Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Herrera.
Hi Ashley, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My name is Ashley Herrera, and I’m from Frisco, TX. had a fascination with clothing and shoes from a very early age. I taught myself to sew and was drawing creatively by the age of 7. I was always searching for unique fabrics and textiles to make clothes wherever I went. By the age of 15, I became an active runway model, and interacting with designers, makeup artists, and business professionals became intriguing. Both my mother nor father did not go to college, but worked very hard to become successful. They taught me that nothing comes easy, and if I wanted something, I needed to go after it myself. When I graduated high school, my family wanted me to stay in the family business of real estate development, so I pursued a degree in Marketing and got my real estate license. After 7-plus years in real estate and highly successful, I wasn’t fulfilled or challenged in my career. I knew I was destined to be a fashion and footwear designer. At the age of 26, determined to refine my skills and pursue my dreams, I went on to study Fashion Design at the Art Institute of Dallas, completing my degree at the top of my class in less than 3 years.
One week after completing my fashion design degree, I set off for Los Angeles, CA, to attend The Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising. I wanted to develop the skills to learn everything in the fashion industry from head to toe. During my studies, I got to design shoes for some of the top-known brands in the world. There, I received an additional degree in Footwear Design, again at the top of her class in less than 2 years. Amongst the obstacles that many students faced during the Covid-19 pandemic, I managed to keep up with my studies.
During my studies, my talents and creativity were noticed by many, including Dallas-based Shoe Designer. Yearning to return to Dallas, Ashley contracted with the designer as his Lead Shoe Designer for children’s and women’s footwear. Today, many of my designs, including young girls’ boots, sandals, and sneakers, are top sellers and are featured online, as well as in Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom’s. It had a passion for combining style, color, and textures each season.
In 2022, I had a whole new vision of designing for a sport that I was very passionate about: Women’s Golf Apparel. I felt the sport lacked women’s fashion. I wanted to change the golf look to Vibrant, classy, and flattering, yet comfortable, sustainable, and highly performable. Leveraging years of research on women’s golf apparel to transform the game as we know it, this is just the beginning of what promises to be a fashionable empire in the making, strongly rooted in artistic and aesthetic experiences.
I believe in the brand and what it stands for. The women’s golf industry is hard due to it being “known for” a male’s game, but I’m determined to make a fashion-forward change for all women golfers globally. I’ve been fortunate enough to travel all around the United States. I map out road trips and make sure to set up appointments in at every country club, golf course, University, and boutique along the way to make sure everyone is aware of the brand. From California, Nevada, Arkansas, Oklahoma, North and South Carolina, Iowa, Chicago, this year I’ve attended the Pebble Beach Pro-AM, The Pheonix Open, The Northwest Arkansas LPGA tournament & The LPGA Ascendent tournament in The Colony, TX, this month. I also had a successful booth at the PGA Headquarters buying Summit this past August, where buyers came from all over the world.
“I’m designing for that fashion-forward woman who appreciates innovative details in high-performance clothing. I want women to feel confident and polished on the green, enjoying a round of golf while feeling empowered in a versatile outfit – Ashley Herrera.”
My daily routine is devoting 30 minutes of my morning to god for all the blessings & talents I’ve been given. I also workout with a trainer 6 days a week, where he teaches me strength and coordination to improve my golf skills. Not only do I want to look my best on the course, I want to be my best self.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It has not been a smooth road. It took me several years to find the right manufacture. I didn’t want to use just anyone. I wanted the best fabrics, the perfect cuts and styles. I tested my designs with 7 different manufactures till I found the perfect one. Some of the samples I received back were awful and not close to what I had designed. The process took 2-3 months just to get samples back. Tears and so much money had been spent, but I wasn’t going to give up. I was working three jobs to support my dream. I had to design my golf line after work hours. My 3 jobs included designing shoes for a footwear designer, assisting real estate agents with transactions, and selling real estate full-time. The time difference between the US to Asia was hard to communicate during the manufacturing stages. I had a short window from 4-6 AM and again at 10 PM-11 PM to go over any questions they had. If I missed a questions, an entire 2 days was wasted.
Golf apparel for women has not been flattering for decades. The pro shops have a hard time selling women’s golf clothes. I’ve found some of them have the same clothes for over 5 years that have not sold. Getting buyers to give me a chance is tough. My skirt designs feature new pleats and cuts that have not been done before. Most golf courses are owned by men. Women’s fashion does not seem to be their forte, so visiting the pro shops and showing them how I am different from brands out there is the key.
We’ve been impressed with Ashley Herrera Golf, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I am the designer, CEO, & Marketing specialist. What sets me apart from others is I designed all the clothing myself. From the measurements to materials to designs. I’m not just throwing the same basic polo and skirts that have been done for decades and just changing the print year after year. I’m elevating women’s golf apparel to a more fashion-forward sport. I’m most proud of my brand and the quality its provides. The first thing everyone says when they see and touch my clothes is “quality” and how they have never seen anything this cute for women. You can play a round of golf and go straight to lunch with friends without changing. We offer women’s polos, skorts, and hats for the 2024 collection. Women’s golf shoes are currently being designed and hoping to be completed for Spring 2025 collection.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts, or blogs that help you do your best?
My daily App I read every morning is Holy Bible app. It puts my mind in a positive perspective to have faith in the dream I was given. The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson truly encouraged me to take the leap of faith. I’ve read the book so many times I can’t count. If you have ever read the book, you would understand that I walked circles around my university before graduating 🙂
Shoe Dog – Phil Knight – helped me understand that the road was not going to easy. People are always going to turn you down when you’re starting out a business. The challenges will come, but if you don’t give up on your dream, it can change your life.
JLAFIT Gym in Frisco- Attending the gym 6 days a week is my lifestyle. I attend the gym every morning at 6 AM to get my day started in healthy routine. When working oversees with the manufacturer, I had to take calls at 4 AM and again at 11 PM when they were at work to assist with questions. My trainer, Jesse specializes in sports performance, so he is always making the workout have helpful golf techniques. I’ve become a much better golfer since I’ve been training with him for the past 5 years.
Pricing:
- $120 Skirts
- $80 Polos
- $140 Dresses
Contact Info:
- Website: www.ashley-herrera.com
- Instagram: ashleyherreragolf
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100094369700336
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-herrera-korba-7b2bbb57/
- Other: https://www.behance.net/Ashleyherrd9d0
Image Credits
Stephen Davis Photography
