized ones. Who is buying your products? What do they love about it? Have they worn it? If they haven’t, why not? These are the kinds of questions I’m taking back to Diadems. One idea that was given to me to try was creating gift sets tailored for men buying for the women in their lives—daughters, sisters, wives. It’s a simple but impactful way to make the purchasing experience easier, more intentional.

“Fashion is craving new ideas!” It is another statement from the BOF article that Ruthie pointed out. She is reminding us that being small isn’t a weakness—it’s a strategic advantage. You don’t have to play the big-brand game to be successful. In fact, many of those big brands are barely profitable, sometimes in debt, and often wrapped in the illusion of success. The reality is that Everyone is putting on a front. Social media has made it even easier to pretend. But what matters most is your product, your customers, and your cash flow—not the press hits or celebrity endorsements.

There was something deeply affirming in hearing this:
“Just because you’re not big doesn’t mean you haven’t arrived.”
As the founder of a handmade brand, I needed to hear that. Mrs. Davis stated that the fashion world can be quick to label small brands as “emerging” or “young,” but that doesn’t mean we haven’t made it. It’s okay to want to stay boutique-sized, profitable, and creative. Ruthie Davis emphasized: Find your own game—and play it well.

Other practical takeaways:

• Keep one main spreadsheet. Track your cash flow. It doesn’t have to be fancy, but it needs to be consistent.

• Be honest—with yourself and others. When someone asks how your brand is doing, don’t pretend. Say: “I’m working on it. I believe in it. And I’m refining it every day.”

• Less is more. Own your niche. Hone your product until it’s undeniable. What makes Diadems’ scrunchie-handle bags better than others? That’s the mousetrap—and I plan to make it clearer than ever.

• Don’t attend every event or follow every “business must.” Ask yourself: How can I sell my product today? Then go do that.

At the end of the day, without a purchase, there is no business. That’s the truth many of us try to avoid—but it’s also what keeps us sharp. The balance between design, admin, marketing, and the actual selling of the product is tough. But it’s where the real growth happens.

This workshop reminded me that I’m not just building products—I’m building Diadems. Slowly, intentionally, and on my own terms.

Here’s to the Royal vision,
— Diadem Abayode, Founder of Diadems