We were lucky to catch up with Tina Frantz recently and have shared our conversation below.

Tina, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s start with something countless entrepreneurs have had to figure out on the fly – how have you dealt with the rise of remote work?

For me the remote aspect of being an ‘e-designer’ is incredibly exciting. I had experienced it during a short stint working for a Silicon Valley tech start-up prior to the the pandemic, and this is where I fell in love with the technology behind being a primarily online designer. Being able to design inside a client’s actual space in 3D and produce such gorgeous, photorealistic renderings is a no-brainer approach to selling a design idea. So, during the pandemic, I did a ton of research, a ton of networking, and expanded my business to be able to offer this kind of service to clients on my own. The real thrill for me comes from the fact that I get to work with clients all across the country and experience all the richness of such varied forms of architecture out there. Each project is completely different from the last and with every turn my creative juices get to endlessly flowing. I’ve learned many new skills which will certainly serve me as the Metaverse inches closer and closer to our reality. And all of this is not to even mention the conveniences of a laptop lifestyle! Remote work has definitely been a win-win for Tina Frantz Designs!

Tina, 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?

Hey there, I’m the Tina behind Tina Frantz Designs. Fashion is in my blood, homes are in my heart. If you asked me to choose between these two loves, I would beg you not to. So I do both.

I grew up around an aunt who went to dressmakers school in Japan. Her skillset she was phenomenal… She made every single article of clothing my mother wore throughout the sixties and seventies, and Mom was the height of fashion. To this day, these hand-me-down items are my most prized possession. It’s quality you just won’t find today, short of paying haute couture prices.

I’ve gained over 15 years of experience in interior design between Manhattan and Southern California, from an A-rated Upper East Side firm to a premiere designer showroom in La Jolla. During this time I saw an industry-wide need for responsibly recycling the vast swaths of textile waste derived from the furniture industry. Thus was born an eco-conscious, zero-waste, women’s handbag brand. We’ve been arming women with some serious ‘hand candy’ and combatting environmental damage caused by the ‘fast fashion’ industry since 2012. With the technology of today I am thrilled to connect my two passions and add virtual, web based Interior Design services to my business. We emphasize home as sanctuary, niche accessory design, and green living.

With a deep-rooted drive to not only make the world a prettier place but a better one too, Tina Frantz Designs is a fully realized Design House providing fashions for Body and Soul.

Okay – so how did you figure out the manufacturing part? Did you have prior experience?

I had quite an uphill battle in front of me when I set out to create beautiful handbags from repurposed upholstery swatches at the launch of my business in 2012. I knocked on hundreds of doors, trying to find a manufacturer willing to repeat one style out of 50 different fabrics. They just didn’t want to do it. At one point, working with an import/export guy from Mexico. I found myself smuggling handbags illegally across the border after he rehearsed with me over and over again what I would say if the patrolman asked me to pop my trunk. As sweat beaded across my forehead, waiting in the 3 hour lineup just outside the US in Tijuana, I decided right then and there that would be the last time I would break the law for my business. I eventually finally found a Mom and Pop shop in LA willing to work work with me, and they did incredible work, bringing my dream product to life. Sadly, since they retired, I have been on the hunt for the right fit once again. The lessons I have gleaned? Truly invaluable lessons in global sourcing, international trade, and most of all, not giving up on getting the quality that you want!!!

Do you have multiple revenue streams – if so, can you talk to us about those streams and how your developed them?

Yes! I am on couple wholesale websites as well as my B to C website. I do wholesale trade shows as well as retail markets and events, and in the name of repurposing and slow fashion, I not only sell the the bags I design but offer vintage fashion as well. As far as interior design goes, I do consultancy work as well as working with clients in-person and digitally. It is a lot of plates to keep up in the air, but I love the variety of my days!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.tinafrantzdesigns.com
• Instagram: @tinafrantzdesigns
• Facebook: Facebook.com/tinafrantzdesigns
• Linkedin: @tinafrantz
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC74E1K_RR7yYYvDI907gcXQ

Image Credits
alma photography studio (headshot)