Style-ish: Face To Face

Episode: Triangl's Co-founder Erin Deering on the Cost of Success
Date: October 23, 2025
Host: Rhiannon Joyce (Shameless Media)
Guest: Erin Deering (Co-founder of Triangl, Founder of Deering)

Overview

This episode of “Style-ish” features a candid conversation with Erin Deering, the entrepreneurial mind behind the global swimwear phenomenon Triangl and the gender-neutral essentials label Deering. The discussion delves into Erin’s unconventional path to success, the personal cost of high achievement, her evolution in style and business philosophy, and her sharp insights into branding, social media, and the future of fashion.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Erin’s Background & Daily Life

• Erin is the mother of four children (oldest 10, youngest 3) and relishes both the chaos and fun of a big family.
  • “It’s chaos, but so fun...they’re like a little foursome” (03:05).

Style Philosophy & The Power of Color

• Erin’s “swap” recommendation: Dress intentionally with color to influence energy and mood.
  • E.g., Black for power, blue for hope/peace, silver and gray for feminine energy; red and pink together symbolize passion plus sweetness. (04:18)
  • “You can choose the colors you wear to choose who you want to show up as.” (03:18)
• She’s especially drawn to gray and silver—colors that she associates with feminine power and which feature heavily in her collections.
  • “Now, I’m getting older, I’m like, no, Gray is so powerful.” (05:18)

[Memorable Exchange]

• B: “Fifty shades of gray.”
• A: “Getting sexy already. It’s not even the first question.” (06:06)

Dressing With Intention & Proportion

• Erin’s primary style guide is how she feels; she builds outfits from the bottom up, usually starting with jeans, pants, or a skirt, then adding intentional layers and color blocks.
  • “I’m probably more of a maximalist minimalist. Like, I need to layer.” (07:44)
• Believes strongly in themes and tonal dressing; full color looks are “always gonna look strong.” (08:52)
• Outfits are chosen for herself, rooted in self-care and confidence.
  • “It’s for me. If I feel good, I just know I’m going to carry myself.” (10:43)

Style & Fashion Inspirations

• Top inspiration: Leandra Cohen (formerly of Man Repeller), for her singular approach to personal style.
• Other influencers admired: Morgan Stewart (“hilarious...deeply respect that”), Courtney Grow—highlighting the appeal of authenticity and aspirational creativity. (11:44)

Beauty & Fashion Must-Haves

(Lost Luggage Scenario, 12:42):

• Beauty essentials:
  • Go-To Nifty 50 sunscreen (“so light, you can wear it every day”),
  • Crown Affair Dry Shampoo Powder (“I would die without that”),
  • Blush,
  • (Tries to travel with a Dyson, but voltage doesn’t work overseas).
• Fashion:
  • Bonds or Calvin Klein underwear (“still hopelessly obsessed with my Bonds”),
  • Vintage Levi’s, white T-shirt, and a statement outerwear piece (“I would use this as an excuse to...buy the thing that my wish list is on”).

Building Triangl: Genesis & Lessons

[18:48–23:59]

• The idea sprung from a real-life gap: Erin struggled to find affordable, stylish swimwear for a beach date—realizing the dominance of either surf brands or expensive designer options.
  • “There wasn’t anything...I ended up buying Zimmermann because it was $155, which back then was a big deal.” (19:04)
• The business with Craig Ellis (then-partner) emerged organically (“a storm in a teacup of two people being like, yeah, that’s—why not? Let’s just give this a crack.”) (21:10)
• On mixing romance and business:
  • “Oh, to not do it...I would never do it again. No.” (22:32–24:17)
  • The business and relationship became inseparable, leading to resentment and a lack of separation between personal and professional lives.

Brand-Building, Influencer Marketing & Social Media Today

[24:16–32:12]

• Triangl was a pioneer in influencer gifting—sending swimwear to Kendall Jenner’s friends was groundbreaking at the time.
  • Today, Erin believes this era is past: “The era of influencers is dead and it’s dying...It’s going through iterations constantly.” (24:41)
• Consumers are more discerning, and gifting must feel intentional.
  • “Don’t just do things for the sake of it. Everything has to feel intentional. Word of the pod.” (26:43)
• Deering’s approach: No mass gifting in first 12 months, instead building authentic relationships and experiential brand encounters.
  • “I wanted to really own all the creative...It was a slower burn, but felt a lot better to do it that way.” (29:37)

Success, Wealth & Personal Cost

[32:12–44:25]

