We recently connected with Arthlene Legair-Lawrence and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Arthlene, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.
My Story. The first dress…. My 14-year daughter was invited to a father-daughter dance at church, August 2008. The day before the event, as soon as she came home from school, we got in the car and off to dress shopping. We went to the mall and visited many department stores, boutiques, and other specialty dress shops. We searched for quite a few hours but I couldn’t find anything that was appropriate for her to wear. Every dress she tried on made her look like she was an adult, I didn’t want that look for her.
We left the mall very disappointed, got in the car, and were on our way home when she asked a question I will never forget because it has changed my life. She asked, “Mom, you know how to sew, right?” I answered yes! Then she responded, well can you make me a dress. I said honey I haven’t sown in over 10 years, but then I said to myself, I’m not going to let her down. I said ok, I’ll do it. We quickly got off the exit and went back to the shopping center and headed straight to the fabric store. I purchased the fabric and all the supplies we needed and went back home. The event was the next day, so after I got my kids off to school, grab a fresh cup of coffee and off to the basement to work on her dress. I completed her gown and took it a step further and made her father’s vest, tie, and boutonniere. When she got home she was so excited. The smile on my daughter’s face was everything. She looked so elegant, chic and fabulous, mama was proud. Never in my wildest dream would I ever believe this one act of obedience, this one response to saying yes to my daughter would have taken me to where I am today! She went to the event and my pastor saw her in the evening gown I created for her. He was so impressed and in awe of her gown, that he complimented her on her gown. Of Course being the wonderful daughter she is, She replied “Thank You Pastor, my Mom made it.”The Sunday after the event, I went to church. My Pastor called me to the front of the church, as I’m walking up, I was thinking what did I do, lol. His first question to me was, So you made your daughter’s dress and you made it in one day?
I responded, Yes Pastor T! He complimented me on how amazing the gown was and how it fitted her perfectly. He told me I had a gift and I should pursue it. I looked at him like, ya right! But he was serious, so I said ok, I’ll meet with you.
The following day, Monday morning I met with him and we spoke for an hour. We decided to meet on a monthly basis. He became my dream coach, his dream coaching business also started as a result of our first meeting. The first and second meeting went very well.
I was very inspired to take my passion and love for fashion to the next level. After the meeting with him and discovering I had a passion for fashion, not only fashion, but also seeing young women dress appropriately. It was the quest to find a special occasion dress for my daughter that opened my eyes to the choices that were available to our young women. I said to myself, I have to do something about this. I want my daughter, her peers and every young woman to have access to a gown made for them, Gown, dresses, outfits that made them look their age and not adults. I studied everything I could about fashion and design. Having a background in sewing was a tremendous help because it enabled me to make my own samples.
My dream was realized, I discovered that’s what I wanted to be and to do, to become a fashion designer and someone who can empower, educate and impact the youth.
January 2009, I launched my company and never looked back.
I would design & sew for 18 hours straight. Three months after our first meeting I had designed and created 75 pieces. About five months after I launched my brand, I was invited by our women’s group to do a fashion show. I did my first fashion show at the church, which was a very well attended successful sold out show. And this is how I got started. If we stay open and willing to receive, I believe God will reveal our purpose to us.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Arthlene Legair Lawrence is the Founder/CEO of Restore To Empower International Non-profit organization focusing on underprivileged and abused persons (especially women and children) in the USA and the caribbean. She is a self-trained Award-Winning International Celebrity Fashion Designer, Founder of Imagine Me TV Network and Host of her TV show, Real Talk-Real Life-Real Issues, through which she highlights persons from around the world who are seeking to empower the community at large, spreading positive and uplifting insights through their uniquely amazing stories of struggle and overcoming adversaries and lack. She is a strong voice for the disadvantaged and low self esteem as she strives through her different mediums to inspire others to become the best version of themselves. Having developed her sewing curriculum which she taught at Clayton State University and private classes which yield successful entrepreneurs, she seeks now to take her school to the caribbean starting with her country of birth, Dominica, where she will be opening a community college for young persons to embrace skills of sewing and fashion designing, Customer service-Virtual assistance, Culinary Arts, Image and Self care, Sports, Agriculture, Business Start-up, and Basic Computer Skills. Mrs Lawrence’s designs have graced runways in Paris, England, Hollywood, NYC, to name a few. Her Haute Coutures were also featured on Bravo Television’s Married to Medicine, and various media platforms worldwide. She is a published author of four books, a CASA representative, recipient of The Humanitarian of the Year, Award of Excellence in Fashion & Innovation, 2018 Writer of the Year Inspirational Writing Award and Youth Empowerment through Music Award.
