Inspiration:
This all started with witnessing a family member struggling to find great all-black, durable, useful clothing that would get them through a day that might include rigging, stage construction, and sound checks. I decided to find a solution.

Motivation:
Building a family-friendly company that focused on the women and men working behind the scenes. I love the arts and the physical work that goes into design and build-out. My father taught me that having the right tool for the job was important, and we take this idea into Stagehands Clothing. Protective clothing is as important as any hand tool. Well-fitting, protective clothes foster confidence, allowing 100% focus on the job. That is our primary goal – delivering great, responsibly-sourced, functional clothing and gear.

Excited About:
We have some amazing products for women, with more on the way. As a rule, women’s pockets suck! A lot of women’s workwear is resized men’s stuff which doesn’t fit our curves and shapes. We have worked really hard to find great products designed for women, by women.

Favorite Venues:
Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN: These walls are soaked in history. From the first step into this theater, you feel the echoes of its earliest existence as a Tabernacle, then to being the epicenter of country music.

James M. Nederlander Theater (formally The Oriental Theatre), Chicago, IL: I marvel at the ceiling and the walls. You are wrapped in a 360-degree sensory overload. Stunning! The decor is inspired by the far east, and it feels like you are seeing a show inside an art museum.

Amphitheater at Elmwood Park, Roanoke, VA: Pure summer fun; a central gathering point for all types of live events. There is room for food trucks, open space for dancing, and ample stretches of grassy hillside.

Inspiration:
I believe in Julie’s vision and respect her doggedness in starting Stagehands Clothing. Her openness to evolving, and general good cheer, makes for a great partnership in building a fun, useful, kickass company.

Motivation:
I was born in Fall River, Massachusetts...Spindle City. My mother’s first job was with the International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union and many neighbors, friends, and other family members were somewhere involved in the apparel industry. As a kid, we could buy clothes directly from the manufacturers in town. While most of the manufacturers are gone, the unique skills remain. We have the ability to make more here and are focused on migrating some of our products to local manufacturers.

Excited About:
We recently moved from having several dropship partners to controlling everything in-house. We are more responsive and have passed along our cost savings. We can ship immediately, exchanges and returns will have less hassle, and we can seamlessly make new products available.

Favorite Venues:
The Orange Peel, Asheville, NC: Iconic. An awesome variety of shows. Humble aesthetics but with amazing sound & lighting; absolutely a music-first venue.

Fort Adams State Park, Newport, RI: Home to the Newport Folk & Jazz Festivals. A magical mix of summer, music, and ocean.

Zeiterion Theater, New Bedford, MA: Okay, the place is cool and there is a huge variety of events...but the real reason they make my favorites list is the industrial parking lot shows they pulled off during the early days of the pandemic to give us all an outlet. Much love to them!