Modern Fashion: Kristy W Gilbraith
Of FLOH Wear On The 5 Things You Need To Lead a Successful Fashion Brand Today

An Interview With Candice Georgiadice

Know Your Audience: Like any business, a fashion brand should know their primary audience, who they are selling to, and also the “why” behind the brand. When a brand attempts to focus on everyone they sell to no one. Therefore, identifying who is buying and understanding what they like, what they read, what they watch, etc. This is key when it comes to leading a successful fashion brand. This coupled with the brands why is critical.

Many in the fashion industry have been making huge pivots in their business models. Many have turned away from the fast fashion trend. Many have been focusing on fashion that also makes a social impact. Many have turned to sustainable and ethical sourcing. Many have turned to hi tech manufacturing. Many have turned to subscription models. What are the other trends that we will see in the fashion industry? What does it take to lead a successful fashion brand today?

In our series called, “5 Things You Need To Lead a Successful Fashion Brand Today” we are talking to successful leaders of fashion brands who can talk about the Future of Fashion and the 5 things it takes to lead a successful fashion brand in our “new normal.”

As a part of this series I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Kristy W. Gilbraith, MBA.

Known as the Menstrual Maven, Kristy W. Gilbraith is a veteran, licensed registered nurse passionate about women’s below-the-belt health awareness, and founder of FLOH Wear™ by UndiesLoft.com. She launched her undergarment brand after receiving a medical diagnosis that negatively impacts up to 70% of women in their reproductive years. Kristy has also been featured in Cosmo, on The Sharifah Hardie Show, and Morning Lazziness.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit more. Can you tell us a bit about your childhood “backstory”?

Oh, thank you! Yes, certainly. I grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma, which many may know for the Trail of Tears journey, and in more recent years the renewed popularity of the historical happenings of Black Wallstreet. Growing up, I was an extreme introvert, a self-described bookworm of sorts, and very inquisitive. These traits, at least being curious and a bookworm, has undoubtedly proven to be beneficial in my adult years, especially as a business owner. I also loved science and writing growing up, but I was an awful mathematician, Candice. Did I say awful? It is true! Nonetheless, it all worked out, eventually. Thank goodness for small miracles!

Can you tell us the story about what led you to this particular career path?

You know, higher education and entrepreneurship were very commonplace growing up. Most of my family were educators or education administrators. However, my penchant for entrepreneurship came from my grandfather. He was the first person of color in town to own a brand chain filling station. He was also the first person of color in a management role for the primary newspaper serving the northeastern and eastern portions of the state.

Part of my grandfather’s role as a District Manager included providing oversight of delivery teams. Despite being a kid, it was not lost on me that these people were, essentially, independent business owners. I thought that was the coolest thing ever! Owning a business, making money, providing a product people wanted, etc., who would not want that?

That left an indelible impression on me, so much so that my first legit business, where I was responsible for inventory, taxes, etc., was in high school selling an extremely popular direct sales make-up and skincare brand. I felt like I was helping people be a better version of themselves while also learning key business and life lessons. One of my most memorable lessons was “listen to your customer” and the other was “always keep impeccable records.”

I must admit, as a teenager I was not good at either initially, but eventually I got it down. I definitely credit my foray into business to my experience selling make-up and skincare, as well as observing my grandfather. Both were tremendous examples of what business leadership and entrepreneurship look like. These collective experiences were the start of the entrepreneurship bug for me. After having that make-up business, I knew I wanted to build a company someday that would make a difference for people, a company that would improve the lives of others.

However, it was not until I was much older that I experienced a situation resulting in a medical diagnosis that negatively impacted my health and quality of life. That experience was the impetus for me to launch FLOH Wear™ by UndiesLoft.com. I recognized my condition was not unique to me, as many others have similar experiences, and I wanted to provide an option that was quality and really delivered. So, I put my bookworm skills to work, and I started researching how I could support others with similar conditions and people in general with periods, postpartum, and mild bladder leaks.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?

