Fashion Marvel: Interview with Ashly Ryan of Splice Clothing

Travel has been suspended, and most of us are quarantined in our homes.  Still, that shouldn't stop us from thinking about the next trip, the next adventure, the next journey abroad.  Really, it contributes to the light at the end of this anxiety-inducing, COVID-19 riddled tunnel. Let's keep thinking about that next bit of travel, shall we?

For years, I've delved more and more into minimizing my travel necessities; the idea of being a minimalist traveler has become increasingly more realistic. I've gone from using check-in bags to carry-on and a backpack, to duffel and a backpack, to lately just a backpack. 

There is a solitary experience that has informed my travel, permeating all my trips in some form or another; where efficiency, adaptability, and freedom of movement are paramount: 

Late on a cold December night in Venice back in 1999, my family found itself lost amid rising tidewaters, trying to find our hotel.  Each of us was belabored with huge luggage and at the peak of frustration. That is when my father, who was carrying two check-in bags and a backpack, arms full, was approached by a man selling a bouquet of flowers. "No! No! No! Can't you see what's going on here," my father railed, making the man recoil and walk away.  That is when my dad marched down the long row of planks and said into the night sky for all of us to hear: "Next time I travel, all I am taking is a plastic bag with a pair of underwear and some socks." Since then, I've ponderously worked my way towards shedding unneeded things when I travel.

In relating my experiences with people, I often get the same response: "Oh no, I could never do that, I require too much when I travel." This response isn't restricted to any one group of people, it runs the gamut from older, younger, male, and female.  For her part, my wife Cynthia has done an excellent job of minimizing her luggage footprint but has yet to make the jump to one-bag travel.  Nevertheless, one-bag travel is not a necessity, but being Team Carry-On should be. 

For this reason, I was excited when I learned about Splice Clothing, an up-and-coming brand out of Las Vegas.  They produce exceptionally well-thought-out fashion where one garment, whether it be a poncho, or a dress, or a shirt, can be worn in numerous ways and in two colors.  The result is versatile clothing that can effectively chop how much clothes you need to pack by up to 75%.  Right now, they're focused on women's fashion, though. 

I thought this was such a cool idea, so I had a virtual sit-down with Ashly Ryan, the creator of Splice Clothing, over some Moscow mules, to get the origin story behind the brand, learn about her process, and go behind the scenes of a new entrepreneurial endeavor.

Pull up a chair, grab a drink, and let's dive in:

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JB: It's obvious from your Instagram that you're a traveler. What's been your favorite destination, and why?

AR: Yes! This is such a hard question to answer, but I would have to say my favorite destination has been South Africa because it has a little bit of everything - beaches, an amazing wine country, hiking, a bustling big city, a beautiful coastal route with quaint cities, and amazing safari experiences. I had so much fun everywhere we went in South Africa. I cried when we started our safari in Kruger National Park because it was so incredible from start to finish.

JB: What's your background? Who are you?

AR: Hi! My name is Ashly, and I'm from Las Vegas, Nevada. Growing up, I always wanted to be an entrepreneur. After college, I started my career working for the largest employer in Nevada - MGM Resorts in their retail buying department, buying the merchandise that went in the gift shops. From there, I got a job at the local power company as a renewable energy analyst, which I hated. So I convinced my boyfriend that we should both quit our jobs and travel the world for a year and start over when we got home (I was 26 at the time, he was 29). 

He eventually agreed, and we quit our jobs in 2017 to travel to 22 countries on 5 continents in less than 10 months. We kept track of all our spending on this trip and documented it on our travel blog www.happynomadcouple.com. While on this trip, we moved around a ton. We never spent more than 7 days in the same city. And my 50-pound backpack stuffed with clothes started feeling like such a nuisance.

I had pitched an idea for convertible clothes in college (did I mention I can sew?), so I started thinking about that again while traveling. How it would be so helpful to have more versatile clothing for long-term or frequent travel - and that's how I came up with the idea for SPLICE clothing. We returned home from our trip around the world in early 2018, and I started working on SPLICE clothing shortly after that!

JB: Splice is a pretty unique concept, what's the origin story?

