How Robyn Davies Is Redefining Personal Style—Using Only the Clothes You Already Own

Robyn styles people with the clothes in their closets.

Featured in Vogue and trusted by a Tony-award winning actor, former editor-in-chief of Nylon magazine, co-founder of No. 29 Communications, and artist Maayan Zilberman, she brings both styling and sustainable fashion expertise to her work.

Robyn got her start assisting the editors of Vogue France in 2016. After working with Rent the Runway and nonprofit Remake, where she learned about the human rights and climate justice issues in the fashion industry, Robyn founded her styling business to teach people that the most stylish way to dress is also the most sustainable.

Today, Robyn specializes in helping people rediscover their wardrobes, putting together outfits they feel confident in for both everyday and big events—all without having to buy a single item. Her approach transforms how her clients think about their clothes, helping them understand what they do and don’t wear (and why), all while making them feel great getting dressed.

What initially sparked your passion for starting your own business?

I started to pursue styling as a career in my mid-twenties, but I wasn’t sure where I fit in. I wanted to work on editorial, styling people for magazines, but I was worried that I was too old to start something new, so I went back to my career in marketing because that seemed like the safer bet.

Later, while working at Rent the Runway, I first heard about clothing waste. This was back in 2018. I had no idea people threw away clothes! I started to explore why. That led me to Remake, a fantastic nonprofit that educates everyday people like you and me about the human rights and climate justice issues in the fashion industry.

There I learned that the things I did to dress more stylishly on a budget were inherently more sustainable. That got me thinking, what if I could inspire others to do the same? And thus the idea for R. Davies Styling was sparked.

Did you have any female founders you looked up to as role models?

Yes! There are several female founders that I look up to, but Rachel Johnson, the co-founder of J&O Law and ah.mi health, in particular because I got to help her build her second business from scratch.

After my job at Rent the Runway ended, I struck out on my own to work as a freelance creative director. A colleague I had previously worked with put me and Rachel in touch because she was looking for someone to help her create her brand. We had a couple of chats, and from those conversations I knew that if I worked with her, it would change my life.

Since then Rachel has taught me about believing in your idea, surrounding yourself with people who can support you, not being afraid of asking questions, and prioritizing slow and steady growth. She was one of my biggest supporters when I started my business, and continues to champion me in her personal and professional life. I’m so grateful to know her.

What are you most proud of achieving with your company?

I’m most proud of sticking with it. After launching R. Davies Styling in 2020, I got burned out from having to hustle so much and started looking for full time work. When I landed a job in marketing at Outdoor Voices six months later, I stopped everything I was doing because I needed a break.

But about nine months into the job, I slowly started to reengage with my styling Instagram, just posting outfit photos, because I missed talking about style. That led to me launching my style newsletter DRESSED by Robyn on Substack in July 2022, and starting to promote my services again.

Three years later, I’ve had the opportunity to work with women I admire, grown my community to over 1,300 followers and subscribers, and been publicly recognized for my work. Sometimes I think if only I hadn’t stopped, where would I be now?, but I remind myself that I did what I needed to do then, and now I can choose differently.

I’m thinking more strategically than I was before, because I know that this is what I want to do, what I’m good at, and how I can help people.

How are you using your platform to empower other women or promote positive change?

Empowering women and promoting positive change are at the core of my business. A lot of people unintentionally support fashion companies that don’t pay their garment workers—the majority of whom are women—a living wage because they don’t know how clothes are made, and/or they don’t know other ways to shop. I was one of them.

I used to buy most of my clothes from Forever 21, H&M, and Zara, but after experimenting with secondhand and learning about the human rights issues in the fashion industry, I decided to stop shopping fast fashion because I realized I could find better quality clothes for the same or less price, without sacrificing my values.

I also realized that by tuning out fashion brands, I was developing my own style. My work shows women how to break away from the buy, buy, buy mentality and how to get creative with what they already own.

My clients end up dressing better and saving money, all while directing their dollars away from companies that employ predatory labor practices. It’s a win for them, a win for garment workers, and a win for our planet.

What does the future hold for you, and what are your biggest goals for the next few years?

I’m going to continue doing this work in a bigger way, which to me means working with more public-facing clients on an ongoing basis. I’d love to style an author on book tour, or work with an up-and-coming artist.

My biggest goals are to turn this into a more profitable business, without sacrificing my values.

Connect with Robyn on Instagram here & check out her work on her website and make sure to subscribe to her Substack!