Some people set the trends, and some people are the ones who follow them. Tiffany Rhodes designer and and founder of New York City based brand Butch Diva is one that set  trends. She is a talented young woman who with hard work and dedication is creating her own destiny and doing things her way. Tiffany took the time out to sit down and talk about what is going on in her world.

Tiffany Rhodes

SHC:Can you explain to our readers why the name Butch Diva?

Butch Diva:Back in early 2002, when starting the business and brainstorming names for the company, there seemed to be a growing trend in women taking charge of their destiny. Women were being offered more opportunities in male dominated industries, as well as pursuing their own businesses and leading new innovations. Fashion trends were also allowing women more diversity in how they expressed themselves through their wardrobe. I saw a lot of potential in the name “Butch Diva” and what it stood for, regardless of the obvious controversy. Controversy sells! I**t represented a lot about my ideal customer psychologically and physically.

In defining the term “butch”, its usually related to masculine tendencies and characteristics, however “butch diva” describes the female succeeding in roles once only considered for men, yet still keeping in touch with their femininity, sexuality, and “diva”traits! Androgynous trends have allowed women to play with their image in various ways while still remaining feminine and classy. The name Butch Diva has truly branded itself over the years, without even having to be explained in most cases. When customers see the clothes and the imagery branded behind it, it all makes sense. In this day in age, people have grown more open minded and acceptable to pop culture and even controversial marketing strategies. Although “Butch Diva” may have raises eyebrows with it’s name when it first launched, it has now grown to be a one stop custom shop for divas around the world!

SHC:I know you attended F.I.T was fashion something you always wanted to do?

Butch Diva:Most definitely, I stumbled upon my mother’s fashion illustration portfolio one day when I was a little girl and it wowed me. For as long as I can remember, that was the moment I decided I wanted to be a designer. I want to say I was no older than 6 or 7. By the time I was 10, I knew I wanted to pick up where she left off attending The High School of Fashion Industries in Manhattan. I remember going to the local fabrics stores in East New York Brooklyn when I was like 8 yrs old buying a yard of different fabrics and whippin up pieces for my dolls. its quite a feeling when I think back on those days and the purity that comes along with a little girl with a dream.

SHC:Your designs seem to have a lot of color and a vibrant pop to it. What are some of the things that inspire you?

Butch Diva:Well “color” and “pop” actually inspire me, just as much as the fearless female willing to wear it! I’m definitely inspired by colorful prints and flashy colors and incorporating them together in ways people don’t initially expect. I’m inspired by all the potential Butch Diva has to go global, and that sense of hope and success keeps me constantly at it and going in over time night after night feeling like I’m one day closer to victory. Dance cultures, movement, and art inspire me as well. At times I feel everything inspires me because my brain is constantly on overdrive, so I pull ideas from my everyday life and experiences and I pair that with the fact that women want to be able to feel comfortable while looking sexy and still going about their daily agenda.

SHC:Do you have any favorite designers?

Butch Diva:My #1 fav is Alexander McQueen for his brilliant tailoring and love for putting on a grand spectacle of a show. His work has even bought me tears on certain occasions. Donna Karan is another fav just because she is a very smart business woman and her collections are always consistent with the image and stays true to the classic design elements of what makes women feel good about what their wearing.

SHC:I know you offer many different services under your brand. Being the boss, sometimes do you find it overwhelming to wear so many different hats?

Butch Diva:Absolutely! That’s the #1 challenge and obstacle I’m trying to over come right now. I’m building a power team, but I still feel responsible for about 90% of the business’s functions. I recently partnered with someone whom started out as a loyal client of mine, Tiffany James. She has taken on the role of Operations Manager, and we are now working as a team to take Butch Diva to the next level!

SHC: What’s a typical day like for you?

Butch Diva:A typical day when multi-tasking consists of emails, follow up, blogging, cutting out orders, sewing, sometimes last min runs into the city for fabrics and trims, promotions, social touring, answering calls, sometimes even avoiding calls (laughing), trend research, client meetings, fittings…and the list goes on as I consider the other misc tasks thrown into the agenda. But what I love it that every day brings about new challenges, new experiences, new inspirations, and new enlightenment’s.

