When I first found out about Tamara Mellon, I felt like I missed out a bit by knowing about this phenomenal woman…
Last October, I ordered (actually my hubby bought for me) Tamara Mellon’s “In My Shoes” as my first fashion book. Because when I first found out about Tamara Mellon, I felt like I missed out a bit by not knowing about this phenomenal woman. I was there, and just doing my job translating her interview to Mongolian. But reading her interview on the internet inspired me so much that I decided to order her book. We had a lot in common.
Oh, and I must say this is not a book review. This article contains “In My Shoes” important lessons seen through my eyes. I’d love it if people hoping to start their own brand or clothing line in future, or others just planning to run a business in fashion, find it useful and inspirational. Each one of my ideas includes a quote from the book.
- Determine why you’re unique: Every past-working experience should be filled in your “ability list.”
“And after all those years of being told that I was useless, a dunce, and a thoroughly worthless human being, I had a desperate need to express myself. That’s when the penny dropped: Jimmy Choo. I’d done my time in retail, in public relations, and in the fashion press. I had a father to advise me who’d succeeded in a similar business. I was also the customer I wanted to reach. I lived the life our prospective client lived. I had an emotional connection to her tastes and dreams because I shared her tastes and dreams.”
- Think BIG: Wherever you are, and no matter how small the position you have, always think BIG.
“After that huge breakthrough with Julie’s order we still had a show to run, and other customers to talk to, but already my mind was moving ahead. I was positioning Jimmy Choo as luxury brand, so we were out of place with all the fringe designers and jewelry makers at Tranoi. (International Trade Shows) As we closed up shop that day, I remember walking past the Crillon (The Hôtel de Crillon in Paris is a historic luxury hotel opened in 1909) and thinking “Someday, that’s where I want us to be.”
- Be different or be the black sheep: Try to think differently than the people who are with you on the same ship.
“The fashion world is like a travelling circus- the same designers and the same editors showing up season after season on the same schedule in NY, London, Paris, and Milan. But I didn’t like the idea of being seen in a crowd along with all the other show lines, isolated in the separate universe reserved for accessories. So in the fall of 1997, rather than go to FFANNY once again simply hire in the exhibits at the Plaza, we came for Fashion Week instead and took a suite at the Carlyle, got rid of the bed, and filled the room with shoes.”
- Have a clear idea of what you really want: If don’t, you can’t be satisfied with your product.
“I would stand next to Francesco, our last maker, and say, “No, I want the toe flatter”, or “Shave it down by a millimeter.” Then we’d go to the heel supplier and stand next to his machines. “No, thinner in the middle”, or “Wider”, or “More flared out at the base”. I had very clear ideas about what I wanted.”
- Gift to the right person: Gifting is a good idea to promote your brand, but do it to the right person.
“In the spring of 1998, we made our first foray into the Oscars, and I was up all night on the phone from London trying to orchestrate the gifting shoes to all the right women. Our payoff came through Kate Winslet, nominated for Best Actress for Titanic, when she mentioned her Jimmy Choos- a first for any shoe brand- on the red carpet. Going forward, Oscar night was to become a major event on the Jimmy Choo calendar.”
- Find the “Girl at the Moment”: Be a good companion with your era’s shining star. It can be a model, show, or movie series!
“Then on July 5, 1998, we made our first appearance on Sex and the City and our visibility skyrocketed. The script had Carrie Bradshaw running for the Stalen Island Ferry when she stumbles and screams out “I lost my Choo!” The “Choo” she lost was in fact a style with tiny feathers we called the “Marlene”. That one mention helped turn us into a household name, brand names like Prada and Gucci and, admittedly, Manolo Blahnik. Years later, I spoke with Candace Bushnell, the show’s creator Candace Bushnell, the show’s creator, and she said she put the reference in the script because she’d been in London and stopped by the store on Motcomb Street and fell in love with the product. Ultimately, Jimmy Choo would be mentioned on the show thirty-four times.”
- Think of something impossible: Or should I say “can not be done.”
“When Ian Shragger opened one of his first hotels, I did a press day in his restaurants. I took the fish off the ice in his display cases in the main dining room and arranged shoes there. Visitors got to see not only this glam new venue in London, but how many shoes could be displayed on a bed of ice.”
- Make friends!: In fashion world, good and productive friends can cost millions! So make friends with people who have passion for what they’re doing.
“Six weeks before the wedding I still didn’t know what I was going to wear. I ran into Carlos Sousa, head of PR worldwide for Valentino. He said, “Darling, you must come to us. Don’t worry! We will work it out for you.” Trouble is, at that time I really didn’t have any money. My salary from Jimmy Choo was still not much beyond 15,000 a year, which just happened to be the cost of a couture dress from Valentino. Matthew’s brother, Henry, graciously stepped in to loan me the money, so when we got back to London I set up an appointment and booked a ticket to Rome, whereupon Valentino himself did three sketches for me to choose from. Vogue covered the story, with photographs of me being fitted. It was the only couture clothing I’ve ever had made, and it was amazing. But the lasting value-added was that Valentino and I became great friends. He began to call whenever he was in London, and later he would invite us to spend time with him on his boat.”
- Simple is always good: No matter how original your brand is, always have something simple. That’s the main rule.
“Black, red, and camel-they would never go on sale. That way, any woman who entered our store, no matter what she was looking for, would always have something to buy.”
- Follow your instincts!: If something doesn’t work for you, it’s not going to work for the customer.
“Every time I’d complain about something, I’d be told, “You’re not a team player.” I came to realize that this is what a man says to a woman in business any time she isn’t willing to do what he wants. It was a huge mistake that I didn’t push harder for what I knew to be right. If you have the wrong instincts for what you’re trying to do, that will become evident soon enough, and it may require to change course. But being blown back and forth by the winds of conflicting opinions will get you nowhere. You have to know where you stand, and that your value as a human being does not depend on anyone else’s assessment, and yet you must always remain open to learning and to growth. Almost every mistake I’ve made in business has come from not trusting myself.”
- Be brave for your passion: And be brave enough to speak up for what you really want. Be honest in the moment.
“Women especially are flooded with clichés and conflicting advice, and it must be terribly confusing for a young person trying to determine early on just how much she should “lean in,” and just how much she’s supposed to “have it all.” It’s incredibly difficult for women to understand and to accept their value, and even successful women can and do suffer from “imposter syndrome.” They will silently work themselves to death, hoping that someday they will be noticed and rewarded for all their efforts. But you can’t just work and wait. You also have to speak up.”
- Take notes while reading: Even it looks dirty.
Please take notes while you’re reading. I wouldn’t be able to write all of this if I hadn’t drawn red lines under the sentences I liked the most. So don’t afraid of ruining your newly handed book with your writings and notes. Believe me, it is worth it and nothing is more expensive than your own thoughts!
Photographer: Me
