Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Aubrey Wilde. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Aubrey , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. If you could go back in time do you wish you had started your business sooner or later

There were so many moments in my life where I wanted so deeply to run after my dreams of creating the brand I had dreamt of for so long. But life has a way of showing us what’s most important in each chapter and timing and patience meant everything in this story. After years of working in the fashion industry and being a mother to two little ones I eventually found myself in a place where I knew if I didn’t take the leap, I would regret it. I wholeheartedly belive that I started my business at the right time, not a day too soon or a day too late. Everything in my life leading up to the launch of A Wilde Collective in October of 2022 had an impact on who I am today and how the creation of my brand came to fruition.

Aubrey , 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?

I’ve had a love and passion for creating things for as long as I can remember. Overtime and with age I’ve realized that it truly is what makes my heart , brings me so much joy, clarity at times, and gives me a place to go to when the world around me seems to be moving too fast. From a very young age I knew that I wanted to pursue a career within the Fashion Industry. I am fortunate enough to have a family that allowed space for creativity and supported my dreams. I went to college, graduated with a Fashion Merchandising and Business Marketing Degree and shortly left for the East Coast.

I landed a job with Garnet Hill Kids, in New Hampshire where I started out as the Assistant Merchandiser and quickly worked my way to Assistant Product Manager and Buyer. I was surrounded by so many talented colleagues that took me under their wing and mentored me in such a way I can only hope for our younger generation of women. I gained so much knowledge about the industry, design, buying, marketing, ecommerce, print and the In the very quant snowy filled town of Franconia, I began to find my path.

After spending a few years there, my husband and I made the decision to move back to Maine. Our now families happy place. I worked as a Wardrobe Stylist in Boston and shortly after moving back to Maine my husband and I had our first child. I made the decision to stay home with our son, and at the time it felt gut wrenching to leave a career I loved so much. But looking back on it now, I gained so much more than what I could have elsewhere. We spent our days hiking in the Camden Foot Hills, island hopping with my husband, playdates at the beach and endless amounts of time in nature. This is where so much of my inspiration for what was to come into fruition came from. I dove into learning about sustainability, learning how to garden, reading up on the process of naturally dyed fabrics, and slowly without realizing it was laying the foundation for A Wilde Collective. In a new and at times what felt very different than what I was accustomed to was still creating. Along the way I found a real love for the outdoors, nature and found myself dreaming up ways to weave my lifelong passion and new one together.

We spent awhile living in Maine and decided to move back to Oklahoma, where I was born and raised. After a very short stay and one more little one, we moved to Northern California. There I started working for Mer St Barth and eventually became the Creative Director for the brand. Working for Mer St Barth has been such a blessing in disguise, in so many ways. I gained an enormous amount of knowledge. Everything from branding, marketing, Art Direction, social media and honestly discipline. The pandemic happened a couple years after our move to California and working from home, with two little ones brought on a new set of challenges, but one that I needed to face. Finding the balance between family, work and my dreams was so important and at times felt daunting. But, with that said it forced me to find ways to make it work, which only benefited me, my family and my career in the long run. While forcing myself to find balance I really began to feel such a pull to finally bring all of my ideas into the light.

What came before the launch in October of 2022 really was laying the foundation for the brand. A brand dedicated to sustainability, transparency, and small batch ethically made goods that allow space for slowing down and enjoy life’s everyday moments just a bit more. I created my brand with an intention of curating a beautiful assortment of artisan made pieces from around the world that my customers could feel good about purchasing. Each piece has a beautiful story to tell and one that should be cherished and passed on.

I think if I had to call out one thing I am most proud of it would be my continued dedication to push forward through times of uncertainty. I have been told I wear my heart on my sleeves, which I do very much so! I truly think this has been one of my biggest strengths and one at times others have viewed as a weakness. But my heart brought me here, in times of uncertainty I’ve followed my heart and as sappy as that sounds its truly the one thing I am most proud of. I am beyond blessed to be in this space and so humbled that I get to do what I love, everyday. I hope that my customers can see the love and heart that is poured into A Wilde Collective, and my wish is that they carry that with them through the products, the stories of our artisans and our passion for creating a brand that is dedicated to authenticity.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

The best source of meeting new customers has been pop-ups. It’s such a great way to get involved with your community, whether it be a fundraising event for a local non-profit or simply a holiday pop-up market. I’ve truly enjoyed getting to share our story and our artisans stories within my community and have loved having the opportunity to put a face with a sale. Being an e-tailer you don’t have as many interactions with your customers as if you were a brick-n-mortar and creating opportunities to get in front of your customer is so important for the brands identity.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

When I decided to start the journey of creating my brand almost a year ago, I hit so many road blocks in the beginning. At times it felt impossible to move forward, but I was so determined to make it happen and wasn’t filling to stop. From day one I had a very clear vision and knew I wasn’t willing to settle unless it felt right. Everything from choosing the right platform for the website, branding, a manufacturing partner, shipping materials, brands that I choose to partner with, You name, I faced it! But, with that said starting a business is not meant to be easy, it has its challenges just like most things in life, and I choose to learn from each challenge, change things when I needed to, was open to suggestions and feedback and gave (sometimes forced) myself grace along the way.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://awildecollective.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/awildecollective/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/awildecollective/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aubrey-wilde-22454744/
• Other: Tiktok https://www.tiktok.com/@awildecollective?lang=en

Image Credits
Rachna Sachasinh-Artisan Photos
Charlie Neuenschwander-Repurposed Hemp Pillows