Inspiring Conversations with TK Trask of Molly & Gidget

Today we’d like to introduce you to TK Trask.

Hi TK, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Where do I begin…

I grew up on a ranch in Western South Dakota and call Wall my hometown (if you’re familiar with Wall Drug and their millions of billboards for free ice water – you’ll know where I’m from). My heroes have always been cowboys thanks in large part to my Wrangler-wearing, never seen without a cowboy hat dad, Tracy, who allowed me to grow up on the back of a horse listening to country music.

I grew up on the sounds of Tanya Tucker, Patsy Cline, Porter Wagoner, and Johnny Cash. I also fell in love with Shania Twain, Aerosmith, and the Spice Girls. While all very different musically, for me, they each had one thing in common – their stage outfits were mesmerizing. There is something about a rhinestone under stage lights that hits me differently than most.

My mom, Marlie, introduced me to Bob Mackie at a young age through his designs for Cher – and it was then that I knew that he is who I wanted to be like. I wanted to (and still do) be the next Bob Mackie. Throughout life – fashion became my world and my creative outlet. I was in 4-H and took part in the fashion design competitions. I would doodle clothing designs all the time in study halls in high school.

I am a former rodeo queen (Miss Rodeo South Dakota 2008 to be exact) so I would design my outfits for the competition which was the equivalent of stage wear. I became obsessed with boutiques and vintage shops that helped shaped my style and fine-tuned my focus on what I wanted to design. And it was back then when I declared I would one day own my own fashion label. But, I knew I had no clue on where to begin and wanted to learn from others first. Fast forward to 2010…

I moved to Nashville for the first time to work at what was then a high-end western store down on 2nd Ave N called Nashville Cowboy. I learned from one of the best western fashion buyers and stylists in the game – Jackie Hosley. We had music stars’ stylists come into the store looking for items for clients and I would always take deep mental notes of what they were looking for.

There would be photoshoots that I would be able to see behind the scenes. And most importantly, I saw how fashion was impacting Nashville and country music. Then, I was selected to be an intern at Country Music Television. Ironically, they gave me the nickname “Fancy” because of the wardrobe I would wear to everything. And it was Mondrivia James – the Event Marketing Director at the time – who told me I needed to have my own line.

Fast forward to 2011 – I launched Molly & Gidget. I named it after my family toy poodles, Molly and Gidget because they had such diverse yet recognizable personalities that really fit what I was trying to accomplish with the concept. And the concept was to mesh two style worlds into one shopping destination – iconic and stylish meets bold and edgy with a focus on one-of-a-kind.

It was first launched as an online boutique not selling my own items but carrying unique pieces that no one else had. In 2014, I designed what are now two capsule pieces – a gold fringe jacket and a metallic fringe skirt – as a test to see how I would do as a full-time designer.

To say the least, they did well and have become my most requested items. In 2018, I launched Molly & Gidget as a fashion label offering one-of-a-kind and custom looks exclusively for red carpet, runway, and music clients. I opened the showroom in Nashville last August on our 10-year anniversary of M&G becoming a brand and we haven’t looked back.

We have already worked with dynamic women in country music like Runaway June’s Jennifer Wayne, fiddle player Melissa Barrison, Zeona Road’s Emmy and Eva Jerde, and solo artist Katie Austin to name a few.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Smooth roads don’t exist in fashion. I would love to meet someone who calls being a fashion designer easy.

One of the biggest challenges is the imitation vs. inspiration concept that fashion designers struggle with at some point in their career – meaning issues with others copying our work. With fashion, there has to be some level of inspiration for fashion to even exist. We get that. However, there is a line that is judged differently as to what is an inspiration and what is imitation leaving it harder for designers to protect their work.

We’ve noticed it has been happening more with small, indie designers/brands finding out that social media influencers and bigger fashion brands replicated their designs. We had a musician-turned-social media influencer who we had worked with once or twice choose to copy not only our designs but other aspects of our business that we had used for years.

