Today we’d like to introduce you to Rebecca Anne Geraci.
Hi Rebecca Anne, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
Grateful to be on the platform! I am a visionary born and raised in Chicago, IL. I moved out to LA when I was 18 to pursue a degree in Fashion Design at FIDM. I earned an AA & continued to grow my clothing brand that I started in high school fashion sewing class. I always knew that California was the best place to be for my brand and its aesthetic. I now hop between California & Chicago (as well as many other locations – I have a severe case of wanderlust) and have been establishing the brand in both cities.
My brand, Ragtribe Ethical Clothing & Productions, started off as Rags Clothing & Designs in said high school fashion class. I was solely focused on clothing design. Each garment was one of a kind – designed, cut & sewn with my little Singer machine in my home studio. One day, I realized I had a whole collection, and it was time to share it with the people! I launched my official website in August 2020 and continued to sell at various festivals and markets.
The brand grew a 2nd limb when I became a Registered Yoga Teacher in 2021. I began teaching & hosted my first yoga retreat in Sedona in 2022. We are now hosting our 3rd annual Harmonize & Rise Yoga Retreat in Sedona April 2024!
Music event production & booking is the 3rd limb of the brand. After years of networking and working festivals, it just made sense to incorporate this into the flow. I hosted my first music event, Tribe Fest featuring San Diego Band Sensi Trails, this past August in Chicago. We are working on the California edition of the fest set to happen in 2024 and are expanding our Chicago event to an outdoor space incorporating yoga, wellness workshops, and lots of live reggae music!
Ragtribe is absolutely a direct reflection of my personal evolution & experiences. It has grown to what it is today with lots of love & dedication, huge financial investments, and a ton of pivoting and perseverance. I’m excited for the future as our Tribe continues to expand.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Absolutely not! With anything, there are ebbs & flows. As a self-taught entrepreneur, I have been learning along the way. Ragtribe is a self-funded endeavor. That said, I’ve run into issues with finances and made my fair share of mistakes. I somehow always come back stronger every time I get knocked down. It’s all a part of the evolution process.
Besides financial concerns, the other biggest obstacle has been the workload. For the most part, I do everything for the company – clothing design & production, event coordination, retreat planning, social media management, marketing, live pop-ups, order fulfillment… literally everything! I recently branched out and now do have assistance with sewing, which has freed up some of my time to focus on other things. I love what I do and wouldn’t consider the workload a struggle, however, having a team of beautiful souls is the dream.
Another challenge is being a woman in business. I’ve definitely run into situations where I’ve had to work 10x harder to get recognition or even to simply have my idea considered. Most people that interact with Tribe Fest (our music festival) automatically address me as a man… it’s actually pretty funny! I love being a pioneer and a catalyst for change. While it has been incredibly discouraging being overshadowed by the opposite sex often, it only fuels my desire to create a more balanced environment for all. I take it as a blessing.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next, you can tell us a bit more about your business.
Ragtribe is a woman-owned lifestyle company that consists of 3 limbs; Ethically Made Clothing, Wellness & Yoga, and Music Event Production. Our specialty within all the limbs is our genuine intention to create a better vibration for the earth and the creatures living on it.
Our clothing is made in small, mindful batches. I focus on natural fibers like hemp, cotton, and bamboo and stay far away from polyester. Our hemp hoodies are always a big hit as well as our hand-painted denim sets. We’re in the clothing game to create epic garments that are actually good for your body. The skin is the largest organ, and teaching our community to be aware of what we are putting on it is huge – everything is absorbed transdermally!
PS We just launched a new collection of 100% cotton hoodies and joggers. Peep the site and support the movement > www.ragtribe.com
Our yoga retreats are created with everyBODY in mind. My goal is to make magical experiences accessible to everyone no matter their circumstances. My favorite part of hosting retreats is holding space for others and encouraging them to expand outside their comfort zone. We often get a lot of first-time solo travelers, which is beautiful to me as that is where I found the most liberation & growth on my personal journey.
Music & event production is the newest limb. I really want to create inclusive events to promote up-and-coming artists. Big up the Tribe! A lot of festivals are all about monetary gains, and that’s just not where our ethos lies. Tribe Fest is our first music event, and I intend to nurture and grow it to its full potential. It is slowly evolving into a traveling Wellness & Reggae festival that is truly for the commUNITY. Beyond Tribe Fest, I work with booking & promoting a few reggae musicians as well as sponsoring events.
At Ragtribe, we truly have an offering for everyone. Our arms are open, and we are so excited for you to join the Tribe!
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
I have high hopes for the fashion industry specifically. There are more and more Slow Fashion brands popping up and educating the masses on what we are wearing and how it is affecting our bodies & the planet. I see the industry diversifying and the want for fast-fashion clothing decreasing. People are becoming more mindful, and the next step is revolutionizing our closets.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.ragtribe.com
- Instagram: @ragtribe
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RAGTRIBE/
Image Credits
Rebecca Geraci
