Sustainability and Fashion: Everything You Need to Know with Mary Gehlhar

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<v Speaker 1>Hi and welcome to the Handbag Designer 101 podcast with your host, emily Blumenthal, handbag designer expert and handbag fairy godmother, where we cover everything about handbags, from making, marketing, designing and talking to handbag designers and industry experts about what it takes to make a successful handbag.

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<v Speaker 1>Welcome, mary Gellhart, to the Handbag Designer 101 podcast.

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<v Speaker 1>Mary, the author, small business and sustainability consultant of the stars, thank you for joining us.

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<v Speaker 1>How are you?

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<v Speaker 2>I am good and I'm so happy to be here and it's so nice to see you again.

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<v Speaker 2>Oh my God, it's funny like the podcast is so great.

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<v Speaker 2>I actually listened earlier today to the episode with Rafay, and Rafay was a designer that when I was the fashion director at GenArt my first ever event he was part of in 1999.

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<v Speaker 2>So when you were saying that he's been around a long time, I have also been around a long time.

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<v Speaker 1>Oh, first of all, I wish people could understand what a landmark temple gen art was.

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<v Speaker 1>It was truly the program to be part of.

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<v Speaker 1>I think I applied to every single competition you had.

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<v Speaker 1>I remember the fashion shows.

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<v Speaker 1>I remember Zach Pozen was part of it.

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<v Speaker 1>Every single major player from that time came through GenArt and that was like that was the prize to have.

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<v Speaker 1>Like I was part of that.

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<v Speaker 1>I was.

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<v Speaker 1>You know how did all that come to be?

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<v Speaker 2>Well, and that's what people you know.

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<v Speaker 2>It's hard to imagine now.

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<v Speaker 2>It was such a different time and nobody really cared about these small brands or these independent designers Like no one was that interested.

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<v Speaker 2>And so, you know, we realized that we wanted to create a platform to help independent designers and also, like clothing accessories, menswear, jewelry to really get up in front of the buyers and the magazine editors that, at that time, held the keys to everything.

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<v Speaker 2>Oh my God.

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<v Speaker 1>Like you know, Lucky Magazine Absolutely.

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<v Speaker 1>So many good magazines, so many good magazines.

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<v Speaker 2>And we really wanted to get all of these great brands doing such interesting new things in front of all of those people.

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<v Speaker 2>And they were excited because that whole process of discovery is fun and at that time too, before social media, was very difficult.

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<v Speaker 2>And then we kind of hit on, we struck a chord and people started paying attention.

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<v Speaker 2>And then we were involved with the development of Project Runway and I cast the first four seasons of Project Runway, which was so much fun.

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<v Speaker 1>And then now, if I can use a kid's word, that's a flex.

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<v Speaker 2>Well, yeah, but also too.

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<v Speaker 2>It just really gave so much access then and understanding of what it is to be a designer and kind of some of the behind the scenes, and that's gotten even better.

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<v Speaker 2>At first, like a lot of, it, was a little bit silly, like make a dress out of corn, but now I think the TV realities really have done a much better job at showing the true process of making clothes, you know, designing something and making it, and even a little bit not so much, but a little bit glimpse into the business or the decisions you make as a business person.

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<v Speaker 1>Well, I must disagree with you on saying it was hokey, because I just walked toy fair and I went into the USPS booth, United States Postal Service booth, and I talked to said individual about the redesign, the postal uniform challenge, and we spoke.

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<v Speaker 1>That was on Project Runway and we spoke about that for a long time.

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<v Speaker 1>Because I am going to, I'm determined and I actually spoke with them after I'm determined to work with them to create a postal bag challenge one way or another.

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<v Speaker 2>Oh well, that's a great idea, but don't make it out of corn.

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<v Speaker 2>I think what it was at the first season.

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<v Speaker 2>There were a lot of challenges that were kind of fun and silly, and then I think what happened is, you know, the producers realized, oh wait a minute, like people really want to know about making real clothes, and right, how do we?

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<v Speaker 2>And actually for the producers of the show it was like, how do we get a success out of this?

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<v Speaker 2>Like, because you know it's not like you sing a song on tv and then you know, you put it out in the world.

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<v Speaker 2>Fashion is so much more complicated.

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<v Speaker 2>You know you design that handbag and the process of sourcing those materials and having the production done, getting it out in the world, is a much longer product.

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<v Speaker 1>Right, I remember, because Chris won the first season Chris.

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<v Speaker 1>I forgot his last name, which sounds so awful Someone who won a prize, but it's kind of like I could tell you who won top model for the first five seasons, but I can't tell you who won after that.

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<v Speaker 1>It was a long time ago, oh my God, it's been a minute, but how did you fall into fashion?

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<v Speaker 1>Was that you growing up?

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<v Speaker 1>Was that you know?

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<v Speaker 1>Were you the paper dolls girl Like?

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<v Speaker 1>How did all that happen.

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<v Speaker 2>I was definitely a Barbie girl growing up and then I think I discovered fashion magazines.

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<v Speaker 2>I grew up in the Midwest, outside Minneapolis, and you know it was yeah, discovering fashion magazines and the whole world there.

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<v Speaker 2>And then you know MTV and Style with Elsa Clench and all of this like gorgeous world.

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<v Speaker 2>It was just so yeah and aesthetically so exciting and so eventually.

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<v Speaker 2>But it was different.

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<v Speaker 2>Then it was really hard to understand the behind the scenes of what is a stylist, what is all those things that again it was all kind of smoke and mirrors, right.

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<v Speaker 2>So I moved to New York and actually got a job at Bloomingdale's in the corporate merchandising.

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<v Speaker 2>That's a plumb job.

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<v Speaker 2>It was a great job and it was really fun and I learned so much about the business.

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<v Speaker 1>How did you get that job?

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<v Speaker 1>Was that like a dollar and a dream?

