Dank behavior
Billary Baguette, an independent fashion designer from Broward, Florida, discusses the
importance of finding your niche and excelling in a skill that no one else can compete with; the
process of becoming undeniable.
By Zuza Gaboush
Biliary Baguette has gone by a host of different names throughout her career, but the message behind her name and her brand, Dank Behavior, has remained constant throughout. “...[I went by] Hilary Dank cos... it was like my producer name. Then, Billary... Kodak calls himself ‘little Bill’ and... me and my best friend love Kodak, so she started calling me Billary instead. And a lot of people think Imma blood, I’m not! I’m not affiliated. One day I was giving my friends’ friend a ride home and he said, ‘Billary Baguette’, and I turned around and said ‘I’m giving you no money and I’m using that.’”
The meaning behind Dank Behavior is one rooted in rebellion, daring, spontaneity and sort of wildness that isn’t afraid to make others uncomfortable. Billary’s goal behind her clothing brand is simple. Honest and blunt, when asked what the meaning behind her brand was, Billary replied,
“My goal is to show arrogance, but like, the arrogance that only exists in the hood- that’s what I’m looking to show.”
Billary’s brand has been official for over three years now, and in that time, she and her brand have both experienced a massive period of growth and change. From starting her journey of making clothes by sewing bikinis on her dorm bed, to owning her own independent brand and getting recognition from Fashion Week, Dank Behavior has evolved tremendously over time. By working at Isabel Marant throughout her college career, then later interning at Paper Magazine, Billary has already been integrated into the world of fashion for years. She describes herself as ‘known for being fly,’ and the importance of dressing well and expressing yourself through clothing is nothing new to her.
“I would say now I’m a little bit more reformed, but at the time, I was the kinda person to stand
on top of a car for a picture. I was fresh outta Florida, moved to NY when I was 17- I was wild. It
made sense for me at the time, because my behavior was a little off the wall. I wanted the brand
to be for high-end stoners... and I guess it still has that.”
During the pandemic, Billary started making clothes using a sewing machine that she had asked her grandmother for. She began producing her own clothing out of necessity; facing the issue of lacking the funds to support her ‘flyness,’ she realized she would have to take matters into her own hands. “I started thrifting more and would just tailor whatever I thrifted. Because my biggest thing was, before I was at Paper [Magazine], I was like, ‘I’m not leaving my house unless my outfit costs my rent.’ I dunno where that even came from, but... you know what- I can probably make clothes from scratch- and that was pretty simple.” As her level of expertise grew, she moved on from tailoring thrifted, ready-made clothes, to making items from scratch, such as her college book bag, winter coat, etc. Beginning with simple yet striking bikini tops, her clothing began to garner attention, and she started her journey of profiting from her own clothing by selling those tops, but as no more than a side hustle.
Billary had not defined her brand or niche in the fashion industry just yet. The turning point, however, came after she had grown more confident in her cut and sew abilities, and started to search for a new skill to acquire that would support and add a higher value to her original pieces. Here is where her journey with embroidery began. Billary began her exploration in embroidery during the pandemic. With an abundance of free time and a growing passion for making original clothing, she headed to Walmart where she purchased a pack of needles and cheap embroidery thread. Originally, her interest in embroidery was purely monetary. “I just wanted to bring more value to my clothes, like, make more money. I was like, what is something that is undeniable that people will pay for?” She could not foresee the importance it would hold for her and her clothing- becoming one of the main signifiers of her brand.
“I did dollar bills on the back of a pair of jeans. The dollar bills are actually my best friend’s, her brand, Second to None. The logo is a dollar bill with her face on it... I just wanted to learn how to add value to my clothes. When I first did that dollar bill, I was like damn- I’ve been embroidering for literally two weeks and I think I’m onto something with this. I found my thing. And I definitely did, ‘cos I embroider now on canvas and do galleries and everything.” Embroidery was not only a method for Billary to add a higher worth to her clothing, but a means for her to discover the importance of patience and intention within her work. Recalling her experience with embroidery, she smiles fondly; “it taught me to sit down... an hour of sit my ass down, look at one thing and be centered... It’s actually been way more helpful for me mentally than I thought it would be.” What started off as a way to make a quick buck became the means through which she expresses herself, the mode in which she communicates her identity and experiences to the world.
