Julian Woodhouse on the Netflix series, “Next in Fashion.” Woodhouse graduated from St. Thomas in 2012 and established his own brand in 2014. (Photo courtesy of screenrant.com.
Julian Woodhouse, a 2012 St. Thomas graduate, is changing the New York fashion game with his brand: WOOD HOUSE Army.
Woodhouse, a 30-year-old U.S. Army veteran and fashion designer, made a name for himself in the fashion industry after establishing his own brand and appearing on the Netflix series, “Next in Fashion.”
After completing a four-year Army deployment in Seoul, South Korea, Woodhouse moved to New York City with his business partner and now-husband, Kirill Kabachenko. The two established WOOD HOUSE Army in 2014.
The designers said they make clothes for confident people who are not afraid to be themselves.
“I decided to start a brand just based off of wanting to design clothes for myself that I couldn’t find anywhere else,” Woodhouse said.
Woodhouse’s designs were recently featured on “Next in Fashion.” In the four episodes he was in, he said he gained confidence and skills as a designer.
“I actually didn’t know how to sew until about two months before the show. I just decided to just jump out and do it. So, if anything, the show really gave me a renewed sense of self,” Woodhouse said.
Kirill Kabachenko (left) and Julian Woodhouse (right) pose for a picture on their website. Kabachenko and Woodhouse are a married couple and business partners for WOOD HOUSE Army. (Photo courtesy of woodhousearmy.com
Woodhouse and Kabachenko gained 35,000 followers through “Next in Fashion.” Woodhouse’s brand received outpouring support after he showcased his design in the second episode.
“I didn’t really expect that it would be such a large following. I was receiving messages from all over the world,” Kabachenko said.
Woodhouse’s designs have also gained attention amongst business professors around campus. Laura Dunham, the associate dean of the OPUS College of Business, was impressed by Woodhouse’s brand-building abilities.
“He seems to be very good at building that brand, you know, really connecting to his customers and expressing very well what it means to wear his clothes,” Dunham said.
Though it may be hard establishing a brand, Dunham thinks that Woodhouse has the drive that the business industry needs.
“As an entrepreneur, you have to have such hussle, you have to be out there constantly connecting to the opportunities– to put your stuff in front of your customers, so it seems to me like he’s done some fantastic work,” Dunham said.
Woodhouse and Kabachenko hope to grow their business and their impact with their customers in the future.
“I love to see our clothes on other people, but I also like to see people flourish through our designs,” Woodhouse said.
Leila Weah can be reached at weah7721@stthomas.edu.