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<v Speaker 1>Like you sent a resume in and hoped for the best?

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<v Speaker 1>Oh no.

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<v Speaker 2>There were a few steps in between.

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<v Speaker 2>There were a few steps in between, but I think I met a friend who had, like, hemmed in the office and said I'll give you a resume, like it was one of it's like most things.

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<v Speaker 2>It's usually someone you meet and a connection like that, and so I was working there.

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<v Speaker 2>But also, being that it was merchandising and it was all Excel spreadsheets, it's like what you're doing all day is looking at data and it's just so much data about the sales and like customers, credit card data, like what's a good seller, what's not a good seller, what are the trends.

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<v Speaker 2>And so, for my creative side, I was styling on the side.

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<v Speaker 2>How did that happen?

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<v Speaker 2>So I had there was a small up and coming menswear designer who I'd met through a friend and he needed help.

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<v Speaker 2>So I would go and help him with his collections, help him.

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<v Speaker 2>He did some events, we did a show and I also have a friend who's in.

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<v Speaker 2>He's a commercial director, and so I was doing some styling for some of his shoots and I actually styled.

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<v Speaker 2>They were auctioning off Princess Diana a lot of her dresses she was having optioned off for charity, and they were doing a special on TV called A Dress to Die For and they were doing a special on TV called A Dress to Die For.

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<v Speaker 2>Oh, that's awesome, yeah.

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<v Speaker 2>But about a week after we shot it is when she actually was killed, oh God I know.

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<v Speaker 2>And so then we're like we can't, we're not doing that anymore.

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<v Speaker 2>But I actually got to like wear gloves and style all those gorgeous dresses, like the revenge dress on mannequins, which was so fun.

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<v Speaker 2>And so through that I heard about this little fashion show, like in a you know beat up theater which was GenArt, which was kind of a fine art organization at the time.

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<v Speaker 2>They were going to try to do something in fashion.

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<v Speaker 2>So I went and met Ian, who was the director afterwards and it was such a success and he was excited and he's like I think we could do more with this.

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<v Speaker 2>So I said let me volunteer and help.

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<v Speaker 2>And then it took off.

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<v Speaker 2>And so then I became the fashion director and then, you know, in the end we were doing shows in five cities, we were doing big competitions, pulling thousands of designer portfolios in from all over the world, and it was amazing and we had so much support from the industry Like everyone would come.

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<v Speaker 1>Patricia Field, that's because you were a one of one at that time.

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<v Speaker 1>Nobody else was doing it.

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<v Speaker 1>I don't think now.

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<v Speaker 1>I think about it because there's Nolte, which is, at this point, one of the few that have left, that are still remaining, and Nolte has moved over to the AI space and that's their hook, so that's their unique selling point.

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<v Speaker 2>But we were also never pay to play, like we would bring in, we would choose people to be at the events and we would really tap into the industry to help us do that.

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<v Speaker 2>So we would sit down in a big conference room with dozens of editors and stylists and buyers and go through 300 designer photos you know 300 designers photos they would send in and people would rate them and then they would write down the ones they liked and, you know, be able to contact those designers.

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<v Speaker 2>So it really was.

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<v Speaker 2>It was a really amazing time and it really did create a whole new level of interest in fashion entrepreneurship.

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<v Speaker 2>But what happened was is I realized that I'm visiting all these studios and ateliers and meeting all these designers and they're all working alone, by themselves, all with the exact same questions and challenges.

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<v Speaker 2>And that's when a book publisher had come to me and said oh, what do you do here?

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<v Speaker 2>Do you know someone who could write a book about the fashion industry?

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<v Speaker 2>And I said, sure, why don't you call Kathy Horn?

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<v Speaker 2>He goes, but what do you do?

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<v Speaker 2>And when I explained it, he said oh well, that sounds like a great book for all these designers working away by themselves.

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<v Speaker 2>And so that's when they asked me to write the Fashion Designer Survival Guide and it was kind of to put all that stuff in one place right Production, financing, sourcing, marketing, all those again behind the scenes things that they just don't.

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<v Speaker 2>That's the business side.

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<v Speaker 2>They don't teach you in fashion school oh my god.

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<v Speaker 1>First of all, I have a billion questions because that was a hearty, a hearty update.

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<v Speaker 1>So first of all I'm like no, there's so many things because everything you're saying was kind of a recipe of happy accidents that you made happen.

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<v Speaker 1>I hate when people say it was luck, because it's never luck If you hustle and you work long enough in the same place doing the same thing and people find you that's called results and ROI of work put in.

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<v Speaker 1>But how did you end up styling?

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<v Speaker 1>Because you said, oh, I started working.

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<v Speaker 1>How did you know how to style?

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<v Speaker 1>How did you meet said designer?

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<v Speaker 1>And you were like, oh, I started working.

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<v Speaker 1>Like, how did you know how to style?

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<v Speaker 1>Like, how did you meet said designer?

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<v Speaker 1>And you were like, oh, I see what the deficits are.

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<v Speaker 1>I see that your collection is missing X, y, z.

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<v Speaker 1>Like, how was that?

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<v Speaker 1>Because you were working at Bloomingdale's and you felt the confidence that you could say you knew what was missing.

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<v Speaker 2>I wasn't really merchandising for him at that very beginning, like that first guy really was like helping out, like most stylists, when you're starting out, schlepping and pulling things and like doing a lot of steaming.

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<v Speaker 1>Did you want to be a stylist, or you just like this guy and you were like, hey, I can help you out.

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<v Speaker 1>I'm happy to help because I'm Mary and I'm very nice.

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<v Speaker 2>Well, I did not want to be a stylist.

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<v Speaker 2>What I was intrigued by is the fact that he's an entrepreneurial fashion designer and I'm like how does that work and how you know, how are you going to get out there and get people to know about you and how are you finding clients and how are you making this stuff?