Media Appearances
Bravo TV’s Married to Medicine
Imagine Me TV Talk Show
Featured Honoree in Who’s Who In Black Atlanta
CBS Atlanta Morning Show
Channel 10 News
The Atlanta |Modern Luxury
Bride’s magazine
ABEC’S Small Business Review
Dominica Vibes News
Capital Style Magazine,
Caribbean Fashion Spot
Sparks Magazine England
Headline designer, Atlanta Latina Fashion Week sponsored by Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport Headline Designer, Taste of Speed™ Audi and DuPont registry
Couture Fashion Week New York
Paris Fashion Week France
London Fashion Week England
Natl Coalition of 100 Black Women
Miss Black Ohio Fashion Show
MIT University Fashion Presenter
Awards:
The Humanitarian of the Year Award, Atlanta City Hall Atrium by Atlanta Latino Fashion Week
100 Most influential women-Global Woman
The Black Women in Jazz & the Arts Awards, Youth Empowerment through Music Award
Who’s who in Black Atlanta Honoree
The Increase CDC Micro Entrepreneur Community Choice Award and Retail Award
Award of Excellence, Fashion Innovation, Caribbean Style & Culture Fashion Showcase in DC
Award of Excellence Fashion Innovation, Caribbean Style/Culture Fashion Showcase DC
2018 Writer of the Year Inspirational Writing Award
Top designer Award at The Ohio State University “I am Fashion” event
Nellie’s Champion for kids Top Designer Award (serving Kids with cancer)
Philanthropy/Humanitarian Work: President of (R2E) Restore to Empower Charity, a nonprofit organization that empowers youth to reach their full potential. The organization provides leadership training, mentoring, and educational training programs through the arts for young adults, at-risk kids, and high school dropouts. Restore To Empower Organization has served or donated to communities in Europe, Caribbean Islands, Africa, and several states in the USA.
The program will form partnerships with local school districts, churches, community leaders, businesses, parents, and the juvenile court system. R2E’s goal is to foster a commitment to young people that will promote friendships, strong interpersonal skills, and reassert a sense of hope in the future. Recently launched Imagine Mixed Pantry
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
A time when I had to pivot in business was April of 2020. February of 2020 I made the decision to focus primarily on my business and gave up my day time job. My first event for the year was a valentines couples formal dinner. This event was sold out..I had several events lined up after that, I was hired to host a couple fashion shows for April and May and was planning our city’s first fashion Week. I met with the City Mayor and The President of The Chamber of Commerce and plans were on the way. My first event for the first week of March, had to be rescheduled for mid March because we were not sure what was going on. Then Mid week became the ending of March, and by the end of March everything was cancelled, a week later the city was shut down. I was crushed, disappointed, scared, unsure of everything. This was my only source of income, what am I going to do? We couldn’t go out, our customers couldn’t come to us. We were in a pandemic, no one was thinking about attending events etc. My boutique was shut down from March 2020 because of the pandemic.
I am a fashion designer, so I had to figure things out. What can I do was one of the questions floating in my mind. I heard about the shortage of face masks, so I began thinking about making face masks, then two of my friends texted me about making them. I also wanted to do something to help frontline workers and the elderly. So I made 100’s of masks and donated them to the fire department, the sheriffs office, Nursing home, Doctors office and also sent some to korea and Guam for some young airmen in the Airforce, including my Son who was stationed there at the time.
After that I began making them for sale and that’s what put good on my plate for a few months.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
This journey has been very challenging for me as a business owner. I believe I’m still open for business because of my faith in God. As a minority business owner, Caribbean American black woman business owner, it is very tough. I create custom-made wedding gowns, special occasion gowns, I’m also an event planner, and offer sewing classes but none of these have brought me consistent revenue. I’ve thought about closing down the center, but I couldn’t, because it’s also home for our non profit organization, Restore to Empower. ”
About Restore To Empower Inc. Charity Organization 501(C)3 Empower A Youth = Restore A Community
Restore to Empower Charity is a non-profit 501(C)3 organization a leader in humanitarian giving.
Providing mentoring, lifestyle support & educational training programs for minority groups, at-risk youth & high school dropouts, military families and abused women. We teach our students useful trades, empowering them to reach their full potential in innovative ways. We also promote healthy eating, fitness, health and wellness and self-care by occasionally providing food and basic health awareness programs.
Mission: Is to empower, educate, equip, train, and give needed support to families, helping them to reach and develop their full potential in innovative ways and adopt a balanced lifestyle. To be the trusted firm to facilitate and inspire the development of dynamic youth, by empowering and strengthening their gifts and entrepreneurial capacities.
Vision: We envision a world in which everyone deserves the opportunity, regardless of income level, race, culture or social status, are nurtured and empowered to reach their fullest potential”. We offer ongoing empowerment and service to minority, underprivileged, at-risk youth, disadvantaged & abused women focusing on the(Mind-Body-Soul) by offering continued basic personal & wellness services, lifestyle coaching, mentoring, empowering and educational programs, which will aid them in achieving their dream, live a more meaningful stable and productive life. Providing tools and resources to help young people become successful. To provide support and a platform that focuses on their growth through the provision of services which includes training, market information, grants and sponsorships that will enhance the active participation of women and young entrepreneurs both nationally & globally.
I remain confident that some day soon it will get better and I will have my big break. 2022 looks promising, I believe that God will turn things around, plus we have some other projects in the works.
I’ve also launched my own live streaming TV channel during the pandemic as well. Currently live streaming three shows on our platform. I’m the host of a talk show called “Real Talk-Real Issues-Real Life”. Streaming on AmazonFire, ROKU, Twitter, LinkedIn, Youtube, Facebook, TDNTV, Legairbrandltd.com and Imaginemetv.net.
Contact Info:
- Website: WWW.legairbrandltd.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.comarthlenelawrenceimaginemetv
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Alegair
- Linkedin: http://linkedin.com/in/arthlene-legair-lawrence-42b40a17
- Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/Legairbrand
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMT9irGyHJr8DyWST4L5shg
- Other: My Nonprofit site WWW.restoretoempower.org TV site WWW.imaginemetv.net
Image Credits
Photo Credits Olivia Garcia Fashion Photography Hair: Franklin Berry Noche Berry’s Salon MUA: Maritza Barraza