Listen to this articleBelow is our recent interview with Natalie Chapman, from NATALIE CHAPMAN:
Q: Your designs have been seen on style icons all around the world. What do you think makes them stand out?
A: My designs are classic, timeless & effortless. They make a sophisticated statement and the simplicity of minimalism adds class that enhances an inner confidence in women.
I have been sought out to collaborate on incredible projects and have met some amazing people in the past few years. My values and intuitive eye for design have attracted many like-minded creatives.
I have a personable approach to business. I love having one on one time with business associates, clients and the broader network I have created.
My communication skills with stylists and clients complimented with the high quality products we offer delivers a mutual benefit.
Q: Natalie, can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your background?
A: Born and raised in Sydney, Australia. I have always had a love for design and business, which is part of our family history of engineering and manufacturing.
I was designing and creating a small women’s wear brand at a young age. After graduating from college all I did was work. Within 2 years I was stocked in stores across Australia, featured in magazines and then off to New York to test the US market.
I moved to Los Angeles 3 years ago. I’ve experienced successes and some challenges and I’ve come to love every part of the journey of running a company, especially in a city with so much vibrancy and opportunity.
I have a natural drive to embrace the challenges that business brings. I love that I can work on something that I’m so passionate about and lead a dedicated team who all share the same drive and passion. I enjoy having the responsibility of running my own company.
I am passionate about building something sustainable and long term that can inspire people in their daily lives. Anyone can create a business but it’s the true value behind it that matters.
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Q: How did you get to where you are today?
A: I remember a particular day years ago when I could see the vision of the brand and how I wanted it to be structured. It was in that moment that I made the decision to take a leap of faith and move to California giving me access to a larger pool of opportunity, creativity, fashion, manufacturing and experienced professionals.
Building up a successful company is hard work mentally and physically. Over time, decision-making gets a little easier and you grow in confidence.
Patience is key, building a great team takes time and is a continuous balance of trial and error to get it right.
Mentors are vital in the support they offer and at times help ease the pressures of business.
Q: What types of products do you design for your clients?
A: What I enjoy witnessing most is when someone puts on my Tuxedo Jacket for the first time, I can see them fall in love with how they look and feel wearing it. It’s been one of the most successful pieces. The pattern itself has been perfected over 5 years and the jacket design is comfortable, flattering and goes with everything. The psychology of how my designs make people feel is the purpose of the brand.
Aside from the “boss looks” I am known for, there is also the eternal classic silk slip dress. High quality silk combined with a few secrets are why my slip dresses are favored amongst our clientele. This dress design is heavenly to wear and can be worn casually or styled for an evening out.
The Silk Slip Dress is a simple, elegant and effortless statement.
Depending on the relationship with the client and the design being produced, I often meet a client at the studio so that we can immediately customize the garment if needed. We deliver unique, high quality designs and an exclusive personal service that goes further than just purchasing a product.
Q: If you could start all over again, what if anything, would you do differently?
A: I think for anyone in business when you finally achieve your initial goals you wish you had figured it out a lot earlier. I believe that you have to go through serious hardships to appreciate what is worthwhile to create healthy sustainable business practices and to develop your mindset and keep adapting and growing.
If anything I would have loved to have moved to California earlier.
Recommended: Q: What are some of the main objectives for you, both personally & professionally in 2020 and how do you plan to achieve them?
A: I had been making plans to begin the expansion of the NATALIE CHAPMAN Brand. The goal was always to expand globally and now we’re about to move the headquarters into the heart of Los Angeles.
Covid-19 changed everything. Everyone’s health is the top priority.
As a team we have had to collaborate and find solutions to keep going and above all figure out how we can create a more resilient, responsible working environment.
It’s opened our eyes to know that at anytime the company has to be structured in a way to balance through tough and prosperous times. At any stage you must have strategies in place to overcome the challenges or leverage the opportunities. We’re testing all parts of the business right now to see what’s going to work best for our clientele and us. We’re also looking into new technologies that can be implemented into the growth of our e-commerce site as technology is going to be a major player in our business growth globally.
In the current situation the world is facing, my team and I are supporting each other to navigate our way forward through 2020.
Granted all businesses are going to be challenged in different ways. For us we are seeing how things evolve and what methods we’ve been testing are going to work for our clients. Personally, I believe there are solutions to challenges in life as long as you have an open mind and resilient work ethic. The world needs entrepreneurs to create and build businesses to supply jobs for communities and to contribute to the economy.
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