The pandemic has undoubtedly been remarkably interesting for me as a business owner. However, I have to say I did not anticipate COVID impacting my brand in such a critical way. Because of the global supply chain shortage, we experienced a delay in launching our latest styles as planned. Now that all our styles are available, it has been interesting to experience receiving emails from competitors doing a terrible job at posing as “customers” inquiring about our products to get a competitive edge.

Although, Candice, I will say it is very flattering that we are causing a stir amongst those with whom we share the same space, mainly because we are relatively small in comparison.

You are a successful business leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?

Being resilient, agile, and a visionary has been tremendous for me as a business leader. These are traits you hear people talk about, and on the surface, it may sound like fluff. However, these three have truly been my saving grace from ideation to full-on launch.

For example, when I think about resiliency in business, what comes to mind is when my manufacturing partner indicated the fabric supply was going to be a problem due to the interruption of the global supply chain. This challenge stalled my launch of new styles for a year. I was really at the point of wanting to give up.

However, instead of throwing my hands in the air, I did the exact opposite. I dug my heels in after giving myself 24hrs to panic and sulk, and then I quickly readjusted my lens. The “lost” time became an opportunity to optimize operational tasks and processes versus viewing it as a problem.

Agility is also an important thing with me because it is a skill I learned both while serving in the military and as a clinician. As such, the carryover of the agility trait is ever-present in my business. There are things one cannot account for when it comes to running a brand. I have to tell you Candice, even the best-laid plan has a hidden fissure and being able to adeptly side-step those challenges in such a way that causes minimal impact is vital.

I am building my brand by leveraging transferable skills learned from my time in the military and as a registered nurse. One might question “what does the military or healthcare have to do with running a brand?” My standard reply will always be “everything.” For example, the cost of fabric has increased since the pandemic, and I am in a position where I have to assess what’s business-critical versus what’s nice to have, so that I can continue to deliver the quality my consumers expect from FLOH Wear™. No, it is not life or death but they are decisions that impact real people at the end of a purchase. So, decisions must be made with care.

Lastly, having a vision and staying focused despite hiccups is primary for fashion brands and businesses in general. Having a vision of where I see FLOH Wear™ over a timeline of years and knowing its impact on people’s quality of life has kept me hyper-focused on pushing forward. Having a clear direction and vision is like oxygen for a brand, especially during challenging times. It keeps the fire burning, you know. If you lose your vision, that passion for the brand, the business… it becomes that much harder to stay motivated and continue to push through difficult moments.

What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?

FLOH Wear™ stands out because the very pain points our products address are relatable. Anyone who has ever had a menstrual period, baby, or even post-menopausal bladder leakage can resonate with the anxiety, stress, even fear of leaking. However, beyond that, I also shared my own relatable story on FLOH Wear’s™ IG Live because it is important people do not feel shame about bio-physiological happenings.

Neither my condition, uterine fibroids, nor my experiences managing symptoms associated with fibroids are unique. However, they are relatable. Very rarely do consumers experience the leadership of a brand being transparent in this manner. That said, it is this level of transparency that also differentiates FLOH Wear™ from our competitors and is one of the reasons we are gaining popularity with consumers.

Do you have a favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share a story of how that was relevant to you in your life?

“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take” is one of my favorite quotes. It is relevant because when I launched my brand, there were others in the same space, and I had this self-doubt and fear that caused me to lack confidence and question, “who’s going to want my stuff?”

However, the reality is I would have never known had I not chosen to “shoot my shot,” so to speak. Just because a brand or business is more popular right now or has been around longer does not necessarily mean they are better. We already talked about it, but this is why being a visionary is an important trait to have, especially in the fashion world. Consumers are looking for what you are bringing to the table, but you have to be able to connect to set yourself apart. The love for a brand by a consumer is in the details, be it your fabric, your packaging, quality, etc.

I believe my personal story with uterine fibroids is what resonates with many seeking FLOH Wear™ as an option to manage their bio-leaks. The condition impacts up to 70% of people with menstrual periods in their reproductive years. Even if one does not have uterine fibroids, many have experienced the unpleasant challenges of managing the pain points FLOH Wear™ addresses at some point or another because of bio-leaks.

Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. Do you see any fascinating developments emerging over the next few years in the fashion industry that you are excited about? Can you tell us about that?

Most definitely! When I consider where we are today and our direction, I predict we will see more fashion brands leaning into sustainable fabrics. Bamboo, increased use of recycled fabrics, and unconventional materials such as plastic bottles turned into garments are a few things that come to mind.

Additionally, I believe we will see supply chains become more optimized due to some rough lessons we all learned from the pandemic, along with the increased use of tech on the manufacturing end of fashion. Some examples of that would be technology assisting in predicting styles, popular colors, silhouettes, and patterns that are predicted to be fan favorites of consumers.

Can you share how your brand is helping to bring goodness to the world?

More than 26% of people in the world have periods, many of whom are negatively impacted due to stigmas and period poverty. FLOH Wear™ is bringing awareness to these topics and other below-the-belt health concerns people born female experience to support informing people how to advocate for their health and wellbeing.

We address topics such as endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome, fibroids, what is normal and what is not, to name a few when it comes to menstrual periods. We do this via our blog, our below the belt health commentary on social, and in the media. The more FLOH Wear™ can provide information to the public around “taboo topics,” the more likely it is for those experiencing these conditions can have open conversations, not feel stigmatized, and better advocate for themselves.

Can you share with our readers about the ethical standards you use when you choose where to source materials?

Yes, absolutely! It is important I operate my company with a level of responsibility that benefits consumers and our ecosystem. As such, I partner with vendors who hold the same values and ethos as I do. When I am looking to partner with a vendor, I assess the following to guide my selection:

• Employees (how employees are treated, wages, conditions, etc.)
• Eco-Impact (sustainability efforts)
• Manufacturing Processes (use of chemicals, waste, etc.)

Additionally, I may make an impromptu call to a vendor and ask them to put me on camera and give me a tour of the facility where manufacturing takes place so I can see for myself. This is an excellent practice for any brand to employ, especially when partnering with vendors overseas.

Fast fashion has an advantage, that it is affordable for most people, but it also has the drawback that it does not last very long and is therefore not very sustainable. What are your thoughts about this? How does your company address this question?

The idea of fast fashion is concerning not only because of the finished product quality and environmental impacts, but also because of textile waste, treatment of employees, and their working conditions. As fashion brands become educated on the impacts of fast fashion and more selective with whom they opt to partner, I think we will begin to see a more significant shift in reducing these issues because the bottom line of those manufacturers will see their revenues negatively impacted. Therefore, they may be more inclined to course-correct.

To address these challenges, I seek out companies who voluntarily elect to be audited and certified by third-party organizations, including SGS, OEKO TEX Standard 100, and Global Recycle Standard, to name a few. These organizations ensure employees’ occupational health and safety standards are maintained, compliant manufacturing processes are followed, environmental impacts are limited, and transparency regarding recycled content of materials.

Thank you for all that. Here is the main question of our interview. What are your “5 Things You Need To Lead a Successful Fashion Brand”. Please share a story or example for each.

Although not an exhaustive list by any means, I do believe the five points below are certainly a few of the main ingredients when it comes to the secret sauce, if you will, for fashion brand success.

1. Research Skills: Anticipating what is coming next and performing competitive intelligence to uncover consumers’ pain points is necessary. When launching FLOH Wear™, I made it a point to assess what consumers of comparable products complained about. From there, I evaluated the pain points to identify trends. This served as a jumping-off point for leveling up FLOH Wear™ before even getting up and running.

2. Know Your Audience: Like any business, a fashion brand should know their primary audience, who they are selling to, and also the “why” behind the brand. When a brand attempts to focus on everyone they sell to no one. Therefore, identifying who is buying and understanding what they like, what they read, what they watch, etc. This is key when it comes to leading a successful fashion brand. This coupled with the brands why is critical.

For example, FLOH Wear™ are leak protection undies. Although our undies serve those with periods, postpartum, and mild bladder leaks, we have a core audience that gravitate to our products. These are the people we lean into, focus on, and seek to cultivate relationships with.

