Last month, the “who”™s who” in the fashion world gathered at Chelsea Piers in Manhattan to honor Reenie Brown on the 25th anniversary of her founding the Fashion Accessories Benefit Ball, the first of its kind nonprofit organization in the industry devoted exclusively to raising money for charities.
Since its establishment in 1990, FABB has raised almost $10 million and more than 70 charities have received funding. This year”™s gala benefited the Coalition for the Homeless, City Harvest and the Humane Society of the U.S.
It comes as no surprise that Brown considers FABB to be the crowning achievement of her career. Yet, it”™s a career track she did not consciously pursue.
“I really had no particular interest or craving for fashion,” she said. “From a very early age, I knew I wanted to be successful.”
A defining moment that profoundly shaped her life occurred at age 10 when her family became homeless. That painful experience and brief encounter with poverty had a powerful impact on her. She knew that if she did well at school and pursued a college education, doors of opportunity would open and provide her with financial security and independence.
It was also the 1960s, a time when most young women got married at an early age. That was not an option for the ambitious Brown, who wanted first to pursue a career.
That inner drive motivated her to study at the University of Connecticut. “I worked and put myself to college and became the first member of my family to obtain a college degree.” But when she graduated, she discovered that employers pigeonholed young women in the workplace.
“It was a big thing in those days to become an airline stewardess,” she said. “I got a job offer from American Airlines but turned it down because I had higher aspirations.” Brown did not know it at the time, but by her determination to counter the conventional wisdom of what a young woman of her generation was expected to do, she was paving the way for professional women in the years ahead.
Her first job was editor for Liberty Mutual Insurance Co., a four-year stint that firmly grounded her for the next and what would become the most significant job of her career in 1973 when she was named editor of “Handbags,” a small format black-and-white pamphlet for the fashion industry that had a small circulation. Lacking staff support, she did everything herself ”” from copywriting and photography to editing and layout ”” and relaunched the publication in a full-color format with the new name “Accessories.”
It was a time when most women were stay-at-home moms and when a “Mad Men” ethos ruled in many industries. The fact “Accessories” became a leading and award-winning trade publication speaks to Brown”™s visionary talent and business acumen.
Then in 1981, she founded “Accessories The Show,” the first and successful accessories trade show in the U.S. That would serve as inspiration for her next big idea that occurred in 1990. “I thought there was potential in staging a very-well-attended annual big fashion industry party to benefit charities.” Thus FABB was born.
The FABB concept, which was a success from the beginning, was to honor industry leaders each year and use the proceeds generated for worthy causes. Charities selected would appeal to everyone such as Hole in the Wall Gang, Save the Children, Coalition for the Homeless, the Wildlife Land Trust, the Wounded Warrior Project and breast cancer causes. FABB is the single largest charity event in the accessories industry, attracting more than 800 attendees.
In addition to her legacy as an accomplished female business leader, Brown has been passionate about ending cruelty to animals. Some years ago during a trip to Puerto Rico, she said, “It broke my heart to see homeless cats and dogs roaming the streets and beaches.”
The solution was for her and a veterinarian to establish a nonprofit organization called PAWS (an acronym for the Puerto Rico Animal Society) to help reduce the numbers of homeless dogs and cats trough spray/neuter, adoptions and education.
The spring has been a busy time for Brown. She recently moved into a retirement community in Redding. But, considering her responsibilities as chair woman of FABB and serving on the board of the Humane Society of the United States, her calendar is as full as ever. She is also blessed with a close circle of family, friends and associates. Two of her most avid admirers are Brooklyn Dodger, a 14-year-old Bichon mix dog and Isabella, a 13-year-old half-Siamese cat ”” both of whom were rescued by Brown.
The Winners Circle highlights the accomplishments of female entrepreneurs and of male and female attorneys in Fairfield County. Contact Bill Fallon with nominations: bfallon@westfairinc.com.