She was trying to launch her own brand and apparently liked what we did so well she had to copy it. When we approached her and her management team, they basically told us that since she had more followers it shouldn’t matter. Talk about disheartening. After that – we gained a stronger legal team, now keep our designs under wraps until it’s worn and only work with people who align with what M&G stands for.

Christian Siriano said it best when he said “I dress people that I can support and support what they’re doing in their lives. That’s why it’s important to me and it should be important to every designer because the people that you put in your brand represent the brand.” That’s where we are at, too.

Another struggle has been the transition from boutique to fashion label. M&G was deeply rooted in the western industry as a boutique. And several shoppers still come to M&G expecting the same items and shopping experiences that we used to have and have transitioned away from since becoming a label.

We’ve lost some fans and shoppers along the way due to that, but staying true to what I have always wanted M&G to be is of utmost importance. We are finally finding our audience outside of the western industry who are looking for exactly what we have and offer which has been refreshing yet challenging in its own right.

As you know, we’re big fans of Molly & Gidget. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Molly & Gidget is a fashion label focused on one-of-a-kind couture and looks designed specifically for the red carpet and center stage. What best describes the brand is “unapologetically bold” meaning we’re a brand that dresses ladies who go their own direction and know-how to stand out in a crowd.

Our designs are where edgy meets chic with rhinestones, leather, and fringe. The ladies that wear M&G are head-turners and sparkle brighter than anyone else in the room. Our motto is always to “Go Your Own Direction,” meaning we promote uniqueness, creativity, and personal style. No one ever remembers the girl who looked like everyone else. So why fit in when you were born to stand out?

Today, we work with some of the top stylists, models, personalities, and music activities in the business, creating looks that promise clients they will never be on a “Who wore it better” list. We also work with and support sustainable fashion projects as well as promote women’s empowerment movements. We promote personal, unique style all while making sure sustainable fashion is a priority in women’s lives. We want women to start investing in their wardrobes and stop purchasing cheap, trendy items that are in the dumpster a year later.

When you visit and work with Molly & Gidget, you are getting a fully customizable fashion experience. While we do offer pieces from our collections for purchase through our website and showroom, our main focus is couture for red carpet and stage that are made to fit each client’s own style, performances, and events. Being more specialized within the music industry on that couture side allows us to be able to be more focused on creating quality, unique looks.

We are most proud of having our work on the CMT Music Awards stage on a former South Dakota girl. Emmy Jerde is a talented musician from the band Zeona Road. She grew up in South Dakota like me, and we are both in Nashville chasing after our dreams.

Emmy reached out and asked to wear Molly & Gidget on the CMT Music Awards stage as she was chosen to be a part of the house bands during the awards. Knowing my background as a former CMT intern – it was truly a full-circle moment. And seeing her on stage feeling incredible in her outfit knowing she didn’t look like anyone else was such a crowning moment.

Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
My best business advice comes in these five thoughts:

1) Learn to pivot.
2) Stay true to your vision.
3) Nothing fabulous ever happens overnight.
4) You are only as good as the people you surround yourself with.
5) Say no to everything that doesn’t align with your goals

A few of those were values instilled in me at a young age, but the others are hard lessons I’ve had to learn since first starting out. And while I wish I wouldn’t have had to go through those rough experiences that taught me those lessons, I wouldn’t change anything as it has led me right here right now.

With fashion – nothing ever goes according to plan (if you watch Project Runway, you know) – and learning how you can best tackle adversity and challenges in a professional manner will help you rise.

My best personal advice – learn who you are and what your main goal in life is. You are your brand. And it does cross over into personal from professional from time to time.

For me, I’m aiming to be legendary and leave behind something even bigger than myself that makes the world a more beautiful place. And I have learned that I sure as hell can’t do that being like everyone else.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: http://www.mollyandgidget.com
• Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/mollyandgidget
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/mollyandgidget
• TikTok: @mollyandgidget

Image Credits
Janzen Tew, Kacie Q. Photography, Hair: Matt Smith, Models: Melissa Barrison, Eva Jerde, Ana Cahill, and Katie Austin