We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Phalandra Squires a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Phalandra, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you share a customer success story with us?

I had a lady ask me to make couple of custom outfits similar to one she saw on my Facebook page. I sent her pics of different fabrics to get an idea of what she liked. She wanted the same design but two different materials. It wasn’t a very fancy or difficult piece to make but it was really cute. I loved the way it turned out and hoped she would also. When she received the package, she immediately opened it and put one of them on. She called me crying to tell me that she loved it and how beautiful she looked with it on. Her husband had passed in the last two years and she had been feeling down but when she saw herself in that mirror, it put a new smile on her face. That brought joy to my heart to know that something I made could make someone feel that special. That’s why I do what I do!!

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I learned how to sew from taking home economics in high school. I had taken a liking to sewing and won awards for different things I had made while in school. After graduating, I went into the medical field because helping people in need is where my passion was. I started working as a CNA in 1997. Went back to school and graduated in 2003 as a LPN. I obtained my RN degree in 2013. However, my desire for sewing crept back up in 2016. I was sitting in church looking at a skirt a lady had on. I liked it but knew it would be too long on me because I’m short. As I kept looking at it I started to see the skirt deconstruct and I saw how I could make it. That day I went to the store to purchase fabric and made one to wear the next Sunday. That’s when my brand Stylz by Phalandra as born. From that day people would ask me to make them different items because what they would buy in the store was not the right fit to their body. It took my mind back to my passion of helping people in need. It was the same thing but a different setting than nursing. I started off making skirts and graduated to more difficult items. I turned a bedroom that wasn’t in use into my sewing studio. I quickly outgrew that space and opened my store in 2020, Fashion Couture Studio. I now have a kids line of clothing called Baby K based off my granddaughter Kalie and currently learning how to make shoes.

Can you talk to us about manufacturing? How’d you figure it all out? We’d love to hear the story.

I don’t have employees, so I make all of my items. When I opened the store, I started cutting out a certain amount of outfits a day to work on so that I would have something for people to choose from. Not everyone wants a custom outfit made they just want to come in and buy something already made. At some point I would love to have a team to help me with manufacturing more products. One person can only make so much at a time.

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

The best source of getting new clients for me has been word of mouth or someone wore a piece I made and was asked where did they get it from. Some clients don’t want to tell because they want to keep me a secret for different reasons. I try to make each piece special for the person that’s gonna wear it. So if someone else wants the same outfit I will make it a little different

Contact Info:

• Instagram: Stylzbyphalandra
• Facebook: Stylzbyphalandra
• Other: Email: [email protected]