• At Triangl’s peak, Erin felt deep isolation and suppressed her struggle, fearing she’d seem ungrateful for her wealth and success.
  • “I didn’t want anyone to know I wasn’t living the dream...I just suppressed it.” (32:24)
  • Shared her mental health challenges publicly for the first time on a podcast with Hugh Van Cuylenburg, leading to a liberating shift.
• Money did not create happiness; Erin sought fulfillment, not status.
  • “Money absolutely helps...but it doesn’t mean anything if there’s not a fulfillment within you.” (36:48)
• Her relationship with money remains complex, evolving from a “spend before it’s gone” panic to greater mindfulness and simpler living.
  • “The thing that I hated about having so much money...I didn’t want to live in that upper echelon of that wealth level...it represents disconnection and isolation.” (41:22)
  • On the Young Rich List: Erin and Craig asked not to be included, fearing it conflicted with their brand’s accessible image.

Returning to Fashion: Launching Deering

[44:28–49:49]

• After declaring she’d never return to fashion, Erin’s desire to create resurfaced after writing a book about her experiences.
  • “That chapter closing is what allowed me the space to go...I actually really do want to do this. Like, I’m not done...” (44:34)
• Deering focuses on a market gap: gender-neutral wardrobe essentials with flair, positioned between minimalist basics and event dressing.
  • “I saw a gap...for the price point we’re at...something more fun.” (45:47)
• Industry saturated with sameness; Erin leans into considered details for a distinctive point of view.
  • “Everything has a little design detail...I need that to make a decision...it needs to have just enough.” (47:00)

What’s Different This Time?

• Deering deliberately avoids the mass, free-for-all gifting that powered Triangl’s rise, focusing instead on customer experience and creative control.
  • “The carefree gifting strategy is just not of this time for our brand.” (48:37)
• Erin now steps forward as a creative founder, sharing her perspective more openly rather than staying strictly behind the brand.

Trend Predictions for the Next Season

[49:57–52:17]

• Expect more midi skirts, dropped waists, low-rise fits, and a general uptrend in dressing up and using embellishments.
  • “For spring/summer, it’s going to be a lot of...midi skirts, a dropped waist, lower rise...bit more embellishment, a bit more sequins.” (49:57)
• Advocates for clashing textures, set dressing for efficient styling, and wearing pieces more flexibly (e.g., sequined skirt at work).
  • “Wear it to work on a Wednesday and still wear it to the event on a Friday night. Do it all.” (51:53)
• Sees a gradual shift away from minimalism as people seek more fun and self-expression in their wardrobes.

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On building Triangl with a partner:
  “Our relationship was a business together. It was Triangle. It was like the third person in our relationship.” (23:27)
• On influencer marketing evolution:
  “Don’t just do things for the sake of it. Everything has to feel intentional.” (26:43)
• On the reality behind wealth:
  “I didn’t want anyone to know I wasn’t living the dream...I didn’t want anyone—family, friends, anyone—to [know]...I felt really ungrateful that I was suddenly a multimillionaire...and not loving my life.” (32:24)
• On personal happiness:
  “Money...doesn’t mean anything if there’s not a fulfillment within you.” (36:48)
• Her advice for modern branding:
  “I wanted to really own all the creative...It was a slower burn, but felt a lot better.” (29:37)

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |-----------|------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 03:18 | Erin’s “swap” recommendation: dressing with color | | 06:14 | Dressing with intention and proportion | | 10:42 | Style motivators: feeling good for oneself | | 11:08 | Cites style inspirations (Leandra Cohen, Morgan Stewart, Courtney Grow) | | 12:42 | Beauty/fashion must-haves for “lost luggage” scenario | | 18:48 | Origin of Triangl: the market gap and beach date story | | 22:32 | Mixing romance and business: what she wouldn’t do again | | 24:41 | Influencer marketing evolution and the death of old gifting strategies | | 29:37 | Deering’s approach: slow, intentional, customer-focused brand-building | | 32:24 | The isolating cost of success; vulnerability and mental health | | 36:48 | Money & happiness; changing attitudes towards wealth | | 44:34 | Returning to fashion after Triangl: the birth of Deering | | 45:47 | Deering's positioning and market gap | | 48:37 | What’s different between Triangl and Deering | | 49:57 | Erin’s trend predictions for the next season | | 51:53 | Flexible, experimental styling: "wear it to work...Do it all." |

Takeaway

Erin Deering’s story is an open, thoughtful portrait of modern entrepreneurship in fashion. Her journey underscores the importance of intentionality—in business, branding, and personal style—and reveals the hidden emotional costs behind perceived success. What sets Erin apart is her willingness to challenge the old ways, prioritize authenticity with customers and creators, and embrace vulnerability. Listeners come away with practical tips for dressing confidently, a realistic look at the trappings of “making it,” and inspiration to carve out their own paths in both business and life.