12/5/2023 0 Comments Impression bridal jobsHe is not swayed left and right by what goes on. Ralph also has complete conviction about who he is and what his brand stands for. I said, “Do you want me to answer with what you wish to hear? Or do you want me to tell you the truth?” And he said, “The truth.” So I was honest, and I thought, I’m not getting this job. It started with the interview: I’m sitting with him in his office-he already has an empire by then-and the first question he asks me is: “What don’t you like about my clothes?” It was like an asteroid coming at me. But my DNA was to find something I felt passionate about, to make a difference, and to work, so that’s what I did. And when I left Ralph, a lot of doors that had been open to me slammed shut, whether it was a fabric manufacturer or a party I wanted to go to, because I was now so small. I didn’t know anything about dress design. He didn’t work in the garment industry, but he was a businessman, and he saw that bridal came with lower risks: It had low inventory, few fabrics at that time, and, since people will always want to get married, a steady stream of customers, though they don’t usually repeat. My father identified that as an opportunity. I looked everywhere, from department stores to Chanel couture. When I got engaged, at 39, I was a little beyond the age of most brides and on a quest for a dress. To think I could start, and run, and sustain a business? I knew how hard it was. I’d been on the artistic side-pictures and styling and Vogue and responsible for the design of 18 lines of accessories at Ralph. I never thought I deserved to found a company. Still, I didn’t feel very qualified or secure. I’d always felt I should learn and earn, and I’d already had two incredible careers working for others-at Condé Nast and then Ralph Lauren-the best in the industry. Even at 40, I wasn’t entirely sure I should be doing it. Wang: Is that old? Perhaps I would have preferred to start off at 20 or 30, but I don’t think I would have been anywhere near equipped to know what it takes to be in business. HBR: Why, at age 40, did you decide to strike out on your own as a fashion designer?
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