“I was not a patient person before. But sitting down and having a concept and wanting to finish it, [wanting] to finish it so bad [that] I’m gonna hand stitch it? That gave me patience. You have patience for things that are worth it.” Embroidery allowed Billary to locate her niche and discover the importance of creating a solid foundation within a unique skill; using it to solidify yourself and your talent within any field. “If you're really good, people just can’t deny you. They just can’t. And if they do, you just get a skill that no one else can do. You land a skill that no one can land, and nobody has to like you.”
When asked about the main source of inspiration behind her work, Billary referred to music, more specifically, hip-hop lyrics. One of her pieces, a pair of jeans with a back pocket missing, replaced by the embroidered words: Stop Pocket-Watching, came from her background as a rapper in high school. She highlighted her love of wordplay and its influence on her pieces through its appearance in her name, clothing, and general use as a form of inspiration. However, it has not been a quick and easy transition for Billary to grow and achieve her success; there has been some adversity along the way. Billary describes her experience as a young, black woman in the fashion industry as ‘annoying.’ She initially began her brand during the pandemic, when it was a trend to support independent-owned POC businesses. And as most trends do, it died and was quickly forgotten as time passed and people became less vocal in advocating for the support and recognition of minority groups. “When I started doing denim it was around Covid, and I honestly thought there was gonna be a race war... we were all pro-black around Covid time... like shop black only! But... that didn’t last.”
Since then, Billary has seen an immense support of men from other men in the fashion industry, but when it comes to her work and her peers, there is a significant difference in the amount of attention and support received. She notes the difference in reaction to her clothing from male designers: “I’ve noticed other cut and sew artists, specifically men, get away with sloppy stitching and whatnot- as long as the concept is cool, the execution is like, whatever. Versus, I feel like, for women, and me in particular, if it’s not absolutely perfect, or if I have a little thing that’s off in the stitching, someone will point it out. “Billary’s brand is rooted in individualism as well as loyalty towards her identity and community. “I didn’t wanna be one of those designers that got a whole bunch of Levi’s... I was like, Imma learn how to make jeans... ‘cos I’m not Levi’s in the 1800s... if you’re in the 1800s, I feel like it has to be racist... a lot of these really old companies are probably rooted in some form of racism or used some type of slave labor. Where they got their cotton... I don’t know.” Billary goes the extra mile to cut and sew all her pieces, and then embroider, screen-print, or embellish them herself- creating unique pieces that are 100% her design.
She constantly is pushing the boundaries in all of her work, but recently, especially in men’s wear. Most streetwear has a very distinct silhouette and formula, but Billary is intent on imbuing it with her own style and vision- denim that’s almost regal, resembling Victorian-style wear. Flowing pearls stretch across the front of the jean pants in a scallop design, contrasting the dark blue denim and creating an intriguing fusion of styles- demonstrating Billary’s beautiful marriage between luxury high-fashion and streetwear.
“Some people are diamond people but I really like [pearls]. I wanted it to have a street vibe, but [also] elegance... I’m inspired by the streets, but then I’m trying to make it high-end. That’s my favorite pair of pants I’ve ever made.”
Billary is not one to conform or adhere by rules and standards set by the industry or fellow fashion designers. When asked who she makes clothing for, she replied, with surprising honesty,
“Dank Behavior is usually like, to be frank, [for] sexy bitches and niggas that get money. That’s who I’m making clothes for. People who wake up and get to it... No matter how you’re doing it... I’m making clothes for people who are ok with making people uncomfortable.”
The message that Billary began her brand with, a message of arrogance, swagger, and confidence, remains ingrained in her pieces till today. There is a certain palpable honesty and authenticity you can feel from her work and her story. Despite being the sole owner of this upcoming brand, she works a 9-5 and maintains a strict and humble work ethic. “I wake up everyday at like 5:30 or 6 AM, I will sew or embroider for like three to four hours before work, come home from work, and then at midnight I go to sleep, and repeat.”
Ending her interview, we asked what her dreams for herself and the future of her brand are. Her answer was simple yet admirable. “I want to get people back to thinking of how we were during the pandemic- people wanting to shop with me because they like the designs but they [also] like the story of where it comes from and they’re happy to be shopping with a black woman... I don’t really have an ultimate dream. I just have goals... A lot of people say do you want the fame, or the money? My answer is: I want the glory.”