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<v Speaker 2>All of that, like it was the curiosity.

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<v Speaker 2>And then I think, too, I always raised my hand and like, even when I was working at Bloomingdale's in corporate, I was volunteering at the fashion shows during fashion week, just to like be behind the scenes and see how things are done.

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<v Speaker 2>And I think that's really key.

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<v Speaker 2>And it's just raising your hand and being curious and following that curiosity.

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<v Speaker 2>And then you know if somebody's doing something that sounds interesting, it was like, well, how can I help?

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<v Speaker 1>Right.

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<v Speaker 1>I mean, I think that's what your 20s are for.

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<v Speaker 1>I think you should be involved in everything that comes your way and any opportunity you should be there for it, because getting exposed to all of those things, you can't put a price tag on it.

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<v Speaker 1>You can't and truly price tag on it.

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<v Speaker 1>You can't and truly who you know based on what you do and the job well done.

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<v Speaker 1>It goes miles, especially now.

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<v Speaker 1>So I think that's a really solid takeaway.

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<v Speaker 1>But another point that you also volunteered for GenArt, whilst having, you know, a taxing day job, because you know, working at Bloomy's it's no rainbow.

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<v Speaker 1>I know how those places are, you know, and looking at those Monday morning numbers, it's not sexy and you get excited talent.

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<v Speaker 1>You get to sit in the meetings, you go to the run throughs, you look at the collections, but then it always goes back to what leads to sales, what sells, why did it sell?

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<v Speaker 1>And let's bring more of the same in.

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<v Speaker 1>So how did you decide, like, oh, here's this cool thing called Jenner and I'm going to become close enough to Ian that he's going to see my talent and then invite me to leave my safe data?

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<v Speaker 1>I might have to, like, lose my insurance, which I did.

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<v Speaker 2>Yes, it was a process.

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<v Speaker 2>So, first of all, jenner was tiny, tiny.

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<v Speaker 2>I don't even think, I don't know that Ian was paying himself anything.

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<v Speaker 2>It was like I said fine art and they.

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<v Speaker 2>What he did was create a group of volunteers and we would all go do this in the evenings, so it was after work and you know it would start out like you know, one night a week Everybody would meet and brainstorm, and we're actually doing this a little bit right now in Chicago with a new organization called the Curio.

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<v Speaker 2>Is that his company?

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, because he's in Chicago.

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<v Speaker 2>He's in Chicago with a new organization called the Curio.

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<v Speaker 2>Is that his company?

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, because he's in Chicago.

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<v Speaker 2>He's in Chicago and he started this and we've done a couple big.

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<v Speaker 2>We did a huge fashion show in May there.

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<v Speaker 2>But it's also, like you know, he's doing this with volunteers and he just kind of tapped into this realization.

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<v Speaker 2>There's a lot of great industry in Chicago and it's amazing to get everybody in a room together, and so it was similar.

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<v Speaker 2>But then Jeter was all paid for by sponsorship, so he was able to land a big sponsor for a competition and he's like I need someone to run it and I was like I'll run it.

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<v Speaker 2>And he's like what about your job?

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<v Speaker 2>And I'm like I'll quit my job.

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<v Speaker 2>It was a gamble.

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<v Speaker 2>It was a huge gamble and it was a huge, yes, lack of stability and big paycheck.

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<v Speaker 2>But again I was young and like this is kind of the thing.

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<v Speaker 2>Like you know, you have to try.

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<v Speaker 1>You weren't married with kids.

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<v Speaker 1>And it's so wild because I think you know you strike me as a mildly thoughtful, intelligent, risk-averse individual, like you're not going to go jump off a bridge, but something like this.

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<v Speaker 1>You'd be like, yeah, of course I'm going to quit my job because this makes sense.

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<v Speaker 1>Why wouldn't I do that?

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<v Speaker 1>Like that's to the core.

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<v Speaker 1>You wanted to learn more and see more and be part of process that already intrigued you to determine that that's really who you were.

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<v Speaker 1>You wanted to work with designers, help the process and being clearly you're good at it and even with your book deal, because the process of GenArt is very similar to what I did with the awards, but I did it all by myself and it was all sponsored run and I had the opportunity to sell it a handful of times.

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<v Speaker 1>But because it wasn't application or ticket based, nobody could replicate what I did with sponsorship.

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<v Speaker 1>And sponsorship is an animal to deal with and a lot of people just don't know how to go out and get corporate sponsors and get lots of money to fund an event and a 500 person you know thing.

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<v Speaker 2>It's a not easy behemoth to do and if you know how to do, that that's a skill, and that was the demise of GenArt, was the 2008 financial crash?

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<v Speaker 2>Was all the sponsorship money dried up and we were in talks to be acquired at the time and that dried up and so, yeah, so it's too bad, but If you ever wanted to start a handbag brand and you didn't know where to start, this is for you.

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<v Speaker 1>If you had dreams of becoming a handbag designer but aren't trained in design, this is for you.

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<v Speaker 1>If you have a handbag brand and need strategy and direction, this is for you.

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<v Speaker 1>I'm Emily Blumenthal, handbag designer expert and handbag fairy godmother, and this is the Handbag Designer 101 Masterclass.

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<v Speaker 1>Over the next 10 classes, I will break down everything you need to know to make, manufacture and market a handbag brand, broken down to ensure that you will not only skip steps in the handbag building process, but also to save money to avoid the learning curve of costly mistakes.

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<v Speaker 1>For the past 20 years, I've been teaching at the top fashion universities in New York City, wrote the Handbag Designer Bible, founded the Handbag Awards and created the only Handbag Designer Podcast.

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<v Speaker 1>I'm going to show you like I have countless brands to create in this in-depth course, from sketch to sample to sale.

