Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Gisele Tune. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Gisele, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Any thoughts about whether to ask friends and family to support your business. What’s okay in your view?
In the beginning it was hard to ask for help but if you don’t reach out then no one will know what’s really going on. I swallowed my pride and asked my friends, customers and local organizations to help promote my shop. I held parties and offered big discounts in order to manage inventory and expenses to keep my store afloat. As a small business owner I had to lean on the people around me. The care and support I felt was overwhelming.
Gisele, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
As a young child I was always surrounded by fashion. My mother owned a trendy boutique in Los Angeles and my love for style grew as I spent countless afternoons in her store and acquired my own personal taste accompanying her on buying trips to Paris. I enjoyed the glamour of the fashion industry and knew this was the profession I wanted to be a part of. In 1996, I decided to open my own store and there were virtually no contemporary women’s boutiques in the Studio City area. I took a chance on Ventura Boulevard and opened Gisele Tune Clothing. Over the past 26 years, I have watched other boutiques open on Ventura Blvd and it feels good that I was able to be a fashion pioneer in the area. I have been able to style TV shows, movies, celebrities and many loyal customers. I wanted my store to feel like the “perfect closet” for women, filled with their favorite clothing and accessories. My store environment is warm and comfortable and my amazing staff makes sure that everyone is greeted at the door with a smile. Bring your dog or bring your best friend…everyone is welcome. The store is packed with a treasure load of stylish clothes that I have personally handpicked. Every season I continue to travel to places like Morocco, Europe and New York for the hottest trends so that all of my customers look awesome and feel fabulous. I have always had an eye for what the next big trend will be long before it begins. I love to custom order clothes so that my clientele has original clothing that cannot be found anywhere else.
My personal style and spirit is truly the foundation for my business. I like to look fabulous and hip but comfortable at the same time. My personal “must haves” are great jeans, lightweight shirts, skull cashmere tanks, and cargo pants. The ultimate item for good karma is my logo….the hamsa hand, which represents good luck.
Can you open up about how you funded your business?
One of my best friends believed in my passion and vision and encouraged me to turn my aspirations into a reality.
Can you talk to us about manufacturing? How’d you figure it all out? We’d love to hear the story.
After struggling to source enough of a particular product I was passionate about selling in my store, I took matters into my own hands. Conducting extensive research, I delved into finding a manufacturer to create these coveted items. Determined to offer customers what I couldn’t procure from vendors, I ventured into producing these products myself, ensuring my store had a unique edge in the market.
Contact Info:
- Website: www,giseletune.com
- Instagram: tunegisele
- Facebook: Gisele Tune clothing
- Linkedin: Gisele Tune
- Twitter: @giseleclothing
- Yelp: Gisele Tune Clothing
Image Credits
just me for credit images I took the Pics Gisele Tune