Today we’d like to introduce you to Lynn Bethel.
Lynn, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I’ve been around fashion design my entire life. My mother was a seamstress (her side hustle) just for the passion of it. She also made a lot of the things I wore growing up.
My earliest memories about fashion and style are so funny. I was always really concerned about how to put things together. I’m a visual person and I’m also very naturally handy. But, the weird part is I never wanted to sew. I would just design and let my Mom sew looks for me.
As I got older my interest in style and fashion only grew. I graduated from traditional college, getting a B.A. in English. But, my passion has always been fashion. And, throughout the years, I’ve had opportunities to style and design small collections of womenswear and bags.
I moved to L.A. from Atlanta in the summer of 2018 to make a life change. Moving across the country has been amazing, especially after living in the South for so many years. The bonus about being here is the fashion district: I have access to suppliers and contractors without living in New York.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It definitely has not been a smooth ride. Over the years, I’ve come to understand that opportunities and dream-chasing comes with resistance. When you move forward, often there are situations that arise that may challenge and test your focus and desire.
I’ve learned that if you make it through this resistance, you’ll do amazing.
Some of the struggles I’ve faced involve paying contractors who don’t do what they promise, contractors running off with money and supplies, or just being incredibly unprofessional. Really frustrating stuff!
And, there have been many life experiences along the way, including the death of two of my sisters, the death of my father, divorce, and pretty much-losing everything, where I questioned my very existence. But, I’ve learned to persevere, even though I’ve wanted to give up many days.
Tell us more about your work.
With IVIYE, I’ve decided to go a different route and create a fashion tech company that is focused on creating properly-fitted clothing for women. We specialize in creating patterns that are flattering for any body type and that don’t require extra modifications for the curvy market. In fact, all of our patterns are targeted to the curvy market. But, they also work for all women. Our focus is on teaching women to highlight their best assets and create a wardrobe through our proprietary FFITT Method™ (Functional, Flattering, Interesting, Timeless, and Tailored).
If you’re not a sewing enthusiast, we’ll show you how to vet seamstresses and tailors to get the absolute best out of them. And, if you have no desire to sew or work with seamstresses, we can tailor your clothing based off our designs/patterns and your measurements.
IVIYE Atelier (at IVIYE.com) launches November 2019.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I don’t believe in luck. I believe you create the life you want through your thoughts and feelings. Our thoughts and feelings drive the majority of our experiences. As they say, as outside, so within.
Pricing:
- $57 for a monthly membership
- $597 for a yearly membership
- $50 for each made-to-measure pattern based on our designs
Contact Info:
- Website: IVIYE.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: Instagram.com/I.LynnBethel
Image Credit:
No credits needed.
Suggest a story: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