3. Have Humility: Not everyone is going to love every style you launch or even your brand in general, and that is OK. As a fashion brand, one must realize an end of one is just that, one person’s opinion. They do not speak for all consumers. Take the feedback and be appreciative because the most valuable thing anyone can give you is their time and feedback. However, receiving feedback does not mean action must be levied at that moment. Assess if others have similar experiences and then act accordingly.

I recall before launching FLOH Wear™ sharing samples with several people. One of the people I provided a sample to offered feedback on a style designed for a particular absorbency. They shared “really liking” the undies, but they could not use them for the absorbency they were rated for, but they were great for other days during their period.

Of course, this was great feedback! However, I also recognized their feedback was an end of one. Had I heard similar feedback from others, I would have made some changes. However, when most consumers are satisfied, that is where one should be focused.

4. The Ability to Pivot: Being agile and shifting gears when something is not working or when unexpected events occur is necessary not only for a fashion brand to be successful, but for any brand or business. The pandemic was a real-life lesson for many of us in fashion, as everything from shortages to delivery times, etc., was negatively impacted.

For FLOH Wear™ by UndiesLoft.com, we took a significant hit due to a fabric shortage with the pandemic. Still, we acted quickly and refocused efforts on growing our audience and optimizing our internal processes so that we could move quickly when everything was back online.

5. Address a Need: The idea that a shirt is a shirt is a shirt, or all shoes are created equal, or in our case underwear, is simply not true. Informed consumers know this as well. So, a brand must do more to address the needs and desires of their core audience, whether it is ensuring quality, or the fabric feels amazing, drapes beautifully, etc.

For FLOH Wear™ by UndiesLoft, we meet our consumers’ needs by ensuring our undies are made with quality and sustainable fabrics such as bamboo. They are also made to feel extremely soft and luxurious for comfort because the reason for wearing them is not always comfortable and certainly not luxurious. In addition, FLOH Wear™ also addresses pain points consumers most often complain about when it comes to bio-leaks, per our research. As such, we provide confidence, comfort, and a conscious choice for feminine hygiene options.

Every industry constantly evolves and seeks improvement. How do you think the fashion industry can improve itself? Can you give an example?

Candice, it is no secret social media plays a pivotal role in fashion, be it bathrobes, belts, ties, or traditional clothing. Additionally, influencers on social media wearing fashion have a significant impact on those of us consuming the images we see. This sometimes creates an unrealistic expectation, especially for highly impressionable individuals.

Thankfully, the fashion industry is becoming more inclusive, and we see that with large mainstream brands to more niche brands. As an industry, I think we must continue to nurture this shift in showing diversity with the people chosen to represent brands, not only in skin color, but also in body types and size.

You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂

Well, thank you for that. Advocating for women’s below-the-belt health and ending stigmas regarding menstruation is a real passion of mine. There are more than 800 million people in the world at any given time with a period, that is roughly 26% of the global population. So, providing education to all, especially school-age people, regarding the bio-physiology of persons born female is a significant part of bringing awareness about what is considered normal and not normal when it comes to below-the-belt health.

In addition, ending period shame and stigmas is certainly a movement I would like to see gain traction. Frankly speaking Candice, menstrual periods is not a gender thing. Menstrual periods are a bio-physiological occurrence tied to public health and should be addressed as such.

As a clinician, I would love to implement programs starting in sixth grade that educate on female below-the-belt physiology. Why? Because this is about the age many young people begin to experience or become aware of menstrual periods. Everyone should understand there is nothing shameful about menstrual periods, whether it is happening to them or to people they know and care about. Information is the key to dispelling fears and empowering people to feel good about their bodies.

How can our readers further follow your work online?

FLOH Wear™ by UndiesLoft.com can be found at the following:

Site: www.undiesloft.com

Instagram: @flohwear and @undiesloft

Twitter: kgilbraith3704

Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.

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Modern Fashion: Kristy W Gilbraith of FLOH Wear On The 5 Things You Need To Lead a Successful Fashi was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.