AR: While traveling around the world for roughly 10 months, my 50-pound backpack became such a pain. Having to frequently re-pack, wash tons of clothes, carry everywhere, pay checked bag fees, and always being worried the airline could lose it. I realized how much easier the trip would have been if I just traveled with a carry-on bag. But how can you fit clothes for all different types of weather, cultures, etc. in a small carry-on and not get bored of wearing the same thing over and over again? I needed ultra-versatile clothes that were functional for travel but also fashionable enough to feel confident wearing over and over again. And that's when I saw you could double or triple the amount of outfits you can fit in your carry-on just by making everything reversible. 

I wanted to design something for me and other travelers who have struggled with overpacking, even though we know that packing light would make for a much more comfortable trip.

JB: Do you have previous experience in fashion design?

AR: Sort of. When I worked as an assistant retail buyer at MGM Resorts, I helped design logo-wear such as t-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, etc. for the gift shops. And I'm also a self-taught designer/seamstress. In high school, I designed and sewed all my own prom dresses, homecoming dresses, etc.; I've made a bridesmaid dress for myself for a friend's wedding, things like that.

JB: What's been the biggest challenge so far?

AR: I think the biggest challenge so far has been selling to retail stores. I have a good product that is new and interesting, but it is hard to get stores to trust a new brand and a concept that hasn't been totally tried and tested yet. I've spoken to hundreds of stores, so it's a very time-consuming process. Still, I think you have to build up a little success and keep gaining momentum for more retailers to start taking notice and give you a chance.

JB: What are you most proud of?

AR: I am most proud of pushing through all the rough times and continuing to follow this dream even when it gets scary, or I'm unsure of myself. A product-based business is costly and takes a lot of time to develop, find manufacturing partners, and find customers. But I'm proud of the products I've been able to manufacture through all the trials and tribulations. I'm so happy I'll be able to help other fellow travelers out there pack light and adventure easy on all their trips!

JB: Can you take us through your design process? For instance, the Sahara Reversible Multi-Way Dress. 

AR: So when I set out to design something, I first think of the features I would like in a garment I would pack for a trip (such as pockets, the fit, the material functions). I then gather inspiration for the basic design. I find photos online, I sketch a rough idea of my thoughts and label specific features. Then I have to spend a lot of time considering how to make this reversible. It usually comes down to the fabrics and what kinds of seams we can use to hide the raw edges of the fabric so the item can be worn on both sides. I will send my design to my manufacture to make a sample. From there, we start tweaking the design, testing different fabrics, and making changes until we have a perfect sample. 

JB: What do you have planned for the future?

AR: Ideally, I would like to expand the line to a men's collection someday in the future. But for the moment, I am really focused on acquiring more customers and more retail partners. I have so many ideas on how to make the brand better for the second season, so I'm excited to begin working on the next batch of reversible clothing. But for the immediate future, I will be packaging, sending, and delivering orders for the next few weeks, which I'm really excited about. I also want to start doing more videos and guides to help travelers pack light and make their adventures all-around-easier. 

JB: You're definitely on Team Carry-On, what does that mean to you?

AR: To me, being #TeamCarryOnOnly means you pack light and come to the airport prepared, so you're never anxiously wondering if your bag will fit within the carry-on requirements. You don't overpack, so you can always adventure easy and take off with only a carry-on.

 JB: You know me from the bag world; when you're traveling, what gear are you using? Right now, I've been rolling with an Arcido Oxna minimalist travel bag, coupled with an Aer Day Sling II. Or if I am taking a roller, an Optimus Luggage with whatever backpack I am reviewing – currently the Tortuga Outbreaker Laptop Backpack (amazing!)

AR: Before converting to #TeamCarryOnOnly, I had a 65L REI bag, which definitely doesn't fit within any airline's carry-on policy. Now, I'm rocking a Kavu sling backpack, a Wuayur carry-on backpack, an REI 20L daypack, and a DVF Studio roller luggage bag depending on the occasion. I admit I need to be better about my gear!

JB: What do you look for in a bag? And are there any accessories you must take with you that make traveling easier?

