Reconstruction, sustainability and creativity—the trifecta that has built Royal Factory into the powerful, woman-owned business it is today. Owner of Royal Factory, Felicia Jimenez, planted the seeds that put her company in bloom long before the opening of the store in 2010. As far back as five years prior to opening, Jimenez and her partner hunted for 50s and 60s vintage items, starting their prosperous collection.
During Jimenez’s early twenties, she lived in Los Angeles and worked for a company called L Brands. Her young age made her an outlier at the company, but she made up for it with her dedication to fashion.
“You want to look the part. You need to play the part in order to do what you need to do,” Jimenez said.
This is a concept widely accepted and understood by today’s younger generation, especially when it comes to looking good for class in order to perform well academically.
“So I leaned more into the love of vintage that I have always had and just would find great pieces,” Jimenez said. “I would go and buy, like, a beautiful new shoe, then I would find great pieces to wear, and I would just like, redesign it or reconstruct it in my own way. And so that's kind of how the basis of the store began.”
Her desire to look the part, as well as her taste for vintage clothing, began the niche of Royal factory—reconstruction and sustainability.
The store offers a program in which anyone can bring items in exchange for money. This is an opportunity for all students at The Ohio State University to participate in sustainable practices, while also benefiting from an unexpected chunk of cash. From there, Jimenez, along with the local talent she brings in, will reconstruct pieces into something eccentric and extraordinary.
“You might think, oh my gosh, this is garbage,” Jimenez said. “But if you bring it in, I say, I might not be able to give you a ton for it…instead of throwing it away, I can at least utilize some of the pieces.”
Royal Factory brings in local designers to help create pieces based upon the market trends in accordance with their own creative freedom. While Jimenez will collaborate with the designers, she allows them their own creative liberty. She has provided a space for local designers to make a name for themselves and launch their brands.
Be sure to keep Royal Factory on your fashion radar and pop in whenever you’re in need of a fun, fresh and sustainable wardrobe refresh.