00:18:00.828 --> 00:18:10.948
<v Speaker 1>Whether you're just starting out and don't even know where to start or begin, or if you've had a brand and need some strategic direction, the Handbag Designer 101 Masterclass is just for you.

00:18:10.948 --> 00:18:14.847
<v Speaker 1>So let's get started and you'll be the creator of the next it Bag.

00:18:14.847 --> 00:18:19.200
<v Speaker 1>Join me, emily Blumenthal, in the Handbag Designer 101 Masterclass.

00:18:19.200 --> 00:18:31.209
<v Speaker 1>So be sure to sign up at emilyblumenthalcom slash masterclass and type in the code PINECAST to get 10% off your masterclass today.

00:18:31.209 --> 00:18:38.718
<v Speaker 1>How did you handle that, were you like?

00:18:38.718 --> 00:18:40.800
<v Speaker 1>Oh my God, what am I gonna do?

00:18:41.342 --> 00:18:47.671
<v Speaker 2>I had already published both the first and second edition of my book by then and I was.

00:18:47.671 --> 00:19:02.628
<v Speaker 2>It was all changing and I think I was kind of ready to move on and so, yeah, I mean it was unfortunate all around, but it had kind of had its amazing moment and heyday and like so it's.

00:19:02.628 --> 00:19:05.118
<v Speaker 2>You know, all good things must come to an end.

00:19:05.720 --> 00:19:24.082
<v Speaker 1>Honey, I get that, but I mean, like my book deal, it took six years for me to get it and you know I had to kill myself to get it and I actually this is a funny story because all that who you know I actually had met my agent in jury duty.

00:19:24.082 --> 00:19:25.926
<v Speaker 1>That is so funny.

00:19:25.926 --> 00:19:43.798
<v Speaker 1>Well, if you're the person that talks to everybody and claims they're shy which is me it was grand jury duty, which was a month, and I looked it around at all the wackadoos there I think I've spoken about this and she was the only one.

00:19:43.798 --> 00:19:46.060
<v Speaker 1>I mean maybe she was wackadoo too.

00:19:46.060 --> 00:19:56.909
<v Speaker 1>I mean I don't even know how I look at these days, but she had a stack of bridal magazines and you know, back in the day, you remember how big bridal magazines were.

00:19:56.909 --> 00:19:59.731
<v Speaker 1>They were like an Encyclopedia Britannica, which also dates me.

00:19:59.731 --> 00:20:00.893
<v Speaker 1>Magazines were.

00:20:00.893 --> 00:20:03.315
<v Speaker 1>They were like an Encyclopedia Britannica, which also dates me.

00:20:03.315 --> 00:20:06.796
<v Speaker 1>You know 12 of them.

00:20:06.796 --> 00:20:08.459
<v Speaker 1>Oh my God, yeah, you could get a was like a Marc Jacobs bag.

00:20:08.459 --> 00:20:10.301
<v Speaker 1>You could hurt your back wearing it and and she didn't have a ring.

00:20:10.301 --> 00:20:20.167
<v Speaker 1>And if you snuff out our people, I knew she had to be at industry, because nobody buys bridal magazines without a ring, like there's no cause for that.

00:20:20.775 --> 00:20:23.176
<v Speaker 1>So I immediately told her we were going to be friends.

00:20:23.176 --> 00:20:27.738
<v Speaker 1>And then I immediately told her I was like you're not married and you have wedding magazines, why?

00:20:27.738 --> 00:20:30.384
<v Speaker 1>And she's like, oh, I'm a literary agent.

00:20:30.384 --> 00:20:31.226
<v Speaker 1>And I said, what's that?

00:20:31.226 --> 00:20:34.241
<v Speaker 1>And she said, oh, I publish books, I help find authors.

00:20:34.241 --> 00:20:36.267
<v Speaker 1>And I was like we're going to be best friends.

00:20:36.267 --> 00:20:55.019
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, and I had had a licensing deal at the time and it was still just me doing everything and I was going on to QVC and I already had my time where I was at Burduff's and Ben's and it was still all just me, you know, smoke buying mirrors, and I wish I would have met you because then it would have made my life, I think, a lot easier.

00:20:55.640 --> 00:21:00.577
<v Speaker 1>But she had said, like, okay, no one's gonna publish your book now.

00:21:00.577 --> 00:21:03.165
<v Speaker 1>And I said, well, my licensing deal came crashing down.

00:21:03.165 --> 00:21:04.519
<v Speaker 1>I have the book written.

00:21:04.519 --> 00:21:05.343
<v Speaker 1>What do I do?

00:21:05.343 --> 00:21:18.375
<v Speaker 1>Because it's half business, half patterns and so forth Kind of like to be a handbag designer, because there are so many less barriers to entry to do it than apparel, because anybody could truly be a handbag designer.

00:21:18.555 --> 00:21:19.176
<v Speaker 1>So it was always.

00:21:19.176 --> 00:21:23.066
<v Speaker 1>How do you look up a word if you don't know how to spell it, and that was kind of the premise of the whole book.

00:21:23.066 --> 00:21:33.203
<v Speaker 1>And she said you have to do something else in order to get people's attention within the handbag space to validate, because people just don't get the feels overnight.

00:21:33.203 --> 00:21:38.438
<v Speaker 1>They did the awards, except for you, yeah, and I did the awards.

00:21:38.438 --> 00:21:41.001
<v Speaker 1>I was like, okay, then I'll just start an award show.

00:21:41.001 --> 00:21:42.704
<v Speaker 1>And she was like, okay, then do it.

00:21:42.704 --> 00:21:44.287
<v Speaker 1>And I was like, okay, fine, then I will.

00:21:44.567 --> 00:21:49.576
<v Speaker 1>And that's kind of the inception and my background was in ad sales.

00:21:49.576 --> 00:21:56.169
<v Speaker 1>So then I just started going to all the people in the Garment Center, like the banks, the Garment Center Improvement District, saying would you give me money?

