Weeks That Reminded Me Why I Started

A reflection on fashion, friendship, customer connection, milestones, and what still matters most after 25 years.

“We had a big town hall tonight, and I asked a Girl Scout what her favorite leadership moment was, and she said it was meeting you!!” — Shari, CEO of the Girl Scouts of Greater New York.

If you missed the recap of my speaking engagement at GIRL Congress 2026 at Fordham University this past March for the S’moreside Chat, the link is here and on the image below.

It was truly such a special day for me and I am so proud of the girls who interviewed me.

The past few weeks somehow captured almost every version of me.

Founder.
Professor.
Speaker.
Creative.
Mentor.
Friend.
Mom.
Storyteller.
Customer service rep.

And when I looked back at everything that happened between my guest professor and speaking engagement at Fashion Institute of Technology, my WWD amazing press placement for my 25th anniversary, the BOY MEETS GIRL® x Bergdorf Goodman collaboration (yes, you read that right :)), customer conversations, and even an unexpected shopping video moment, maybe what hit me most was seeing all the different parts of my world collide at once.

Not separate identities. Just different chapters of the same story.

Professor Igel

I always love speaking to the next generation of thought leaders and sharing my journey of building a brand from scratch. I was definitely in the midst of chaos when I hopped on, but I truly believe in showing up raw and vulnerable. That is the real story of what it takes to build and run a company. Thank you for such thoughtful questions. I loved doing this with you Emily Blumenthal .

And yes, this was on April 20th, and when I say my goods were just landing at JFK from Pakistan to make it in time for my Bergdorf Goodman event on April 30th, that is the truth.

If you read my book, Embracing the Calm in the Chaos, you already know I have learned how to handle these chaotic moments with grace... and maybe a minor back ache lol.

Seeing 25 Years in WWD!

Seeing BOY MEETS GIRL® 25 Years in WWD. This one hits different. What started as an idea in New York has grown into a brand built on kindness, confidence, and community. How can I even explain this feeling? It is surreal. It is wild. And yes, I still make sure to pinch myself. Building a brand from scratch has been so hard. Really hard. I cannot sugarcoat the lows. But the highs have always made it worth it.

And when I say I still love every minute of what I do, I truly mean it. I get to meet and work with amazing humans, help others, connect with thought leaders making change, and teach students about the business so they can believe in their own power to lead the next era, too. I also get to teach my son about the winding road of entrepreneurship, and hearing all of his questions along the way has been one of the greatest gifts.

Success comes in all forms. If you haven’t been knocked down yet, you probably haven’t experienced success yet either. The challenges shape us. The setbacks make us stronger.

Grateful to Lisa Lockwood for telling our story. And grateful to everyone who has been part of this journey. 25 years in. Still building. Full article here.

BOY MEETS GIRL® x Bergdorf Goodman

Me in 2026 vs my launch in 2001. I’m still trying to process this one.

25 years later, standing inside Bergdorf Goodman celebrating 25 years of BOY MEETS GIRL®, honestly felt surreal. Because this is where it all started for me.

Back in 2001, Bergdorf Goodman discovered BOY MEETS GIRL®️ when it was just an idea, a vision, and a lot of hustle coming out of NYC. To return 25 years later for an anniversary collaboration and event was one of those true full-circle moments you dream about but never fully know if they will happen.

And then all of you showed up.

The energy in that room. The love. The support. The customers customizing pieces and bringing back such a core part of our DNA. Watching styles sell out in real time. Seeing people connect to the collection, the story, and the journey behind it all.

It honestly stopped me in my tracks more than once that night.

One of the most emotional moments for me was introducing my son Dylan to Tracy Margolies, my very first department store buyer, now President of Bergdorf Goodman, someone featured in my book, and someone I’m lucky enough to call a friend.

I started crying in that moment. Celebrating with the person who first believed in my brand, alongside my son, was something I will never forget.

Building a brand from scratch is hard. There are incredible highs and very real lows. There are moments where goods are literally landing at JFK days before an event, moments where you question everything, and moments where you somehow keep going anyway.

But nights like this remind you why.

They remind you that perseverance matters. Connection matters. Community matters.

And seeing all of those worlds collide in one room at Bergdorf Goodman 25 years later meant more to me than I can fully put into words.

Thank you to the entire Bergdorf Goodman team. Thank you to my BOY MEETS GIRL® team and Jonna, who flew in for this special evening. Thank you to my sister Kathy and niece Samantha, who helped pull sizes off mannequins and assist customers throughout the night. Thank you to Abbode for bringing our embroidery collaboration to life.

And thank you to my Husband Brian, son Dylan, friends, family, customers, collaborators, and everyone who has supported this journey over the years. None of this happens alone, and I never take that support for granted.

Customer Service Is the Brand

Customer service is not a department to me. It is part of the heartbeat of the brand.

I was interviewed this week for The Skupe — full article linked here.

I’ll be digging deeper into this topic in my next newsletter because I know so many of you here are building brands, businesses, creative projects, and partnerships of your own. The conversation around what brands really want from their retail partners is incredibly important to me, especially after 25 years of building BOY MEETS GIRL®.

Here’s one of the questions from the interview… What’s the most important thing a business owner should know about customer loyalty? How has the way you communicate and connect with your customers changed?

The customer always comes first. Customer loyalty comes down to how you treat people across every touchpoint. To earn their respect and belief in your brand, every person needs to feel that you genuinely care. That’s what builds loyalty.

In terms of communication, the platforms have changed, but the intention hasn’t. Whether a customer DMs me directly or reaches out to BOY MEETS GIRL® on Instagram, we are always there for them. I do not believe that, as founder and chief creative officer, I should not be involved. Being connected to our customers brings me so much joy.

Just yesterday, a customer messaged our Instagram asking where she could find our silhouette tees because they were sold out on our website. She wanted to surprise her daughter. We guided her to Bergdorf Goodman, where the collection is currently available, and she went in, found pieces and followed up to share her excitement. That kind of real-time connection is everything. Nothing has changed in how I approach it. It’s always about showing up, being present and making every customer feel seen and valued.

Friendships

Ending this post with a video of me and my best friend since we were 3, Ike Barinholtz. Friends supporting friends. Ike came straight from rehersal when he landed in NYC from Los Angeles to come see my collection and celebrate this milestone with me which meant so much.

Huge congratulations to him on the BAFTA recognition for The Studio ( The Studio won the BAFTA TV Award for Best International Series at the 2026 BAFTA) and the new season of Running Point. So proud of him and everything he continues to create and be in.

Maybe that’s what 25 years really teaches you.

The press moments matter.
The milestones matter.
The events matter.

But the people are what stay with you.

The students.
The customers.
The collaborators.
The friends who hype you up.
The people who believed in you before the world did.

That’s the real story behind BOY MEETS GIRL®.

P.S. If you want to shop the limited edition BOY MEETS GIRL® x Bergdorf Goodman drop, send me a DM or email sales@boymeetsgirlusa.com and we’ll connect you directly with Brian and his team who can help you with what is still available and can ship anywhere.

This collection is exclusive to Bergdorf Goodman so it is only available there, but Brian and his team have truly become an extension of our team and have been helping so many of you secure pieces through text or phone.

Old school and very cool ⭕️

XO,

Stacy Igel

Also one last thing — a huge shoutout to my community also here on Substack, who came out to celebrate my 25th anniversary at Bergdorf Goodman. Seeing so many of you and celebrating together meant more than you know. cc Zibby Owens Barri Grant Lauren Locke PC CHANDRA Sophie Elgort Nancy A Schuster .