We recently connected with KaLeena Thomas and have shared our conversation below.
KaLeena, we appreciate you joining us today. Naming anything – including a business – is so hard. Right? What’s the story behind how you came up with the name of your brand?
The name of my business has been an ongoing topic of debate for years. Initially, I had a named selected that I loved. It was simple (symbolic of our simplicity of design) and, of course, not available to trademark. After going through several iterations of name ideas with friends in marketing and too much back and forth with IP attorneys, I decided to mash up several names of people who matter to me, and J. Margaret Weaver was born. “J” is for my son, James; “Margaret” is my daughter, Anne Margaret, and “Weaver” is my maiden name. Oftentimes, people think I’m Margaret Weaver – to the point that, when I’m at a show meeting new people, I’m addressed as Margaret or Margaret Weaver!
Great, we appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers?
I’ve been sewing and designing clothing as long as I can remember. My mom saved a pair of pants I stitched for my two-year-old brother when I was five from some scrap fabric, and I’ve been fascinated by fabric, dazzled by design, and inspired by personal style since then. As I got older and had to choose a college and a major, I leaned more into my love of math and business, hoping that I could combine this someday in a more creative space. I was paying for college myself and had to be pragmatic about my area of study and future job prospects, but the idea of doing something in the clothing industry was always in the back of my mind.
Fast forward a few years, and I was a young professional who was disenchanted with the professional workwear options available for women. I spent time in consulting and healthcare, both fields that required formal attire, and I couldn’t bear to spend my hard-earned money on clothing I hated. I remember thinking that someday, if I ever had the time, I would create beautiful, functional clothes for women to wear to work – and beyond.
I started creating the concept of J. Margaret Weaver prior to COVID, and initially wanted to create a capsule suiting wardrobe. Prior to my launch, offices around the world shut down due to COVID, and I had to pivot my concept. We focus on multi-functional, comfortable yet commanding, dresses, tops, and (soon) trousers. Everything is machine washable, avoids wrinkles, goes through a rigorous fit and feedback process from real people, and is size inclusive, as we want to simplify the first decision women make every day – what am I doing to wear?
Can you talk to us about how your funded your business?
I was fortunate to have over a decade of fairly senior-level experience before starting my business and am a saver at heart. My husband and I sat down at agreed on a budget from our savings that I would use to develop this idea, with the intent to grow “at the speed of cash”. While this is atypical of many founders, I wanted to go slow, learn, pivot, and maintain control of my business. I grew up in a small, family-owned business and saw many benefits of avoiding debt and maintaining full equity / control in ones business, and that tradeoff to me was worth it.
One challenge I had early on was how to determine the inventory counts, including amounts, colors and sizing, for my first production run. Rather than guess, I used Kickstarter and a pre-order model to collect orders and specific inventory demand data up front. This allowed me to minimize waste and established some baseline inventory data. The pre-order model has worked well for us post-launch as well; we offer a discount for pre-ordering pieces as a thank you for allowing us to order more precisely from our production partners.
Where do you think you get most of your clients from?
Apparel, especially slow fashion, is very much an in-person sales model. People want the physical experience of buying something more expensive, meeting the founder, trying it on, feeling the fabric, etc. If you just look at two dresses online, it’s easy to rationalize buying the $30 dress versus the $200 dress. When you see both dresses in person; however, the differences become obvious. We love to pop up at boutiques and shows, as well as host events and workshops. It’s an opportunity to share our story, learn more about our customers and their needs, and build relationships with people. The most exciting part of my job is seeing someone try on one of our pieces when it just looks made for her — that’s such an amazing feeling and I love knowing that these are pieces going to special people.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jmargaretweaver.com
- Instagram: @shopjmargaretweaver
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/j.margaretweaver
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/jmargaretweaver/
Image Credits
Sam Olson Amber Dreery