Natural Born Designer
ALUMNA TURNS PASSION FOR FASHION INTO MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR COMPANY
When Diane Bailey (’70) thinks back to when she first developed an interest in fashion, she can remember her mother telling her that she was born with a “needle in her hand.” Today the native of St. Simons Island, Ga., is the guiding force behind The Bailey Boys (baileyboys.com), an upscale children’s clothing label sold in nearly 700 specialty stores throughout the United States, known for its unique line of brother-sister appliqued dress clothes and casual playwear.
The company’s founder and designer said she had no plans to start a business when she graduated from Georgia Southern with a Bachelor of Science degree in home economics. As a stay-at-home mom to her two sons, Chad and Brent, Bailey said she had trouble finding cute clothes to fit them, so she began designing and making her own. She credited her husband, Jim Bailey (’71) for advising her to step out of the box and to produce and sell her designs. Since 1987, the alumna has watched her small operation of five sewing machines expand into a 22,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Baxley, Ga., that employs 70 people. There are 10 other employees at the grandmother of five’s sole store and corporate headquarters located on St. Simons Island.
“My business just grew,” she said. “I moved into a building, outgrew it, and then built another one.” Bailey moved the manufacturing to Baxley when she bought a plant that was closing there. “I always say the employees made blue jeans on Friday and on Monday they were making baby clothes. That was in 1997, and I still have most of those employees,” she pointed out. With her husband and both sons involved in the business, she is able to concentrate on what she loves best. “I still do all of the designing and I select and buy the fabrics,” Bailey noted. “I pride myself on the fact that we work hard to find and use the best fabrics. In addition, I am most concerned about the fit. I want my clothes to look cute, to last and I constantly work on that.”
The entrepreneur’s fondest memories of the years she spent at Georgia Southern revolve around her freshman year. “I lived in Deal Hall; we didn’t have air conditioning and the bunk beds pulled from the wall. However, I made wonderful friends there and we had great teachers. The whole experience was great.”
When it comes to running a business, Bailey said owners should live by the Golden Rule, offer outstanding customer service and always stand behind their product. “You have to throw your whole self into it. If you have a passion for something, then go in that direction.”
– Sandra Bennett