00:21:56.169 --> 00:21:59.121
<v Speaker 1>And I know all these designers because I consult and I teach.

00:21:59.121 --> 00:22:01.827
<v Speaker 1>And and I know all these designers because I consult and I teach.

00:22:01.827 --> 00:22:04.232
<v Speaker 1>And that's the inception story of the awards.

00:22:04.232 --> 00:22:18.385
<v Speaker 1>But it's like stories like yours that really have an impact on so many small designers to give them life, to realize that I don't need just to be a sad person in a room with a sewing machine, fingers and toes hoping for the best Crossed.

00:22:18.967 --> 00:22:27.407
<v Speaker 2>Right, and I think too, it's just that realization that when you go to school to learn to be a fashion designer, you're not learning how to be an entrepreneur.

00:22:27.407 --> 00:22:52.549
<v Speaker 2>And so we started at GenArt, then we started doing business seminars to kind of talk about all the different topics and, you know, working with the CFDA to create a little more support for FDA, to create a little more support for, you know, up and coming brands, and so, yeah, and then what's funny is the, you know, I updated the book as it, you know, became as things kept changing.

00:22:52.549 --> 00:23:17.162
<v Speaker 2>But then now, jumping ahead, it was really during the pandemic that everything really changed and I wrote the latest edition of the book because the industry had changed, the landscape for entrepreneurs totally changed and everyone is living, working, shopping, communicating in such new ways, and so it's entirely changed.

00:23:17.784 --> 00:23:21.194
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, I mean the fact that you can reach out to a factory on Instagram.

00:23:21.194 --> 00:23:22.396
<v Speaker 1>That's kind of wild.

00:23:23.118 --> 00:23:33.426
<v Speaker 2>So yeah and just and the fact to again that there's no longer these barriers like these, you don't have to do what retail buyers are telling you to do.

00:23:33.426 --> 00:23:48.298
<v Speaker 2>You can reach directly thousands of customers all over the world, you know directly through social media and things, and so it's like there's so much opportunity now, but that opportunity is really overwhelming because there are no more rules.

00:23:48.298 --> 00:23:55.298
<v Speaker 2>You can really forge your own path, but that's hard to do, and so it's like how do you navigate that?

00:23:55.861 --> 00:24:08.366
<v Speaker 1>Well, retailers now demand that you have a strong DTC business because nobody wants to take a risk if you haven't done it on yourself first, if you haven't sussed out what the issues were.

00:24:08.366 --> 00:24:15.195
<v Speaker 1>I mean, I remember my very first meeting, my very first real buyer meeting was with Carrie Chapman from Barney's.

00:24:15.195 --> 00:24:19.381
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, of course she used to come to sit in the all the committees.

00:24:19.381 --> 00:24:30.885
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, and I remember her telling me and I met her through, I want to say, the guy who had cut my hair, his girlfriend, worked at Barney's and I begged him for an intro.

00:24:30.885 --> 00:24:32.741
<v Speaker 1>I mean, talk about hustling.

00:24:32.741 --> 00:24:36.505
<v Speaker 1>I was like, oh, can you ask her for Carrie Chapman's email?

00:24:36.505 --> 00:24:39.424
<v Speaker 1>And that was before you could just figure out people's emails.

00:24:39.424 --> 00:24:40.941
<v Speaker 1>Like, oh, yeah, of course it.

00:24:47.174 --> 00:24:50.588
<v Speaker 1>And I put my bags on the table and I asked her because I had heard about these run through meetings and I'd asked her.

00:24:50.588 --> 00:24:51.553
<v Speaker 1>I was like are we inviting more people in?

00:24:51.553 --> 00:24:52.095
<v Speaker 1>Like, what do you need?

00:24:52.095 --> 00:24:55.240
<v Speaker 1>I had some of my press on the table and she whispered to me she's like put these away before anybody sees.

00:24:55.240 --> 00:24:55.602
<v Speaker 1>You are not ready.

00:24:55.602 --> 00:24:56.042
<v Speaker 1>And I was like but.

00:24:56.042 --> 00:24:58.327
<v Speaker 1>And she's like put these away before anybody sees.

00:24:58.327 --> 00:24:59.209
<v Speaker 1>You are not ready.

00:24:59.209 --> 00:25:07.667
<v Speaker 1>And I was like but, and she's like you are not ready, and I'm like, but that is so powerful and good for her to do that.

00:25:07.914 --> 00:25:30.133
<v Speaker 2>I think it's very important to know and have someone tell you that, because you know, at the end of the day there's that famous saying like it takes 10 years to become an overnight success, and you know it takes time and go slow, and so I really appreciate any of those people in the field that will give honest and true feedback.

00:25:30.133 --> 00:25:37.017
<v Speaker 2>And I love that you weren't crushed by it and decided you don't know that, but yeah, I don't know that, but I know you didn't.

00:25:37.017 --> 00:25:38.961
<v Speaker 2>I know you didn't totally give up.

00:25:38.961 --> 00:25:50.295
<v Speaker 2>So I'm sure you were crushed by it, but at the same time it's like the ability to like okay, that was painful, but I'm going to take this feedback and listen and go back to the drawing 100%.

00:25:50.414 --> 00:26:18.397
<v Speaker 1>I mean much like you understand when from all of this that if you are committed to being a designer and a brand, then there's no turning back until you realize either I've come as far as I can go and I am not making this much money, the time value of money I put in is not, they're not equivalent or it's time or I've aged out of this, or I can sell the brand and lucky me.

00:26:18.397 --> 00:26:20.582
<v Speaker 1>So it's all relative.

00:26:20.582 --> 00:26:25.499
<v Speaker 1>But it's 100% a learning curve process and that's why I wrote my book.

