We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Sondra Falk. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Sondra below.

Alright, Sondra thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Alright, so you had your idea and then what happened? Can you walk us through the story of how you went from just an idea to executing on the idea

I actually started my fashion design journey in the uniform industry in Las Vegas Nevada. I got a job working for a uniform company after I graduated from college. This position of sales and designer helped me understand the uniform industry and how it worked. Even though I had full time job, I continued to practice my craft of pattern making, sketching and sewing every day.

After a few years of cultivating my territory and clients, one of my casino executives was getting married and asked me if I would design her wedding gown. But being used to uniform type of textiles i.e. 65/35 poly cotton and poplin I was treading into an unknown textile area, I was not used to working with satin, silk, chiffon and all the other refined textiles that are necessary to construct a wedding gown, but I was determined to make it work. This incredible experience was all it took for me to realize that I truly loved the finer more luxurious textiles and wanted to be immersed in high fashion.

However, I didn’t know how to navigate the fashion industry, so I acquired job at a high- end retailer where I learned the details of how it all works. I started out as an assistant manager in sportwear, then took a position working in the designer buyer’s division. I also managed a Couture department and also St. John apparel. What I realized after working on the sales floor, was that after clients purchased apparel from me and that was the end of the connection to them. Fashion is truly personal, and at that time in my career I felt there was something missing. I wasn’t making enough of an impact, and I knew I could do more for the client, and I would have to find another way to truly make their fashion journey meaningful. I could have gone the normal route for designers to show at market, get orders from stores and boutiques that would sell to the masses, but I felt that direction would just make my business the same as any other retailer and I still wouldn’t make an impact on the client.

During my tenure in retail, I realized one significant issue a lot of my clients had, it was the fit and finish of the apparel and that not all “standard sizes” fit all body types. This is when I figured how I can make an impact. I am an excellent pattern maker and expert seamstress, and I knew then I could make beautiful apparel for women of any shape and size. Custom apparel would be my niche. I left my retail job in 2009 and have been focused on developing my brand to what it is today. I now have a commercial studio where we design and construct custom women’s apparel. Everything from leather pants to wedding dresses and everything in between.

Great, 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.

When I was about 9 years old, I took old pieces of wallpaper and made patterns for vests, skirts, tops and handbags. I would make my creations by gluing and stapling the pieces together. Then, when I was 11, I got a little bolder and started hand sewing my creations out of bed sheets. I would even put on fashion shows for my parents with the things I created. My mother always encouraged me to make more designs, so at age 12, she bought me my first vogue magazine and a used sewing machine (which I still have) and I taught myself to sew. Looking back, I guess I realized then that I wanted to design clothes. When I was in high school, I remember never wanting to wear what everyone else was wearing.

I took sewing classes all through high school and after I graduated, I went on to study fashion design at the Art Institute of Chicago. I then completed my formal education at Ray Vogue College of Design in Chicago.

After graduating from Ray Vogue College of Design in Chicago I moved to Las Vegas, Nevada and got a job designing uniforms for Hotels & Casinos. I soon began designing evening apparel for some hotel executives and casino owner’s wives. I worked full time for the uniform company and freelanced for several years before opening my own design studio.

I realized that I truly love the higher end segment of fashion, bridal gowns, cocktail dresses and evening gowns and love working one on one with clients, however, not knowing how to navigate in the fashion industry, as I mentioned previously, I got a job with a high-end retailer and learned all I could. While I was working full time in retail, I continued to work freelance in my studio honing my skills. After 9 years working in retail, I left the big box retail business to focus on my personal brand and the services we provide which encompasses creating custom apparel, suiting, dresses, cocktail, evening apparel, bridal gowns and alterations.

My team and I are all expert pattern makers and seamstresses which enables us to create apparel for women of every shape and size and with these skills there isn’t a client we can’t accommodate. This is an ability that we are very proud of. Working with us our clients can get apparel that is custom made to fit their body specifically.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Prior to creating the Sondra Falk Couture brand, I worked in the uniform industry for many years and my first working design studio specifically catered to the uniform industry. I was able to produce specialty garments for certain small areas within the casinos, or apparel for high profile special events that the larger uniform companies did not want to touch.

This proved to be very profitable and allowed me to pay for booth space at a bridal convention to show some of my bridal and evening apparel. I was able to obtain some clients and began to design custom bridal apparel. So now I had commercial accounts and private clients. I was doing great!!

Then a friend asked if I was interested in designing a uniform program for a small casino. I thought WOW this is great what an opportunity for my small company. So, I reached out to a manufacturer that I had worked with on another project to see if they were interested in mass producing my designs for the project. We had great communication about all aspects of the project and decided to work together.

For this presentation I sketched over 50 color illustrations for every area in the casino that required a uniform. During this meeting the casino executives made their selections and then my team and I went to work on sample making. Once the samples were completed, I set up another meeting to present the samples. During this presentation the executives were given an information packet with pricing with our terms, a production timeline, delivery schedule and an installation timetable.

They placed the order with a 50% deposit and the balance due to be paid after the installation was completed. We delivered 100% of this order and completed the installation of the uniform program. We went to the grand opening talked to the employees to find out how they liked their new uniforms and only received positive comments. We sent the casino and invoice for the balance due, and they never paid it. Can you imagine working so hard to make something of quality and creative and then not get paid for the service. I was truly distraught and had employee’s, vendors and a manufacturer to pay.

I tried to be kind about the situation since the referral for the project came from a friend, but the owner of the casino was just awful. We tried and tried to communicate in every positive way but to no avail. I ended up losing my employees, my workspace and had to move all of my equipment into the garage of my house and had to sue the owner in court and that took 5 years.

During this whole life changing disaster, I continued to hone my design, patternmaking and sewing skills because I still had the private clients’ orders to complete. I was not going to let someone keep me from reaching my dream. No one was going to stop me.

Can you open up about how you funded your business?

I am completely self-funded with the support of my husband. We scraped together all of the startup capital and cash needed to get the basic equipment required to get up and running with our workshop and start producing customer orders.

As the company grew, I purchased additional equipment piece by piece which took years. I made a list of everything I needed for my business and then budgeted for the items after every design project I completed. I considered myself quite thrifty.

Did I try to get bank loans? Yes. I jumped through all their hoops, filled out mountains of paperwork which took months, and all their answers were the same ” we can’t help you” because you are self-employed.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://sondrafalkcouture.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sondrafalkcoutureofficial
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SondraFalkCouture
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sondra-falk-couture
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/sondra-falk-couture-las-vegas-3
• Other: Google: https://g.co/kgs/nYzVJGB