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Spotlight: Mamas Boutique Co-Founder Chloe Williams
Tuesday, July 19, 2016
With over 80k followers on Instagram, and their dresses worn by the likes of Blac Chyna, Maya Jama, Adrienne Bailon, Daphne Joy and make up guru, Amrezy - Mamas Boutique are becoming real movers and shakers in the fashion industry.
Recently celebrating 2 years online, Mamas Boutique is a fresh, fierce, sassy and outspoken brand specialising in a range of dresses, co-ords, jumpsuits, bodysuits and skirts. They really celebrate the power of women through clothing, and yes honey... their designs are EVERYTHING.
We caught up with co-founder Chloe Williams to discuss what inspires her, feeling confident, what it takes to be successful and more…
As co-founder of MB, who else did you start the business with?
Mamas Boutique was founded by four young women and a mum! So that's Myself, Hope, Libby, Leah, and Hope & Libby’s mum who is a professional designer and seamstress - it wouldn’t have been possible without her!
What are your main roles within the company?
We all juggle a few roles! But I handle the marketing side of MB, the look of the shoots, styling of the lookbooks and basically all things visual. I also design alongside Hope as we bounce off of each other so well with designs.
Who and what inspires you?
I would say Sophia Amoruso! She's super chilled but she doesn't play games when it comes to business, she really dominates in that area. The thought of being able to provide for my family also keeps me majorly inspired and motivated.
How did you get to where you are today, and who helped you along the way?
MB has got to where we are today simply by not giving up when things get tough. As we are all best friends (my sistas!), as much as we have different opinions, we’re always there for each other when we need help. Our extended team Emily (my marketing assistant) and Kayla (our model) have also enhanced our team majorly, they’re both amazing at what they do. Team work makes the dream work!
We’re aware self-empowerment and confidence is a key part of the Mama’s Boutique DNA with the #SheWill motto, what are your top tips for feeling confident?
Self-empowerment & confidence is a big part of Mamas Boutique solely because it is ran by four young women in a generation where if you’re too self empowered or confident, you’re cocky and where body shaming has become a casual thing. No, it's time to embrace and love ourselves! We aspire to inspire women to love themselves and do this through our clothing, embrace your beautiful bodies girls! Look good & feel even better!
My top tips for feeling confident are, to take the fear out of your mind and let in the fierce! Be YOU, nobody can be you and that’s a beautiful thing... and get used to it, as you are you forever. Don’t get me wrong, everybody has their down days but it’s important to keep a positive mind-set.
What is your most proud moment to date?
My proudest moment to date would be becoming self-employed and working full time for MB. When you do something you love you never feel like it's "work" no matter how hard it can get.
What would you say to a young woman trying to start up her own company? And what are the three attributes would you say she needs to be successful?
Whatever business industry you go into, make sure you have fire in your stomach for it, so you can fuel your passion every single day. Success is an on-going journey, we aren’t yet where we want to be, we are just getting started. But, to get on the winning path in business though I would say you need to be strong minded, to think outside the box, have good social skills and a great team beside you.
What do you wish you knew before you started the entrepreneurial journey?
When we started MB we didn’t know anything about business, so we’ve definitely learned a lot on the way. I do wish that I knew more about the different aspects of a business before starting - from customer care, to manufacturing to marketing. But over time you learn what each area needs for your business to run smoothly, they are all so crucial.
What advice would you give The Beauty Run readers who want to follow a similar path to you in pursuing fashion design?
Hmm, if you want to get into fashion I'd say, be inspired but be unique, be yourself with your designs and research what's in, but set trends, set the tone and most importantly for me, take risks!
2 comments
Thank you for this article which is so inspiring!! I am of a point of my life where I really want to start my thing and be devoted to it. This kind of article really help me.
ReplyDeleteKeep going. <3
Glad you enjoyed it and found it inspiring :). Good luck with it all and definitely follow your truth xx
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