Today we’d like to introduce you to Maggie Parker.
Hi Maggie, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I started working at this high-end boutique around 2002. I was just out of fashion school and was very happy to get a job working at this cute boutique called Jana. It was started over 60 years ago by Jana’s mother who was also a fashion designer. Jana supported my fashion journey and encouraged me to make clothes to sell in the store.
I started with making items that the store needed like these basic long tank tops that were used for layering. Then I moved on to oversized tops. Everything I made was because the market lacked certain styles that our customers really loved and needed. Everything I made was pretty unique because I would only buy a certain amount of fabric and when it was gone, that was it. As time went on, I wanted to focus on cotton and natural fibers. But as I would fabric shop, I found it hard to keep things consistent. If I liked a fabric then I couldn’t find it on a variety of colors I liked, and if I wanted a print in the same fabric that was hard too. So I taught myself how to dye through YouTube and research. So I could create the variety of colors and still use the fabric I liked. One day we received a line of clothing that had hand-painted designs on it of cats etc. Looking at the images, I thought to myself, “Wow! My four years old daughter draws cute cats. I bet I could put her cats on a top and sell that too.” And so I made some stencils of her drawings and started painting them on my tops, and they were a hit with cat lovers. I got a request to do an elephant. But my daughter did not draw elephants, only cats! I had to start creating my own images based on the request I had for different animals. That’s when I knew I had really created something special and unique a whole world opened up in my head. By this point, I was designing more than just tops. I had skirts and dresses and jackets galore all of which I had fun dyeing, painting and even embroidering.
Everything took a turn when Jana suddenly passed away from a bicycle accident. The store was in the hands of her family and nothing was ever the same again. My focus turned to saving the store and its reputation.
Somehow I was thrusted into a position I never expected to be in. I was the buyer and felt great responsibility on my shoulders for the outcome of the store’s fate. My co-workers and I worked ourselves into exhaustion. And just when I thought we couldn’t take it anymore, the Pandemic hit. We were told to go home and by the end of 2020, Jana’s was closed forever.
January 2021 I found myself standing outside of the store and feeling devastated that the store was gone and it looked so sad and empty. That’s when another former employee and I thought let’s open the store together for just three months and see how we do. We opened as Maggie and Lisa’s. Three months turned into a year and we kept going. Sadly Lisa had to drop out near the end of 2022 due to her health. It was a little scary having the store all to myself but I knew I could survive and I have. I don’t get to sew, dye as much as I used to but I still paint and I have enlisted my very best friend to help me too. Together we make very unique items that are hand-painted and one-of-a-kind. We paint on other brands of clothing. Our favorite is Cut Loose; Sewn and dyed in San Francisco they are a beloved brand of the store’s history and they use great cottons and linens.
I do miss having my own brand in the store but I have slowly been working with a manufacturer that has helped to perfect my patterns and grade them into sizes from Xs to XXL and beyond, they can make any size I’d like. And soon, I will be bringing my label back into the store.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The road has not been smooth. I worked my butt off sometimes, questioning why I do what I do and does it matter. I think a lot of artists feel that way. I’ve also had my battles with imposter syndrome. I have learned to trust in God and the universe. And that I am meant to be where I am at every stage in life. So that always helps when I start to feel down or the anxiety starts up. I face many new challenges as a store owner. I just try to do research before acting on big decisions and I have a strong support system that I constantly bounce ideas off of.
The biggest challenge is Balancing my work and life. I have three young children and I love to spend time with them. Their growing so fast so I know I must step away and make them a priority. A lot of my clients remember my kids since they were in the womb so I bring them in often to help out and my clients like to see them.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Eclectic fashion that’s wearable for everyday life. I’m known for being a designer and my hand-painted clothing. My customers know they can come in here and always find something new, interesting and different. They won’t see themselves on the street. Meaning it would be rare to see someone else wearing their outfit. I love supporting local and independent artists. From upcycled garments and jewelry to hand-knit sweaters and hats. I think that really adds to the uniqueness of the store. Things here are really original.
I’m proud that I could keep a lot of the original Jana clientele. I’ve tried to keep the store familiar with the same brands but I’ve definitely given it my own twist. I love when people walk in and say how beautiful the store is and how great the music makes them feel. I want people to come in and just feel like it’s an escape from reality. I make everyone feel welcomed and if I can greet them by name, I know that makes anyone feel special.
You won’t find any hard-pressing salesman here. It’s relaxed. If you want me to leave you alone, I will if you need my help I will show you everything I think might work for you and I will help you style it. The great thing about working here for so long and having a great relationship with my clients is that I already know what’s in their wardrobe.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
Everything has its time and place. Things happen for a reason whether it’s good or bad, it’s all a lesson. It’s all to take you to another place. If it doesn’t feel like it’s working out, it actually is working itself out.
Contact Info:
- Website: Redkittyshop.com
- Instagram: @redkittyl.a
Image Credits
I am the photographer of all photos Maggie Parker
