Behind the Scenes with Sallian Song, 
Chief Fashion Designer of Cherokee Medical Uniforms

This post is sponsored by Cherokee Uniforms.

Behind the Scenes with Sallian Song,
Chief Fashion Designer of Cherokee Medical Uniforms

If you’re like many of us, your favorite part of the Oscars isn’t the show. It’s seeing the stars arrive on the red carpet to answer the question, “Who are you wearing?”

As a healthcare professional, you may never think about the “who” behind your favorite scrubs.

But every time you put them on, you’re wearing the creation of a fashion designer.

Sallian Song isn’t a household name, but if you’re familiar with Cherokee Medical Uniforms, you’ve seen her designs. ScrubsMag recently caught up with Cherokee Uniforms’ Chief Designer to get a behind-the-scenes look at her new collection, Statement by Cherokee.

“Inspired by Prada, Lululemon, and healthcare heroes.”

“Statement by Cherokee is pushing the boundaries of what scrubs can be,” says Song of the limited-edition collection. When asked about the inspiration, she mentions Prada’s clean lines and distinctive hardware; Lululemon’s durability and clever details. And the heroes? “On TV, anytime a person’s life is in danger, who saves them? Someone in scrubs. The media has really elevated the healthcare profession, and made scrubs a cool thing to wear.”

Bringing her vision to life

Statement started with research into what customers want in their scrubs, and their wardrobes. Based on these findings, Song laid out her vision for the Statement line, and used it to guide her team of designers, production artists, and product development specialists.

They began sketching ideas and selecting fabrics and trims, paying close attention to the way the garments fit. “My design philosophy is body-positive,” she says. “I wanted Statement to look just as fabulous in a size XXS as in a 3XL.”

A love story at the Statement launch party

As the collection came together, more staff became involved, including those in marketing and media. The company worked with an Instagram nurse influencer on a launch party at a California medical uniforms store. At the event, a nurse fell in love with the Statement line, but couldn’t afford to buy anything until payday.

“She went home empty-handed,” Song recalls “but her boyfriend came back and bought all the outfits she tried on. He loved Statement as much as she did.” The buzz started there, and grew as the collection was introduced nationwide.

Bringing Statement to the world — for a limited time only

Though Statement comes in eight sizes and is affordably priced (pieces start around $30), it won’t be available forever. “Statement is in a limited run,” Song explains. “It’s a collection designed to make a splash — or a statement, if you will — and that won’t happen if everyone’s wearing it.” Statement by Cherokee will be sold in medical uniform stores for a year, or while supplies last.

“In the future, we’ll introduce more styles to the Statement line,” Song assures us. “We have an entire fashion team dedicated to making you look and feel good, and that can make your patients feel better, too.”

This post was written by Caroline Zelonka, guest writer for Scrubs Magazine. You can see more of STATEMENT and find a local retailer at www.CherokeeUniforms.com