00:26:25.499 --> 00:26:35.470
<v Speaker 1>It's the same thing and I must tell you full transparency, your book was the biggest inspiration and I remember thinking like oh my God.

00:26:35.470 --> 00:26:41.448
<v Speaker 1>And I got to tell you I was terrified that when my book came out I thought you would be like mad at me.

00:26:41.448 --> 00:26:45.143
<v Speaker 1>I was so worried like oh my God, is she going to think something?

00:26:45.143 --> 00:26:50.742
<v Speaker 1>Because you were such a revered person within the industry and I mean to me you still are.

00:26:51.183 --> 00:27:03.111
<v Speaker 2>Well, thank you so much for that, and, at the end of the day, though, I do think that, like you know, you had something to say about it and you'd gone through it from the lens of a handbag designer, and I think that's its own thing.

00:27:03.111 --> 00:27:18.980
<v Speaker 2>Like you know, the fashion designer survival guide applies to everyone, but at the same time, like it's important to you to kind of dig down into, you know that the niche that you're at and you could never have too much, I have it here, by the way.

00:27:19.019 --> 00:27:19.903
<v Speaker 1>Oh, excellent, yeah.

00:27:19.903 --> 00:27:24.432
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, it's not like looking, it's like version one, two or three, but I definitely have it up there.

00:27:24.432 --> 00:27:25.778
<v Speaker 1>So, yeah, this is version three.

00:27:25.778 --> 00:27:27.104
<v Speaker 1>Oh, it's so pretty.

00:27:27.425 --> 00:27:39.445
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, don't don't buy the old ones, because they are very out of date, because everything has changed, but I do think that, you know, it's good to have a lot of information out there, it's good to see it through different lenses.

00:27:39.445 --> 00:27:56.643
<v Speaker 2>I do think that now, because there's so many ways to go about it, though, there's sort of two things that designers really have to think about before they launch, and that, to me, I always say I have two questions what is your mission Like?

00:27:56.643 --> 00:27:58.949
<v Speaker 2>What are you making and why?

00:27:58.949 --> 00:27:59.810
<v Speaker 2>Because it's why.

00:27:59.810 --> 00:28:00.673
<v Speaker 2>What's the why you really have to?

00:28:00.673 --> 00:28:02.336
<v Speaker 2>What's the why you really have to know?

00:28:02.336 --> 00:28:08.741
<v Speaker 2>If it's because you're you know it's a niche in the market, you want to solve a problem, you really want to.

00:28:08.741 --> 00:28:22.685
<v Speaker 2>You have a passion for embroidery, you want to support an artisan craft or you want to, you know, push forward a new sustainable material, it's really you've got to know why you're doing this.

00:28:23.715 --> 00:28:27.480
<v Speaker 2>And I think the other big question is what is success to you?

00:28:27.480 --> 00:28:30.805
<v Speaker 2>Because it's different for everybody.

00:28:30.805 --> 00:28:46.806
<v Speaker 2>There's no wrong answer, but it's easy to look at the industry and get very distracted by oh well, they did a runway show, or oh, they did this collaboration, or they're getting into this store, they have a million followers on Instagram.

00:28:46.806 --> 00:28:50.240
<v Speaker 2>But it's like but what is your version of success?

00:28:50.240 --> 00:28:56.846
<v Speaker 2>Like, we all have to pay the bills, but and if you just want to get rich and have your name everywhere, that is your.

00:28:56.846 --> 00:28:58.613
<v Speaker 2>There is no wrong answer.

00:28:58.712 --> 00:29:03.426
<v Speaker 2>But for a lot of people, success is you know, I just want to one day have my own store.

00:29:03.426 --> 00:29:07.846
<v Speaker 2>Or I just want creative freedom and to be my own boss.

00:29:07.846 --> 00:29:16.243
<v Speaker 2>Or you know, I just want to, you know, keep a certain craft alive and bring attention to.

00:29:16.243 --> 00:29:21.970
<v Speaker 2>You know a certain kind of craftsmanship or a certain indigenous way of doing things.

00:29:21.970 --> 00:29:27.224
<v Speaker 2>Or maybe success to me is addressing an underserved market.

00:29:27.224 --> 00:29:29.310
<v Speaker 2>And so I think it's just.

00:29:29.310 --> 00:29:41.625
<v Speaker 2>You have so many decisions to make as an entrepreneur, and if you know the why and you know what success is to you, that's the lens to look through every single one of those decisions.

00:29:42.395 --> 00:29:44.661
<v Speaker 1>That is some sage advice.

00:29:44.661 --> 00:29:47.268
<v Speaker 1>That is gold, gold, gold Mary gold.

00:29:48.136 --> 00:29:50.545
<v Speaker 2>It's years of watching people.

00:29:52.878 --> 00:30:12.623
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, I know it's especially difficult, like the designers with whom I've worked, and I throw something similar to them and I ran an incubator and the amount recently, and the defense comments, the comments that they're saying in their defense as to answering their why, and I'm like, but is that enough?

00:30:12.623 --> 00:30:14.086
<v Speaker 1>What will that do?

00:30:14.086 --> 00:30:15.496
<v Speaker 1>What is your end game?

00:30:15.496 --> 00:30:22.608
<v Speaker 1>And even doing this deeper dive of saying, do you really know who your customer is?

00:30:22.608 --> 00:30:25.403
<v Speaker 1>Do you really know who she, they, he are?

00:30:25.403 --> 00:30:33.126
<v Speaker 1>Go back and look at the orders, check your customers the most from you, look at their addresses, check their zip code.

00:30:33.126 --> 00:30:50.967
<v Speaker 1>Then go on Google Maps to get a sense of the neighborhood, because not everybody shopping for cool products is a metropolitan, very chic woman Like they might be plus size, they might be living in a tiny town, they may live in a place that has a stop sign, a Walmart and a church and a bar and a school, and that might be it.

