After graduating from high school, Trey Phillips attended Bard College in upstate New York to pursue his passion for human rights. However, his love of fashion called to him and he dropped out of school to start a sunglasses and hat company. “[I] totally fell on my face … Basically, I learned that I didn’t know as much as I probably should, so I went back to school for it,” Phillips shared on the podcast “Back to the Beach with Kristin and Stephen.”
Phillips enrolled in the Parsons School of Design and studied Fashion Design and Renewable Energy. In 2010, he landed a job at Vera Wang as an associate designer for their ready-to-wear collection. Phillips spent seven years working closely with Wang, learning the ins and outs of the fashion industry. He then helped his friend and fellow fashion designer Michael Halpern launch his career and eventually followed him to London to work on the clothing brand, Halpern. Since then, Phillips has been all over Europe working closely with Halpern, frequently taking the time to visit landmarks and spending time with friends and family. He still hasn’t lost his passion for activism and isn’t afraid to stand up for what he believes in.
