Modern Fashion: Luke Lee of PalaLeather On The 5 Things You Need To Lead a Successful Fashion Brand Today
An Interview With Candice Georgiadice
A Dedicated Team: Building a fashion brand takes a lot of hard work and dedication. Assemble a team of like-minded individuals who share your vision and are passionate about your label. This will help you maintain a high level of quality control and keep things running smoothly behind the scenes. PalaLeather has a dedicated team of professionals who are passionate about the products they create. We recruited the most skilled hand-sewing technicians and built a factory that is comparable to the Italian leather capital industries.
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 Luke Lee.
Luke Lee is the CEO of PalaLeather (https://www.palaleather.com/). He is a fashion designer who specializes in leather and leather clothing. He has skilled experience in advanced clothing customization, product sales, and brand marketing.
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”?
My childhood was fairly typical, but it laid the foundation for who I am today. I was born in Shenzhen, China, and raised in Shanghai, China. I’m grateful to have been raised in a loving home with supportive parents. My parents worked hard to provide for us and instilled strong values in me at a young age. I was a pretty quiet and shy kid growing up.
As a child, I was always interested in art and creativity. I remember my parents always enrolled me in art class during summer breaks and I always had so much fun. I never thought that one day, I will be a fashion designer. Even as a child, I loved to draw and paint, and spent many hours lost in my little world of make-believe. I had a lot of energy and could be quite mischievous at times!
Can you tell us the story about what led you to this particular career path?
As I shared, I’ve always been creative since childhood and I love working with my hands, so fashion design seemed like the perfect career for me. I decided to pursue my studies at the University of Southampton.
During these times, I was also working part-time as a freelance fashion designer. I worked on mini projects like sewing an outfit for someone’s music video at school. But the majority was spent on fashion illustration. I would take commissions from clients and create paintings or sketches of clothing designs that they wanted. It was through this work that I met some amazing people in the fashion industry who have become long-time friends and mentors.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?
Sure! My most interesting story since I began my career in fashion design happened when I was working as an intern at a small clothing company. One of my tasks was to help with the customizations of the clothing.
One day, our company’s head designer asked me to help her with a particularly difficult customization request. The client wanted a dress that would be impossible to wear without proper undergarments, so we had to get creative. We ended up designing a dress that could be worn with or without undergarments, and the client was thrilled! It was a great experience and I learned a lot about clothing customization.
Now, advanced clothing customization is something that I’m skilled and passionate about, and I was able to learn a lot from my mentors at that company.
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?
This is a nice question!
My willingness to learn, unlearn, and re-learn was most instrumental to my success. You have to be willing to accept that you don’t know everything and that there is always room for improvement.
Learning: I was constantly asking questions, observing others, and practicing my craft. Whenever a new trend came along, I made sure to learn everything I could about it. I read articles, watched tutorials, and experimented with different looks. As a result, I was always ahead of the curve and able to create looks that were both stylish and unique.
Unlearning: It’s part of what keeps me fresh and relevant in this ever-changing industry. But more importantly, I’ve had to unlearn some bad habits that were holding me back. For example, I’ve had to unlearn the need for approval from others. Early on in my career, I would constantly seek out the approval of my superiors, but I’ve since realized that the only approval that matters is my own.
Re-learning: It is also important to be able to re-learn something that was once learned before. As new information comes to light, previous understandings may need to be updated.
What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?
PalaLeather has more than 20 years of leather manufacturing experience and a large state-of-the-art facility. We have over 100 experienced craftspeople working on every specific production stage. From leather to accessories, our products are thoughtfully designed and meticulously tested.
We provide our users with a channel for their design and help them complete the entire design from the perspective of professional designers. We also combined the inspiration of fashion and trends to design garments making every product present unique characteristics and change from immutability to independence and individuality.
Do you have a favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share a story of how that was relevant to you in your life?
It’s a bit nerdy, I know but one of my favorite quotes is attributed to Socrates: “The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.”
I first encountered the Socratic method of questioning when I was in high school. I remember being very frustrated with my geometry teacher because she would often answer our questions with another question. At first, I thought she was just trying to be difficult, but eventually, I realized that she was trying to get us to think for ourselves and figure things out on our own.
This quote has been relevant to me in many different aspects of my life, but especially in my interior designing career. I often have clients who come to me with a very specific idea of what they want, but after asking them a few questions and getting them to think about things from a different perspective, they usually end up changing their minds and coming up with something even better than they originally imagined.
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?
Yes! Sustainable fashion, specifically eco-leather material, is one of the latest trends in fashion. It is made of natural fibers that are eco-friendly and biodegradable. The material is also lightweight and durable. This innovation can be used in a variety of different ways, such as in clothing, shoes, and accessories. Eco-leather is also being used in home furnishings, such as furniture and upholstery. This will help to reduce the environmental impact of the fashion industry and make it more sustainable.
