Today we’d like to introduce you to Faye Valentine.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I worked in a Joann’s Fabric for years. Though I’ve always had a love for arts & crafts, I never thought creating could be anything more than a hobby for me. Sewing was also something only my grandmother really did, assuming it was something I couldn’t do on my own.
I ran into an old friend buying fabric at my store. I asked her what she was buying fabric for and she told me she sews and is taking fashion classes.
Something clicked when someone my age was interested in sewing, I was now intrigued and started collecting fabric. We kept in touch and she asked if she could teach me how to sew and be her sewing buddy. She taught me how to use her machine one night and let me borrow the machine to get started. The very next day, I took an online class to make a tote bag and zippered pouch. They came out perfect and that’s when I decided… I’m Creating a name and making a small business!
Thus LASPACEBASE was born.
I started off by taking custom orders on top of selling zippered pouches, tote bags and other everyday items. Taking custom orders was such a huge challenge, but the range of things I was asked to make really helped me learn and understand construction.
I then decided I wanted to get more into street fashion and street accessories. I was making loads of fanny packs and backpacks and got into making one off apparel pieces. Everything I had ever made had sold, but something was still missing.
In 2016, I decided I needed to take a giant leap for my shop to really make it my own, I got a drawing pad and started to draw out my own designs, create my own enamel pins and create my own fabric.
This brought LASPACEBASE to a whole new level, it really helped make it feel special and truly of my own!
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Has it been a smooth road?…. That is going to be a hard NO!
For me starting a business was nothing but a struggle and still is to this day. I didn’t come into this thinking it would be easy, but there is just so much to it. Hobby wise it would be a lot less stressful, but there’s so much to take into consideration when deciding to take this out of being a hobby and make it an actual business.
You become your own model, photographer, run and build your social media and website, advertiser, the list goes on!
Some people are SO good at all of this! To know how to grab people’s attention and make your stuff look good. This is one thing that I struggle with and didn’t come naturally for me.
My business isn’t exactly where I imagine it to be, but for anyone who isn’t sure or thinks their business isn’t good. I started my business in 2014, it is currently 2020 and it’s barely picking up and getting the attention I thought I deserved. I cannot tell you how many times I said I was going to quit and close up shop!
But I have to say, the community that I’m involved in on Instagram is incredible! I have the greatest bond with other artists just like me, we talk every single day and help each other. It is so refreshing to talk to other people that are in the same trade, to ask for advice, share our struggles, and inspire one another on a regular basis. If it wasn’t for them, who knows where my shop would really be today.
Please tell us about LASPACEBASE.
LASPACEBASE is a “kawaii” space in Los Angeles. I am the owner, designer and creator of shop Laspacebase.
First and foremost, I am a Sewist. I digitally design my own designs and turn them into everyday items and accessories.
One thing I try to achieve in my designs is to create a feeling of nostalgia for my customers. I love nostalgia, anything that can bring me back to my childhood makes me extremely happy. It has influenced me to have based my shop somewhere between kawaii and nostalgia. I feel I create everyday items that inspire you to look at and be happy about.
For now, I specialize in small accessories, but I’m not just another pin shop, I have a wide range of things I provide for my customers. Which is one thing I’m most proud of is being able to provide so many different things making it a one stop shop, I can guarantee I have something for everyone’s taste.
I think my big visions set me apart from others. Can’t wait to make my shop turn into its final form.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
Something that I would have done differently at the start of my business, The biggest thing that really slowed me down and made me question myself, sadly was the opinion of others. At the time I started my business in 2014, there wasn’t that many people out there that were doing the same as me. Putting your all into a “small shop” was very frowned upon.
I had a lot of people pitching the disasters of a business and thinking I was nuts for going full force into my art. Though art is “cute”, to most, it wasn’t something to take seriously.
I think no matter what you do if you decide that it’s something you give your heart to over and over again… GO FOR IT! Just DO it!
Another thing I would do different get your stuff out there as soon as you can. Don’t sit on things, put it out there.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.laspacebase.etsy.com
- Email: [email protected]
Image Credit:
@ericjaipal
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