Today we’d like to introduce you to Shantae Brooks.
Shantae, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I’m from Columbus, Ohio. I relocated to Los Angeles in 2015, after graduating from The Ohio State University. Growing up, I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do or be, but I knew I wanted a career in Fashion… somewhere behind the scenes. I wasn’t aware of the many roles within the Fashion industry until I was forced to select a major in college. I worked in Design, Styling, and Visual Merchandising before deciding to focus on Buying Merchandising.
I started my career as a Buyer and Merchandiser shortly after moving to Los Angeles and immediately, all the excitement had gone. Working in Corporate Fashion was ugly and I was miserable. To make matters worse, I entered during peak “Retail Apocalypse,” when we witnessed the shift in consumer purchasing from brick-and-mortar stores to ecommerce. I knew I wanted to own a store one day, so my goal was to gain the knowledge and experience needed to manage a fashion business. I used the weekends to build my business and I saved every dollar I could. I knew I needed to make an exit, somehow, someway, whether I was ready or not. Then I created WARDROBE CONFESSIONS.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It hasn’t been a smooth road, at all! I’ve taken risks and made sacrifices from the beginning. I opened for business Fall 2019, during a time I was unemployed. I had been off of work for months and returning didn’t seem realistic. I wasn’t in the best space physically, mentally, or financially. So many things were happening in my life. I had to choose between supporting myself or opening a business and I decided to open my business. I used to pray for time to create my business. All of a sudden, I had time, so it didn’t matter if finances were tight. With faith and resilience, I was going to make it work. Plus, I had an amazing support system behind me.
In the beginning, connecting with creatives was tough because I didn’t know many people. I had a hard time finding a photographer, model, hairstylist, and makeup artist who were experienced but also within my budget. I had to find locations to shoot. I cut things to stretch the budget. I sometimes did own hair and modeled product myself. We shot outdoors to save money.
When you own a small business, it’s your life. I don’t have a team to assist me. I operate my business alone, from meeting with vendors, assorting merchandise, building and maintaining the website, to marketing, advertising, styling, modeling, packing, and shipping. When I travel, my business travels with me. It’s stressful, it’s tiring, and some days I want to quit but I won’t. I asked for this. The highs outweigh the lows.
I flew home for the holidays and when I returned to Los Angeles in January, news was surfacing around coronavirus. Majority of the vendors I work with are LA-based but manufacture in China. I felt the effect of coronavirus early with canceled and delay shipments, closures, etc. In March, we began to see shutdowns in the US. I was afraid to do anything with my business, financially, it was too big of a risk. I decided to break from adding merchandise until things were a little more certain. July, I began to feel comfortable again and updated the website. Instantly orders were flowing in and I knew I made a great decision.
Please tell us about Wardrobe Confessions.
My business is WARDROBE CONFESSIONS. We sell women’s apparel, handbags, jewelry, and accessories… shoes are on the way! We provide styling services and we’re expanding into blogging. It’s an online fashion destination and experience. This is what sets us apart from others. To be honest, I was afraid of opening because I didn’t want to look like every other women’s clothing boutique. It’s discouraging, trying to set yourself apart from others in the same industry, especially when they’ve been in business longer or have a larger following. However, I have years of experience working in Fashion. I invested a lot of time and money to bring this dream to life. I have the knowledge, resources, and connections that many people spend years searching for or pay others for. And I’m proud to say, I did it all myself. I have full creative control of my business and it’s a blend of my love for all things Fashion. We empower women to look and feel great, no matter the occasion. It’s been a journey but everything is coming to fruition. That’s what I’m most proud of.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
My favorite memories from childhood were shopping trips with my mother. She’d always ask if I wanted anything and I’d always ask my budget because I had already been eyeing a few things, lol. She’s to blame for my retail addiction. She taught me about Fashion & Retail at a young age. She loved department stores and knew how to create a lookout of nothing! She’s a creative, as well, so she would customize anything to her liking with dye, paint, airbrush, embellishment, or distress to really bring a look to life. I loved walking into school with an outfit my mom fashionably pieced together. I’ve always loved the freedom and creativity with Fashion and how confident it made women feel.
Pricing:
- Apparel, Handbags, Jewelry, and Accessories $9-99
- Styling: Virtual pricing starts at $15 per hour, In-person pricing is based on extent of project
Contact Info:
- Website: wardrobeconfessions.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: instagram.com/thewardrobeconfessions
- Facebook: facebook.com/thewardrobeconfessions
- Other: pinterest.com/wardrobeconfessions
Image Credit:
Chanelle Barona, Lee Veasey
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