SHC:Spandex + Chaos is the title of your second blog site. You seem to be working a lot with spandex. Is it just a mode your in at this time?

Butch Diva:I initially began working with spandex just because of the flexibility in being able to offer a quick turn-over with orders. I would always suggest something that stretched to clients especially when they needed it quickly so I wouldn’t have to worry much about a constructed pattern. Although I was very capable of pattern making and tailoring, I was also still doing everything alone so being able to accommodate the customers needs in a timely fashion was very important. I’ve dabbled in formal designing, wedding gowns, costume design, and even children’s wear. But the party girls that came to me for something fresh they could move in and feel comfortable wearing, were always offered stretch options. Over time, it inevitably became what I was known for, as my fabric offerings broadened, all of a sudden I was “the girl with all the hot spandex”, by default! Clients usually compared my stuff to American Apparel but the obvious difference was my shit was hotter!  (laughing)

Next thing you know a fellow designer friend of mine described my work as “spandex and chaos”, and at first I was a bit offended because I didn’t want to be put into a box when I knew I had so much to offer and such a wide range of experience and ideas. After I gave it some thought I realized the phrase was sticking with me…and thus the ready to wear collection “Spandex + Chaos” was born. Then when coming up with a catchy name for the lifestyle blog, I realized that really embodied everything I’ve become known for in a nutshell, and hey- if it ain’t broke – why fix it!!! So I ran with it.

SHC:Who is the ideal Butch Diva customer?

Butch Diva:Well the “ideal” customer is young at heart, but wise beyond her age, she thinks ahead and goes for what she wants instead of sitting on her tush waiting for opportunities to drop..she’s a jet-setter, the party usually jumps off when she walks in the room, she’s fearless, energetic, bold, a diva of course, independent, a trendsetter, a leader,a 5-star chick to say the least! The baddest boo!

SHC:When making custom pieces for your clients, it has to be a great feeling to see them happy when they receive the finished product. *Most def! 90% of my business comes from word of mouth, referrals, and clients posting pics of their outfits. Because I’m already all over the place with my roles and responsibility, finding the time to seek new clientele could be a challenge, so the fact that they all flock to me is a blessing! My clients thrive off being original and when they realize the custom design services are also affordable, they spazz!!! Seeing how much they love it and how they go into their alter egos when they get that spandex on their body – makes me fall in love with what I do all over again every time! Some of them say “BUTCH DIVA is an addiction!” They just keep coming back for more! I love it!

SHC:We have a section here on our site called “Little Things” where people list one through five items they can’t live with out daily. What are yours?

Butch Diva:My sewing machine and my mom. Everything else I would just manage without if I had to… survival of the fittest!

SHC:I mentioned the name of your blog prior. Social media is the big buzz right now everyone either has a twitter or Facebook account. How has it affected the Butch Diva brand?

Butch Diva:The blog has definitely taken Butch Diva to new heights, as it has allowed me to manage the branding image myself and share the development process with my supporters. They have access to some of my immediate resources, what inspires me, all the behind the scenes footage, and more. It really has been a great marketing tool. I’ve gotten emails from followers all over the world that express how they stumbled upon my blog, how much it inspired them, and how excited they are for more! I’m only about a year in on Facebook and although I hesitated to join, I was also way over MySpace and so I had to upgrade with the times. Facebook has def bought about new business opportunities new clients. My partner is now pushing me to keep up with Twitter. I’m on there but I’m not a addict ; so that one is gonna take me some time to adjust.

SHC:Do you have any projects coming up that we should be looking out for?

Butch Diva:AHHH,there is never a dull moment! I have several brands spinning off the Butch Diva empire. Spandex + Chaos is surely the next big thing, but people can be on the look out for the launching of a lingerie collection and maybe even children’s wear next year.  Ia im to make Butch Diva a lifestyle experience! We are pushing for the opening of the first Butch Diva store and the launch of BUTCHDIVA.com. All coming very, very soon.The development process is bitter sweet and there are tons of goodies in the pipeline! Can’t wait to share it all with the globe!

SHC:Thanks for talking with us, any last words?

Butch Diva:Thank You for the opportunity to share! To make dreams real, first you have to have them. Success is a journey, not a destination.

Visit:Butch Diva