This week we spoke with Sarah Easley, 1993 UVA grad who’s now the Founder & CEO of MaisonMarché.
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The Rundown:
COLD OPEN: French degree, Dior & LVMH, role alignment, starting businesses
TURNING POINT: Getting gold stars in school vs facing reality
STEAL THIS: Rethinking taking chances
INDUSTRY INSIDER: Fashion isn’t all champagne and trips to Paris
OFF RESUME: Dressing celebs from Britney Spears to Rihanna
IF I WERE YOU: The importance of networking, paying it forward, doing what you truly enjoy
COLD OPEN
How Did You Get Your Start?
II graduated UVA as a double major in French Language and Literature. Studying abroad in Paris was the beginning of my career. I wanted to stay in Europe, but thought Paris after graduation was too risky, so I moved to NYC and pursued an international job using my French skills.
I had no job when I got to the city. I went door to door with my resume, trying to market my skill of French fluency at international companies. I wanted to work somewhere with growth opportunities. I was really willing to do anything – but I wasn’t looking at places where I couldn’t see myself fulfilling my boss’s boss’s role.
My first role was at Christian Dior, the French fashion designer. My position was quite low, but I had healthcare, free clothes, and made enough to squeak by on. I was in an exciting company in which I could advance by being on time, working hard and going the extra mile... that ultimately launched my fashion career.
Dior is one of many companies under the major conglomerate LVMH (Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy). I worked for different brands under LVMH and learned about different sides of fashion: wholesale, licensing, retail. I went back and forth to Paris a million times, which was my original goal.
After 6 years in NYC, I started my own company: an international fashion retail store in NYC, which I ran for 17 years. It was a very exciting time in retail fashion, especially in NYC. I was introduced to New York top fashion designers from all over the world. It was a new way of retail: a “concept store,” a true fashion destination where people like to hang out. Many of our clients were celebrities from TV, Film, and music. We treated everyone like a celebrity though.
A good entrepreneur knows when to start a new business and pivot. After 17 years, I ended up selling the business to launch a new form of retail, focusing on emerging, global, sustainable brands.
TURNING POINT
What’s A Challenge You Faced Early On?
My parents were teachers, and I grew up expecting a gold star for being a bit of an overachiever. I was used to being called on and having the answer.
However, that was not the environment I entered in the working world. Not getting credit for my work was very difficult for me.
As a junior person, you’ll do all of the work for your boss, they’ll put their name on it, and turn it in. Maybe the boss is appreciative of you for making their life better, but you’re not getting the recognition you may have been used to as a student.
You have to get over it. You’re getting paid and you’re moving up, but there is seldom the pat on the back. I had to come to terms with no gold star.
STEAL THIS
What’s A Question You Love To Be Asked (Or Asking)?
I love when people ask me “What if it doesn’t work? Why do you take the risk?”
When I started my own business in NYC at 26, everyone had their doubts. But it didn’t even occur to me that it wouldn’t work. I knew more than my bosses and had 6 years of experience under my belt. I was ready. So my reply to those questions was always “What if it does work?”
Success is about building options. Options create freedom. Eventually, you’ll have so many good options where you can say no to things that aren’t for you. But you can only get there by taking some risk.
INDUSTRY INSIDER
What Do People Misunderstand About Working In Fashion?
People think fashion is all champagne, runway shows, models, and trips to Paris. Those things are the 0.00001% – the cherry on top, the reward for the other 99% of hard work. It is a big business – one of the biggest in NYC and Paris. Huge revenue (a lot of budgeting and P&L math).
When you become an entrepreneur in fashion, you’re using your right and left brain. You’re doing budgets and carefully projecting sales targets. You’re also being creative, curating collections, doing photoshoots, and ad campaigns. A good entrepreneur can do and manage all of that.
Maybe you’re not doing the spreadsheets but you have to know enough to be able to work with your accountant and bookkeeper, and understand those numbers. Fashion is not a frivolous thing at all.
OFF RESUME
What’s A Stand Out Moment In Your Career?
The mentality for my retail company was “if we build it, they will come”. And the clients who came were very exciting. I met some fascinating characters.
We did all of the wardrobing for “Sex and the City” – the series and the movies. Any sort of music celebrity, from Pink to Celine Dion, came in for wardrobing for their tours. Rihanna was one of my favorite clients, because she always came in without a stylist and chose her own pieces. It was an honor to pick out clothes for people who could shop anywhere and have great style.
I did a huge collection for Target – 150 styles, 1,800 stores. I brought my downtown New York City style to an under $200 price point, and it was a huge success. The lesson there was money doesn’t necessarily mean style.
IF I WERE YOU
Do You Have Any Advice For Students?
Truthfully, it comes down to networking. Today, the first few rounds of hiring have few (if any) real people involved. Human connection is necessary to get to the next step. It really is who you know.
Take the prestigious university you worked your way into, and make it work for you by tapping into career services and the alumni network. And then, when you get to where you want to be, be that helpful for someone else.
Lastly, dare to do something you might truly enjoy. Get a minimum of 5 years experience working for other people, so you can make mistakes that don’t cost you too personally. Then be bold.
CLOSING TIME
What To Do Next
Reading is great — but putting yourself out there, meeting new people, and finding opportunities is what this is all about.
4 things to do right now:
Find a UVA alum and send them a cold message.
Follow up in a week if they don’t respond.
Prepare for the meeting, and talk to them
Explore a new industry:
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