We were lucky to catch up with Katie Byrnes recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Katie, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to start by getting your thoughts on what you are seeing as some the biggest trends emerging in your industry

The golf industry, more specifically golf apparel has historically catered to men. There have been very few brands focused on women in golf but the game of golf is growing and more and more women are learning to play. Along with more women getting into the game comes a demand and a need for golf apparel that is designed specifically for women by women who play. It’s been exciting to create this brand that was a dream of mine when I was starting to play.

Katie, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I grew up playing lots of sports but golf has always been my favorite. As I started spending more time on the course, I struggled to put together an outfit that made me feel stylish and confident. I noticed other women struggling with the same thing, and that is was even keeping some of them from picking up the sport.

I wanted pieces that moved effortlessly with me throughout my game, and looked good enough to leave the coures and go about my day without changing in between.

I dreamt of a clothing line that would fill the gaps I saw in women’s golf apparel. When I moved to Hong Kong in 2018, Jayebird Golf was born.

Our collections are all designed around our core collection so that with each seasonal drop customers can pair back to their core collection to create multiple looks with minimal pieces.

After five years in business, I am most looking forward to seeing more women on the green – in Jayebird clothes of course!

After five years in business, I am most looking forward to seeing more women on the green – in Jayebird clothes of course!

Can you share one of your favorite marketing or sales stories?

This year we decided to sell wholesale as a way to grow the business. I knew we would have to exhibit at the annual PGA trade show in Orlando in order to launch the brand. Being the startup that we are, I enlisted my Dad, an avid golfer, to work the show with me. Just the two of us built the booth with a trip to Home Depot & Ikea and worked the show together for 3 days. We ended up being featured on Golf Channel as well as Golf Digest as a “favorite women’s golf apparel brand” which was a total pinch me moment and such a fun memory to share with my Dad.

Okay – so how did you figure out the manufacturing part? Did you have prior experience?

I started Jayebird while living in Hong Kong and was fortunate to find partners that were willing to work with someone who lacked production experience. Through a friend in the industry I met a former designer from JCrew who really taught me how to work through a collection and with her I designed some of my first collections. I still work with the pattern maker I met in Hong Kong who helped me to bring my designs to life. I spent many days traveling to the factory from Hong Kong via high speed train where I was able to see my product being made and work out changes on site.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://jayebirdgolf.com/
• Instagram: jayebirdgolf

Image Credits
https://www.lindsaymcoien.com/ http://www.wynsummarrowphotography.com/weddings