We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Sydney Coffey a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Sydney, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?
The idea for Morlé began with my personal experiences and a strong desire to solve a problem that not only affected me but also many other tall women. My journey with Morlé began well before I knew I was even going to start this company. As I was growing up seeds were planted a long the way which has led me to where I am today with Morlé. The first seed was planted when my sister and I both faced challenges in finding clothing that fit our long legs and arms when we were young. Our struggles with shopping for clothes, especially during our school years always included frustration and disappointment. We often resorted to buying clothes from the boys section because we couldn’t find garments that accommodated our long body proportions. Being a girly girl growing up and loving fashion, made this a huge problem for me. It made me feel like there was something wrong with me or I was abnormal because I couldn’t shop for jeans in the girls section like my friends could.
My personal background played a significant role in shaping the idea for Morlé. I came from a family with a strong basketball background and not only played basketball in college but also professionally. This experience exposed me to many other tall women who shared similar difficulties in finding quality and fashionable clothing designed for their taller frames. Through my basketball career, I encountered a community of tall women who all voiced their frustration about the scarcity of stylish and well-fitting clothing for tall individuals. This collective experience made it clear that the problem extended beyond my personal struggles and was a widespread issue.
I realized that I wasn’t alone in facing these challenges, and my academic background in fashion and business provided the perfect foundation for me to take action. Armed with my knowledge and my personal experiences, I saw an opportunity in the fashion industry to cater to the unique needs of tall women.
What made Morlé particularly exciting was that it addressed a problem that had been overlooked by many mainstream clothing brands. I recognized the potential in providing a niche market with high-quality, fashionable clothing that was tailored to the specific requirements of tall women. I knew that the combination of my passion, personal experience, and expertise would enable me to create a brand that resonated with tall women and offered a solution no one else was providing.
All in all I’d say the idea for Morlé was born out of my personal struggles, the shared experiences of the tall women I met through basketball and life as well as my unique combination of skills in fashion and business. My logical reasoning and the emotional connection to the problem were the driving forces behind my conviction that Morlé would not only work but also make a meaningful impact on the lives of tall women.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
Just a little bit about myself, I was born and raised in Minnesota which a lot of people get surprised about because I am always cold. While I can agree that the winters are miserably freezing, our summers are absolutely stunning! Anyway, I grew up in a big basketball family. My siblings and I were all thrown into the sport at a very young age. My dad played in college and professionally, so when it came to his kids, it wasn’t a matter of if we were going to play, it was a matter of when. I grew up as your typical girly girl. I loved playing with Barbies and creating new outfits. I loved playing dress up, having tea parties and flipping through fashion magazines. I knew from a very young age that I wanted to do something in fashion.
Sports was the last thing on my mind, especially basketball. I much rather preferred cheerleading or figure skating or dance, something that aligned with my girly girl spirit. Although those things never came to fruition basketball became a really big part of my life. Much bigger than I wanted it to be. However, it taught me so much about life like work ethic, discipline, teamwork, operating under pressure, reliability, achieving goals and so much more. As much as I disliked it growing up, it helped shape me into the strong woman I am today.
Growing up I knew I wanted to go to school for fashion and live in New York. Although playing basketball felt like a blessing and a curse, I ended up earning a D1 basketball scholarship to Marist College in New York where I received my degree in Fashion Merchandising and Business. I quickly learned that fashion was not all the glitz and glam I was expecting it to be, but I still loved it.
After college, I surprised myself and my parents by choosing to continue to play basketball professionally overseas. I love to travel and experience new places and cultures so I figured why not get paid to live in another country through basketball! I played in Australia and Finland and I loved living in both countries. It was during my overseas adventures that Morlé was truly born. There were so many times that I’d be talking with my teammates and the discussion of finding quality jeans long enough for our legs was a constant topic of conversation.
While I was living in Finland, I was in my room after our second practice for the day, most likely scrolling on Pinterest, and out of no where Morlé hit me like a ton of bricks. Just to be clear it wasn’t Morlé specifically that hit me, it was the idea of filling a gap in the fashion market that was being overlooked – tall women. I mean we could have all sat around and bonded over complaining about it like we had been or someone could step up and do something about it. On that day, I decided that that someone would be me, and ever since then, I’ve been working towards being a solution to the problems that tall women face when it comes to shopping.
Morlé means “more legs”. It’s a fusion of the two words “more legs”. I knew when I started Morlé it would not be ‘easy’ but I didn’t realize just how ‘not easy’ it would be. There have been a lot of ups and downs as well as a lot of tears and set backs. It has been the most challenging, taxing and demanding thing I have ever voluntarily gotten myself into. It has taken a lot out of me emotionally and mentally but even with all those things I wouldn’t trade it for the freaking world. Morlé is no where near where I’d like it to be but looking back from where I started I’m pretty proud of how far Morlé has come. Starting this company has tested every part of my being and it still does today. However, the satisfaction of empowering tall women to feel confident in the clothing they wear makes every obstacle worth while because I see myself in every empowered woman.
