As a junior at the University of Michigan, Caroline Rooney still finds time to run her own Ann Arbor based company, “The Bearon”, a socially-concious clothing company, the proceeds of which benefit a variety of non-profits.  Keep reading for what she shared with SHEI in our exclusive interview.

Founder of The Bearon, Caroline Rooney in her "Peace & Love" design

SHEI: Tell us a little about yourself, Caroline.

C.R.: I’m a junior at the University of Michigan, majoring in organizational studies, minoring in art history. I’m focusing on international marketing for luxury fashion and art. I founded The Bearon in January of my freshman year. Since then, I’ve been mixing going to school with my involvement in the fashion industry. 

SHEI: What is The Bearon and why did you create it?

C.R.: The Bearon is a socially-conscious clothing company based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. All of our shirts are paired with different non-profit organizations that get 20% of shirt profits. The organizations focus on children’s rights, humanitarian rights, arts programs, and Alzheimer’s research. 

I created the first shirt when I was taking a textiles class in high school. I ended up wearing the two samples that I made for my project around school. People thought they were really cool. There was enough expressed interest to create more. I initially made twenty-five shirts and they were sold in two weeks. I realized that I could turn this into a mix of everything I wanted in my career. And that’s just it: The Bearon is a great way of finding a way to mix together all of your passions. I love art. I am obsessed with the fashion industry. I’m very interested in philanthropy and I’m interested in business. The Bearon was a good way to dabble in entrepreneurship, while doing something artistic and fashion oriented.

SHEI: Have you always loved fashion?

C.R.: Yes, I knew that I loved fashion since fourth grade. This girl was sitting next to me in class sketching clothes. And after that, I started carrying around my sketchbook. I made the craziest designs!  I became obsessed with creative industries and art and realized that I wanted to pursue something that I loved.  The fashion industry is such a massive, creative industry, that I was just naturally drawn to it. It was very appealing to me. 

SHEI: Who taught you to love fashion?

C.R.: I was very influenced by the women I grew up around.  My grandmother was very involved in the art world in Toledo. And growing up, she was always dressed impeccably. She started subscribing to Vogue at sixteen and ended up canceling the subscription upon her death at eighty-seven. So I grew up reading Vogue and talking about fashion with her. Being surrounded by that made me love fashion. 

SHEI: Who is your favorite fashion designer?

C.R.: That’s a really good question. But it’s one of those questions that I feel like I can’t answer.I couldn’t pick just one favorite designer. I love Oscar de la Renta. I think Michael Kors has a great aesthetic. I’m very interested in other people’s work. 

SHEI: Where do you find your inspiration for the Bearon?

C.R.: I get a lot of my inspiration from traveling and research. I pick up cues everyday walking around. It’s interesting because I’m involved in so many different environments. When I’m in New York, I’m inspired by street style and the designers that I spend time with. When I’m in Ann Arbor, it’s the campus environment that inspires me. Backstage at a fashion show is really inspiring. I love to see what models and fashion designers walk into shoots wearing. And, of course, architecture is very inspiring to me. 

SHEI: What is your favorite part of running The Bearon?

C.R.: My favorite part of running The Bearon is that I can put all of my creativity in one venture. At the end of the day, I design the shirts and I can say what I like, what I don’t like. The fact that I have so much creative freedom is the best part. The company represents everything that I want it to represent and nothing else. Believe me, it’s a unique oppirutnity to be your own boss, especially in a creative field. 

SHEI: Is it difficult managing your time with The Bearon and attending a prestigious University?

C.R.: Oh yes. That’s by far the greatest challenge of running the company. There are a thousand things that I’ve done at the Bearon and a lot of extra credit opportunities for my classes that I didn’t do because of it. Doing the best in both business and school is very difficult and there’s a lot of picking and choosing. That’s the reason why The Bearon is not in every store in Ann Arbor or at every college campus. While I’m at school, I know what my team and I can handle and I recognize that school is our first priority. There are tons of entrepreneurs that have dropped out of college and have made millions, but I’m not that kind of person. It’s really important for me to graduate from the University of Michigan and use that as a launch pad for my career. 

SHEI: What are other hobbies that you enjoy doing in your pastime?

C.R.: I model. I do runway and print. That’s really my other career. My life is broken into 3 things: school, The Bearon, and modeling. Modeling is another segway into the fashion industry. Plus, it’s fun! And that’s so important- to do something that you really enjoy. Beyond that, I love drawing and I love to read. I also love going to art museums and galleries and spending the day roaming around. I’m very inspired by art. 

Check out The Bearon’s website for shirt designs, shopping, and for more information about The Bearon!