Billy Reid From Amite
Billy Reid is a name synonymous with quality clothing.
The designer's commitment to creating sophisticated, contemporary, and comfortable clothing stems from his childhood in the little town of Amite City, LA, which is smaller than four square miles in size. He fondly remembered, "We would drive and make the round at the Sonic, and we get on Highway 51 and go two miles to Hi Ho Barbecue. You could buy beer at Hi Ho, even if you were underage. Then we'd get on Highway 16 on the way to Franklinton and ride those roads back there. That was childhood."
In between riding the roads and going to the Tangipahoa River, young Reid spent time at his mother's clothing shop in downtown Amite, which he equated to the film Steel Magnolias. "Looking back, it hits me in how it relates to my career. These women would come and hang out. [It] didn't matter if they shopped or not, but that's what it's about. She had a kitchen in the back and had great parties in there. She was a pioneer in that way. She was definitely a community leader." TJ Reid procured fashion from brands such as Calvin Klein and Guess to fill up the shop, which was in her mother's former home. Billy Reid's Magazine Street shop has a similar feel as it has a full kitchen and photos of his mother and grandmother on the wall.
Reid left Louisiana to pursue his passion, which took him all over the nation, before landing in Florence, AL, where his wife Jeanne's family lived. The musical heritage of the Muscle Shoals region had an effect on his work because he's a musician in his own right. "I've played music all my life. I love music. We were constantly trying to tell the story [of Muscle Shoals Sound Studio and FAME Studios]. We sold records and CDs in the shop that were all Muscle Shoals-based records. There was a radio station here at the time that only played music that had some connection to Muscle Shoals. We kept that going in the store 24/7 really trying to be a part of that story."
The atmosphere surrounding Billy Reid's styles is imbued with music. His workshop contains concert posters including those from his own music festival Shindig. "Probably one of my biggest heroes is Kris Kristofferson, just for who he was in his life—just his story," Reid relayed. "I think he could take a beat-up t-shirt and make it look sexy and handsome in his own way. He had to be resilient and take criticism from a lot of people questioning his talent. He somehow rose above it and remained a class act throughout." Reid recalled that meeting Kris Kristofferson at his songwriters' venue at the Newport Folk Festival was one of the "biggest thrills" of his life.
Classic style made subtly unique is what Reid strives to accomplish. "My approach has always been to put in the little details, the nuances that are going to make it ours and put our stamp on that—like a denim shirt. What's going to make ours different than somebody else's? For ours, we did that 25 years ago. It's still the same. It's different than everyone else's shirt. I think it's finding those things that have a lasting interest to it and still be a go-to for somebody in their closet."
Finding new ways to create timeless, yet trendy fashions can be challenging, however. Reid stated that some of his best-selling items have been the same for 25 years, but he needs to "push it" to bring new items to the shelves. He explained, "The biggest thing for me over time is to continually edit myself. We definitely try to make it individualized for ourselves. The majority of the fabrics that we do are completely ours. We're not just pulling from stock fabric. We're making and designing our own textiles, and that's a big part of helping us create our own point of difference. Where the sustainability lives in that is the fact that style lives with you, and that's what we try to do."
Despite living and working in California, Texas, New York, and, currently, Alabama, Reid's Louisiana childhood and continued influence no doubt also lives within his designs. He concluded, "Growing up in South Louisiana, that upbringing is still such a big part of me in all facets of my life. I'm still a diehard Saints fan and LSU fan to a fault sometimes. If anyone asks me where I'm from, I say, 'I'm from Amite in South Louisiana.' I've been here for 25 years in the Muscle Shoals area, but that's who I am. Anybody that knows me would know that. It's just a huge part of who I am as an individual, and it still inspires me, as well."
The future of the Billy Reid brand promises consistent, high-quality clothing with a Southern soul. You may see it pop-up in certain cities as part of a mobile Shindig music event in the future. Right now, you can shop in-store at 3927 Magazine St.