00:30:51.134 --> 00:30:53.914
<v Speaker 1>But who are you to deny them something special?

00:30:53.914 --> 00:31:02.710
<v Speaker 1>And if you now know who that's your customer, then you should be designing accordingly to ensure that you can serve that market, because you're making people happy and their money's green.

00:31:03.694 --> 00:31:06.144
<v Speaker 2>So it's to be customer obsessed.

00:31:06.144 --> 00:31:21.757
<v Speaker 2>If you're a small brand, you cannot compete on price and speed and you cannot be everything to everyone, and so you really there's kind of like three things I think of You've got to be really focused like back to that.

00:31:21.757 --> 00:31:33.079
<v Speaker 2>You know what's my why being something really special, because, again, you can't be the fastest to market, you can't be the cheapest, you don't want to be.

00:31:33.079 --> 00:31:42.047
<v Speaker 2>So what is that unique quality, that unique point of view, that hand-touched quality story behind it.

00:31:42.047 --> 00:31:49.846
<v Speaker 2>And then focus special and customer obsessed to really know what are you really selling, because we all have enough stuff.

00:31:49.846 --> 00:31:58.093
<v Speaker 2>So a lot of times it's even beyond the demographics, getting into sort of the emotion behind why someone buys something.

00:31:58.539 --> 00:32:07.325
<v Speaker 2>There's this amazing designer in Philadelphia who designs adaptable clothing for people who have a hard time dressing themselves.

00:32:07.325 --> 00:32:09.950
<v Speaker 2>And so her father who got older.

00:32:09.950 --> 00:32:39.450
<v Speaker 2>He got dementia, but her father had always worn like we was a sharp dress man, you know always wore a button shirt with like a jacket and as he was getting older and unable, losing the agility in his hands, the caretakers were putting him in these sweatshirts and like things that she said so by creating button shirts with Velcro plackets and Velcro wrists, where he could more easily get dressed and have that look that made him feel good about himself.

00:32:39.450 --> 00:32:52.403
<v Speaker 2>She said I'm not selling a shirt, I'm selling dignity and it's like so I sometimes I'll challenge designers to even get beyond that demographic thing, to even like what are you really selling?

00:32:52.403 --> 00:32:56.888
<v Speaker 2>Is it belonging, is it status?

00:32:56.888 --> 00:33:03.703
<v Speaker 2>Is it, you know, altruism, like what is the real, even the emotion behind it?

00:33:03.703 --> 00:33:08.894
<v Speaker 2>So I think, yeah, like you said, it is so about the customer 100%.

00:33:10.242 --> 00:33:12.930
<v Speaker 1>I mean, this is like such a golden episode.

00:33:12.930 --> 00:33:14.361
<v Speaker 1>I can't wait for it to go live.

00:33:14.361 --> 00:33:23.951
<v Speaker 1>For everybody here this is like the most helpful nuggets ever I just want to get into and I don't want to minimize any of this because it's all so powerful and impactful.

00:33:23.951 --> 00:33:29.708
<v Speaker 1>But sustainability is your jam, rightfully so.

00:33:29.708 --> 00:33:40.009
<v Speaker 1>You have become captain of this movement in such a way that we need more of you, ex-mary, so we need you in bulk.

00:33:40.009 --> 00:33:49.272
<v Speaker 1>Explain I mean, as opposed to you know like more of what you're saying needs to be understood and put to task for these designers.

00:33:49.272 --> 00:34:01.968
<v Speaker 1>Can you speak to your mission in terms of fashion and sustainability and what all this means, and how designers can utilize small things to make changes within their line collection, impact and so forth?

00:34:02.910 --> 00:34:18.693
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, I mean, I think I just said we all have enough stuff and you know we in addition to all the other changes in the industry is also just this really clear realization of how devastating fashion's impact is on people and planet.

00:34:18.693 --> 00:34:23.068
<v Speaker 2>And I'm really, you know, as a small business advocate.

00:34:23.068 --> 00:34:40.311
<v Speaker 2>I really feel that it's a lot of the small brands that are driving a lot of the innovation and change and that often that supporting small brands is a very sustainable thing to do as a customer, because sustainability is good business.

00:34:40.311 --> 00:34:47.110
<v Speaker 2>Like, if you're a small designer, you don't have unlimited funds, you can't make a lot of product and have it sitting around.

00:34:47.110 --> 00:34:50.670
<v Speaker 2>You have to be really careful with your cash.

00:34:50.670 --> 00:34:55.284
<v Speaker 2>You want to focus on high quality.

00:34:55.284 --> 00:35:00.233
<v Speaker 2>It's good to go slow and not, you know, try to churn Again.

00:35:00.233 --> 00:35:01.983
<v Speaker 2>You can't compete on price and speed.

00:35:01.983 --> 00:35:03.867
<v Speaker 2>So it's you know.

00:35:03.867 --> 00:35:16.045
<v Speaker 2>I really think supporting small brands has a sustainability aspect to it, but I also think that when so many brands want to be sustainable, that can be really overwhelming.

00:35:16.045 --> 00:35:16.927
<v Speaker 2>And how do you?

00:35:16.927 --> 00:35:18.911
<v Speaker 2>There's so many issues.

00:35:18.911 --> 00:35:23.373
<v Speaker 2>I'm a big supporter of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

00:35:23.373 --> 00:35:44.820
<v Speaker 2>I'm on the advisory committee for their Conscious Fashion and Lifestyle Network and I don't know most people have probably seen the goals but it's 17 different aspects of sustainability and I often tell a designer that's overwhelmed like, spend some time with those and pick three Because it can be so overwhelming.

00:35:44.960 --> 00:35:46.485
<v Speaker 2>I know the brand Ghani.

00:35:46.485 --> 00:35:50.552
<v Speaker 2>When they started, they started by picking three that they could really drill down then and make all their decisions through the lens of Ghani.

