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

Alright, Valencia thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What do you think it takes to be successful?

I believe success, especially as an entrepreneur, takes a lot of hard work, dedication, and confidence. You truly have to believe in yourself so much that others may think that you’re crazy. If you are dedicated and work on your business/craft everyday I believe that the universe will have your back and align with your goals. Success is on the other side of fear. You have to put yourself out there and keep going even when it seems like things aren’t working out. I have experienced a lot of rejection in my industry but in the end a better opportunity has always come forward.

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

Fashion sparked my interest at a really young age. I studied fashion marketing and management in college at Northwood University and while in school I began designing garments on my own time. After graduating, I moved to New York to study fashion design at Parsons School of Design. I spent around 5 years working in the fashion industry behind the scenes on photoshoots and with marketing and production. I decided to launch my brand in 2020 during the pandemic. I realized that I had forgot about my dreams of designing and had just been working in nyc to survive. I would spend so much of my life putting time and energy into someone else’s dream and I visualized what could happen with my brand if I did the same for myself. With the launch, I have been focusing on luxury knitwear. I have very sensitive skin and before I launched my brand, I took some to learn more about textiles and how they perform. I learned which fibers work best for each season, as well as the durability and comfortability of each fiber. The textiles that I use for my designs come from all around the world. I also choose to focus on natural fibers only to ensure that my products will last a lifetime. Lastly, I make sure that any farms that I collaborate with are practicing humane procedures for shearing.

Any thoughts, advice, or strategies you can share for fostering brand loyalty?

I reach out to my customers constantly to check in and see how their garments are performing. My business is still small but that gives me the opportunity to build relationships with all of my customers. I want my garments to last a lifetime and I often repair any damages that occur to garments. This approach keeps my customers loyal and they often refer their friends and family to my brand.

Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?

I have recently began working with a stylist for marketing editorials. Kelsey and I actually met a decade ago on Tumblr. We are both from Michigan and connected on Tumblr through fashion. Kelsey recently moved to NYC last year and it has been great being able to share my ideas with her and have her assist with styling for my brand. We’re also both Libras so its a match made in heaven. ;)

Contact Info:

• Website: https://valenciashanelle.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/valenciashanellenewyork/