AR: The reason I went with my current Wuayur backpack over more well-known brands is that it has a charging cord in the front pocket and because it expands from a basic laptop backpack to a roomy carry-on bag. I like bags that look sleek and won't get dirty easily and that have a lot of compartments for different things you have to bring. Cushy straps and a waist belt are added bonuses, neither of which are on my current backpack; I think I'll upgrade to a bag which both of those features soon. 

As far as accessories, I'm a big believer in packing cubes. They are the only things that can keep my clothes organized. I usually break up clothes by outfits when packing or I separate tops and bottoms.

I travel with a Tube travel pillow - which usually holds my jacket/sweater and is a great pillow for a plane or car ride that doesn't take up unnecessary space. I also take an external battery wherever I go so I can charge anything - a laptop, camera, phone. 

JB: I think we both agree that packing light isn't just a practical notion, but a bit of a lifestyle as well, or philosophy, can you expand on that a little?

AR: Agreed. It's definitely a lifestyle, and I know that because it wasn't a lifestyle I hadn't previously prescribed to. When you overpack, you are basically anxiously packing for 'what-ifs' and 'just-in-case' scenarios that might never happen. But when you realize you don't need a lot to be happy and you feel confident in what you've chosen, then you don't need to bring other things. It's a more relaxed and far easier way of traveling that puts the emphasis on the actual travel experience instead of getting ready for it. Simply put, life is too short to check a bag!

JB: If someone is on the fence in trying One Bag Travel or being Team Carry-On, what tips or advice can you offer them?

AR: My advice would be to just try it. Get a bag that fits within most airline's carry-on requirements and challenge yourself to not pack more than what will fit in that bag. You shouldn't wait until the last minute to pack. This is a significant factor in what causes people to overpack - they don't have time to consider what they would actually wear, so they bring everything. 

Find what helps you, maybe it's writing out a packing list, planning your outfits, or using packing cubes. SPLICE clothing will make the process of packing light so much easier. You won't have to sacrifice having so many outfit options since everything is reversible and easy to mix and match into tons of outfit combinations.

JB: What are some of the most practical tips, or things you do to pack light?

AR: I do my research on the destination(s) I'm going to. I look up the weather, I figure out what types of activities I might do, etc. to take into consideration before I pack. Then I make sure to pack ahead of time to weigh my bag and pare down things if I have to. I also typically pack basic items that can be styled in different ways and mixed and matched with other items I've packed (i.e., SPLICE clothing). 

Stick to one color scheme of 2-4 colors if possible. You can also take small accessories such as jewelry, scarves, hats, etc. to change up your outfits instead of bringing heavier items. Realize that you can wash and re-wear items and that in most cases, if there is anything you forgot to pack, you can probably buy it at your destination. And lastly, buy gear that makes packing light easier, such as packing cubes, travel toiletries, a Tube travel pillow, and a good backpack.

JB: My wife tells me packing as a woman is much harder than packing for a man. How do you overcome the challenges that many women face when packing, i.e., Packing bras, shoes, dresses, makeup? What is your thought process?

AR: This is true. Typically women do have a lot more to pack than men. But I think if you'd instead free up your time and energy and money to spend more of it on the trip than on your luggage, then you can figure out what you don't *really* need. 

If you can sacrifice a little by having a simpler makeup routine, washing and re-wearing some clothes, and not bringing clunky shoes, things like that, you'll find it's not so hard to pack light.

That being said, I'd hate to be confined to wearing the same thing over and over, and that's what led me to start SPLICE clothing. Travelers can get the benefit of one bag or carry-on only travel while maintaining the number of outfit options they would have had with a much bigger bag.

There you go, barring any out of the ordinary circumstances, being able to pack lighter, and more efficiently is definitely in our power. One piece of advice that struck me was the idea of thinking about what you’re going to pack way in advance. That got me thinking about a few of my last trips, especially the trip to Austria - thinking about what I was going to to pack and how, made a world of difference. Ladies, give Splice Clothing a look - Cynthia can tell you, Ashly’s designs and material choices are pretty stellar.

Thanks to Ashly Ryan for spending some time to indulge my curiosity and wax poetic about the joys of being #TeamCarryOn.