00:35:50.552 --> 00:35:54.288
<v Speaker 2>When they started, they started by picking three that they could really drill down then and, you know, make all their decisions through the lens of.

00:35:54.288 --> 00:36:22.539
<v Speaker 2>One of them was gender equality that they chose responsible production, consumption, and I think that for a small designer, if you pick like, say, you're a handbag designer who works in leather, you know there's obviously, I think you're going to want to think about aspects of animal welfare and where you're sourcing the skins and also because the tanning process is so chemical heavy, I think there's a lot of places where you can look for certifications.

00:36:22.539 --> 00:36:26.487
<v Speaker 2>You can look for alternatives to a lot of the tanning methods.

00:36:26.487 --> 00:36:44.032
<v Speaker 2>My favorite is like scrap and dense stock leather, especially if you're small, like there's amazing bag lines that are working only in basically trash, like leather that it's would be in the landfill and so you know or it can be.

00:36:44.699 --> 00:36:48.952
<v Speaker 1>We actually had fab scrap on a few weeks ago.

00:36:49.721 --> 00:36:50.505
<v Speaker 2>Oh, I love them.

00:36:50.505 --> 00:36:52.773
<v Speaker 2>That's amazing, I'll have to listen to that.

00:36:53.197 --> 00:36:57.431
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, and I have Stephanie Benedetto coming, oh, great.

00:36:57.431 --> 00:37:01.030
<v Speaker 1>But you know she was a handbag designer and came through the Handbag Awards.

00:37:01.030 --> 00:37:02.744
<v Speaker 1>I did not know that.

00:37:02.744 --> 00:37:03.226
<v Speaker 1>That's her legacy.

00:37:03.226 --> 00:37:04.684
<v Speaker 1>She was a finalist.

00:37:05.179 --> 00:37:08.822
<v Speaker 2>It is a small world, it is, but yeah, world that is, but yeah.

00:37:08.822 --> 00:37:27.271
<v Speaker 2>So, and then I think you know it's just really important to help communicate, you know, to your customers and you know really communicating why things cost what they cost and why you know how to take care of things like how your bags.

00:37:27.271 --> 00:37:31.931
<v Speaker 2>I mean, what's so great about handbags is the potential for longevity.

00:37:31.931 --> 00:37:35.822
<v Speaker 2>They, you know, it doesn't matter if you gain a few pounds, it doesn't matter.

00:37:35.822 --> 00:37:38.311
<v Speaker 2>If you can take care of them and store them.

00:37:38.311 --> 00:37:43.226
<v Speaker 2>They can become legacy items, you can resell them, so they're an investment.

00:37:43.226 --> 00:37:54.762
<v Speaker 2>And I think it's just really communicating what you're doing with your customers so they understand the thought and the process and the materials.

00:37:54.762 --> 00:38:10.164
<v Speaker 2>And you know we've become so removed from the process of how our things are made and so I think that independent designers are so good at sharing that and communicating that to bring the customer in on this journey.

00:38:10.164 --> 00:38:15.974
<v Speaker 2>And you know, again, like just being more conscious about what we're making and what we're consuming.

00:38:17.440 --> 00:38:22.612
<v Speaker 1>Mary, I'm like took my sustainable breath away.

00:38:22.612 --> 00:38:27.391
<v Speaker 1>Listen, this has been so amazing.

00:38:27.391 --> 00:38:39.320
<v Speaker 1>I know that any designer or person within the industry, or even somebody who is just interested in fashion overall, could learn so very much from you and your platform and what you have to say.

00:38:39.780 --> 00:38:57.371
<v Speaker 2>How can we find you follow youE-H-L-H-A-R is where you can find me on LinkedIn, instagram.

00:38:57.371 --> 00:39:00.989
<v Speaker 2>So, yeah, I would love to connect with more people there.

00:39:02.340 --> 00:39:02.722
<v Speaker 1>Wonderful.

00:39:02.722 --> 00:39:06.585
<v Speaker 1>Two H's, two H's, two H's just to throw that in.

00:39:06.585 --> 00:39:07.349
<v Speaker 1>Wonderful.

00:39:07.349 --> 00:39:10.807
<v Speaker 1>Thank you so much for being part of Handbag Designer 101, the podcast.

00:39:10.807 --> 00:39:12.545
<v Speaker 1>You are a supreme person.

00:39:12.545 --> 00:39:15.534
<v Speaker 1>Thank you so much for being part of handbag designer 101 the podcast you are a supreme person.

00:39:15.554 --> 00:39:16.237
<v Speaker 2>Thank you so much, and thank you.

00:39:16.237 --> 00:39:18.844
<v Speaker 2>I love being here and I'm a big fan of the podcast, so keep them coming.

00:39:19.465 --> 00:39:27.710
<v Speaker 1>Well, I encourage everybody to follow Mary, get her book, if anything, just to show people that you're smart, because it's such an incredible book.

00:39:27.710 --> 00:39:28.643
<v Speaker 1>I'm like ashamed.

00:39:28.643 --> 00:39:31.610
<v Speaker 1>As soon as we finish I'm going to be like oh, here it is.

00:39:31.610 --> 00:39:34.603
<v Speaker 1>But thank you so much and there it is.

00:39:34.603 --> 00:39:37.543
<v Speaker 1>Plug All right, thanks and talk soon.

00:39:37.543 --> 00:39:39.146
<v Speaker 1>Talk soon, bye-bye.

00:39:39.146 --> 00:39:42.173
<v Speaker 1>Thanks for listening.

00:39:42.173 --> 00:39:47.545
<v Speaker 1>Don't forget to rate and review and follow us on every single platform at Handbag Designer.

00:39:47.545 --> 00:39:48.407
<v Speaker 1>Thanks so much.

00:39:48.407 --> 00:39:49.442
<v Speaker 1>See you next time.