New technologies and design are also changing the way that leather is manufactured, making it more durable and long-lasting. Artificial intelligence now allows for the customization of patterns and textures on fashion goods. This means that each piece can be unique, without the need for extra resources or waste.
Can you share how your brand is helping to bring goodness to the world?
Yes, PalaLeather is helping to bring goodness to the world. We strongly believe that fashion should be fun and accessible to everyone, which is why we work hard to provide high-quality yet affordable fashion leather products.
We also strive to be as sustainable and eco-friendly as possible, using only responsibly sourced materials. PalaLeather only uses vegetable-tanned craftsmanship in its designs. The company partners with local artisans in developing countries to create beautiful products that are sold at a fair price.
By shopping with PalaLeather, you can feel good knowing that your purchase is helping to make a positive impact on the world.
Can you share with our readers the ethical standards you use when you choose where to source materials?
We’re proud of our leather jackets and how they’re made. We use a few different standards when it comes to sourcing our materials. PalaLeather jackets are handmade so we can ensure that they meet our high standards for quality and craftsmanship. We strictly use vegetable-tanned craftsmanship in our designs.
We also make sure that all of our workers are paid a fair wage and have good working conditions. We visit our factories regularly to make sure that everything is up to our standards.
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?
At PalaLeather, we believe that sustainability is important in the fashion industry. We strive to create long-lasting products that are made to order, so there is no wasted material or product. PalaLeather only uses vegetable-tanned craftsmanship in its designs. This type of tanning produces a beautiful, durable, and environmentally friendly product.
Additionally, we also use high-quality materials that will age well and only get better with time. So, instead of buying a new jacket every few months, you can invest in a PalaLeather jacket that will last you for years to come.
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.
A Dedicated Team: Building a fashion brand takes a lot of hard work and dedication. Assemble a team of like-minded individuals who share your vision and are passionate about your label. This will help you maintain a high level of quality control and keep things running smoothly behind the scenes. PalaLeather has a dedicated team of professionals who are passionate about the products they create. We recruited the most skilled hand-sewing technicians and built a factory that is comparable to the Italian leather capital industries.
A Commitment to Research & Development: Research & development is critical for any fashion brand that wants to be successful. By understanding the latest trends and customer preferences, brands can create products that are in high demand. Additionally, research can help brands to identify new materials and manufacturing techniques that can improve the quality of their products. Without a strong focus on research, fashion brands will quickly fall behind their competitors.
A Unique Selling Point: To succeed in the competitive world of fashion, it is important to have a unique selling point. This could be anything from a unique style to an ethical or sustainable production process. Having a USP will help to make your brand stand out from the crowd.
A Good Customer Service: Another important element of leading a successful fashion brand is providing good customer service. This includes responding quickly to customer queries and complaints, offering refunds or exchanges where appropriate, and generally making sure that customers are happy with their purchases. Good customer service will help to build loyalty and repeat business.
A Quality Product: Of course, none of the other elements of success matter if you don’t have a product that lives up to the hype. To lead a successful fashion brand, it is essential to ensure that your products are well-made and meet the needs of your target market. This includes everything from choosing the right materials to crafting garments that are flattering and stylish. Fashion brands like Saint Laurent and Tom Ford have built their businesses on the backs of high-quality products. These companies put a great deal of time and effort into ensuring that their garments and accessories meet the highest standards possible.
Every industry constantly evolves and seeks improvement. How do you think the fashion industry can improve itself? Can you give an example?
The fashion industry is often criticized for its negative impact on the environment and its reliance on cheap labor. However, there are many ways that the industry can improve itself.
One way is to focus on sustainable fashion, which is clothing that is made from environmentally-friendly materials and does not contribute to pollution. Sustainable fashion is becoming increasingly popular as consumers become more aware of the environmental impact of their clothing choices.
Another way the fashion industry can improve itself is by paying fair wages to workers in developing countries. This would help to reduce poverty and improve working conditions in the countries where most clothes are manufactured.
Finally, the industry can work to reduce its overall environmental impact by using less water and energy in manufacturing and shipping processes. These are just a few of the ways that the fashion industry can improve itself.
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. 🙂
If I could start a movement that would bring the most good to most people, it would be a movement to promote kindness and compassion.
In our world today, there is so much hatred and division. We are constantly at odds with each other, and it seems like we are rarely able to find common ground. However, I believe that if we could all learn to be a little kinder and more compassionate, the world would be a much better place.
Kindness and compassion are the two qualities that I think can truly change the world. If we could learn to treat each other with these qualities, I believe that we could finally start to heal the divisions that exist between us. It might not be easy, but I think it is worth the effort. After all, what do we have to lose by trying to be kinder and more compassionate?
How can our readers further follow your work online?
You can connect with me on LinkedIn or follow Pala Leather on Instagram.
Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.
Modern Fashion: Luke Lee of PalaLeather On The 5 Things You Need To Lead a Successful Fashion Brand… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.