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

Natalia, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. One of the things we most admire about small businesses is their ability to diverge from the corporate/industry standard. Is there something that you or your brand do that differs from the industry standard? We’d love to hear about it as well as any stories you might have that illustrate how or why this difference matters.

Historically, when it comes to fashion, it’s always been an elitist industry that gatekeeps information and is almost “inaccessible” or “unapproachable.” Through my brand and content, I hope to bridge that gap and share my knowledge of the industry so that others can feel welcomed and included in it. Additionally, fashion is known to exploit workers and be careless with the environment – in turn, I do my best to make sure everything is done in an ethical manner and that everyone who I work with gets treated with dignity while also making sure my effects on the environment are limited. Lastly, clothing is usually made in standard sizes which makes the consumer feel like they have to fit the clothes, whereas with a “made to order” model I’m able to make clothes that fit the customer perfectly with no concerns.

Natalia, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I studied Fashion Design the Fashion Institute of Technology and graduated in 2020. Due to the pandemic, I ended up living with my parents again post-college and decided it was a good time to take the risk and start my own brand. I started in June of 2020 and have not looked back. To this day, I still hand-make all of my pieces myself in my home studio. I’m conscious of the fabrics I buy and how I reuse the scraps I create. Simultaneously, I vlog the process on my YouTube channel that has grown to over 100,000 subscribers. It’s my way of sharing the process, creating transparency in the brand, and also showing the reality of what being a business owner and fashion designer is really like.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

Since I started my business during the pandemic, I mostly gained my clients online through various social media – Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. During the time, it worked super well for me, but now that it’s been a few years, I’ve noticed that in-person events have been really great too. I’ve invested in doing some fashion shows and different pop-ups and I’ve noticed a really good purchase rate when I’m able to meet face-to-face with my customers.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

I started my business while living at my parents house in Indiana and \ later moved on my own, but was still in Indiana. Business felt really stagnant for me and I felt like I wasn’t making the right connections so I took a risk and moved to LA not knowing if I’d be able to pay my rent or anything else for that matter, but it felt like the right choice. Pivoting my business and moving to a bigger city rather than staying in the midwest has allowed me to participate in more in-person events surrounding fashion, meet more people in the industry, and overall grow my brand a lot more than what I could in Indiana.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.nataliatrevinoamaro.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nataliatrevinoamaro.
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalia-trevino-amaro-b305131a7/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/nataliatrevino

Image Credits
E-commerce shoots by Hallie Kathryn Photography