Resortwear (and Golfwear) with Flair
I have worked in consulting at McKinsey & Co., and at Goldman, Sachs in my previous career. I still do freelance consulting primarily with nonprofits and also am engaged in wealth management.
Had originally had an idea to do maternity wear after the birth of my first child and then put aside until I was approached by a woman who thought we could design and market a best-selling wrap skirt. This then evolved into women’s golfwear (including skorts, SPF shirts, tunics and dresses) targeted to private country clubs and high-end boutiques. I also have a website and sell through ecommerce and trunk shows.
I am unique in that I focus on using all cotton sustainable fabrics, and only do production in the USA. I target women who are interested in longer hem-lengths and imported stylish fabrics. Also, I care about the people who manufacture my clothing who are all paid high wages and are part of a factory that has been approved by the Department of Labor. This is highly atypical in the garment industry.
Hardest thing about my business is seeing competitors who use cheap resources and employ people subject to unfair labor practices all in an effort to keep their costs down. They are not transparent with their customers about this.
The best thing is designing and creating items that customers love and keep coming back for more. The validation is everything!
I enjoy being in control and making my own decisions. My business is evolving into more custom pieces being made, all in all, I love choosing fabric and creating a unique piece for a customer.