Today, Morlé serves tall women nation wide as well as Canada. As we continue to grow we are excited to expand internationally within the next coming years. Morlé’s goal is to create and instill confidence in tall women all over the world through fashion. While creating high quality pieces, Morlé stands for independence and female empowerment.The purpose is to empower tall women by providing them with stylish and impeccably tailored clothing that celebrates their unique beauty and confidence.
One of the things that is important to me and something that I keep in mind while building this business is the earth we live on and who’s hands are making these pieces. Morlé is committed to sustainability and ethical practices. We carefully source our materials and partner with manufacturers who share our values, minimizing our environmental impact and promoting fair labor practices throughout our supply chain. I think this is something that is not talked about enough in the fashion industry, and I think that it’s something that should be at the forefront for all brands.
Overall, I’m just a girl who had dreams when she was younger and is determined to make them a reality. I’m aiming to use Morlé to help revolutionize the fashion industry by championing the needs of tall women, redefining standards of beauty, and offering an unparalleled experience of style and empowerment.
Okay – so how did you figure out the manufacturing part? Did you have prior experience?
Finding the right manufacturer to work with was probably the second biggest obstacle I’ve faced while building Morlé. When I first started off I had no idea how to go about finding a manufacturer to work with and what all of that even entails. College didn’t teach you any of that so I had to figure it out on my own. I started off using platforms like Fiver and Upwork to help find people who could help with fabric sourcing, make patterns, create tech packs and complete samples. That didn’t work out too well for me. The toughest part about starting off small, is when you are trying to find a manufacturer to produce what you want to create and their minimum requirement is too high. For example I’d find a factory I wanted to work with but their minimum was 500 units per style. We’re talking $50,000 to $100,000 for production just for 5 styles. For one, starting off I didn’t need that many units and two, I didn’t have that kind of money to put towards production.
A lot of this was trial and error for me. I lost a ton of money in the process but I also learned a ton of valuable lessons and Im continuously learning today. After having failed attempts through upward I knew I had to find a different way. One day I was at a trade show and I saw this woman’s booth and decided to go over to see what it was about. She offered many services to start up ‘fashionpreneurs’ as she would call it. One of the services offered was called a manufacturing tour. It was a virtual tour where you are able to meet factories from all over the world. On this tour is where I met my first manufacturer. Talk about a huge relief! I was on the hunt for a manufacturer for years and I finally caught a break. The factory I worked with was out of Italy which was awesome because the craftsmanship, quality and fair labor aligned perfectly with Morlé’s values.
I’m very particular with who I work with specifically on a manufacturing level and I’ve learned how important it is to have relationships with multiple manufacturers as some specialize in certain things like knitwear or denim. So although I had a wonderful factory to help with product development all the way to production I knew I needed to make sure that I had options.
I met my next manufacturer through my social media intern actually. We were just chatting and in casual conversation he mentioned that his family owns a small manufacture in Asia. In that moment I felt like the stars were aligning for Morlé. He had no idea I was looking for another manufacturer and he randomly brought it up. They have also become a great partner on this journey.
Although manufacturing has been one of my biggest hurdles, and it would have been super easy to have given up, my advice is, don’t. Had I not continued looking and pursuing, I would have never met the wonderful partners that I have today, and it truly has been a blessing.
Do you sell on your site, or do you use a platform like Amazon, Etsy, Cratejoy, etc?
My decision to run the website through Shopify is driven by the understanding of the significance of a web presence in a niche market. I recognize that a physical storefront might not be practical for my business. As a result Morlé’s website becomes the primary touchpoint for customers to access products and learn about the brand. Morlé is more than just the products on the website. It’s about the values, the story, and the aesthetics that define the brand. A website is a powerful tool to convey these aspects. Through careful design it offers customers a specific experience that extends beyond just shopping. This includes showcasing Morlé’s story, values, and vision in a visually appealing and informative manner. Websites, especially those built on platforms like Shopify, offer unique storytelling opportunities. Through multimedia elements, like images, videos, and text, Morlé can narrate its journey, the inspiration behind its products, and the craftsmanship that goes into creating them. This allows Morlé to connect with their customers on a personal level, making the brand more relatable and memorable. Branding is not just about logos and taglines; it’s also about design elements such as fonts, colors, and layout. Morlé’s website, provides full control over these design elements. The choice of fonts, colors, and the way products are presented on the website all play a crucial role in conveying the brand’s identity. Consistency in these elements helps in building brand recognition and trust. Overall the decision to have a website is a strategic move in enhancing the brand’s presence, engaging with customers, and offering a seamless shopping experience in a niche market. The website becomes more than just an online store; it becomes a platform for storytelling, brand representation, and building a loyal customer base. It’s a critical aspect of the business strategy and reflects a modern approach to niche market management in the digital age.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://morlecollection.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/morlecollection/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Morlecollection/
Image Credits
Vivi Carra