Modern Fashion: Marissa Tilley of Lady Black Tie On The 5 Things You Need To Lead a Successful Fashion Brand Today
An Interview With Candice Georgiadice
Don’t be intimidated by the bigger players. The first thing to know about selling fashion, and the thing I love about it — it’s not a winners-take-all market. All the big time fashion websites can’t have every idea and design. As a small brand you can absolutely make it and scale incredibly fast.
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 Marissa Tilley.
Marissa Tilley is both a dress designer and an e-commerce brand owner of Lady Black Tie, one of the fastest-growing formalwear retailers. Starting from humble beginnings as a small retail store in 2018, Lady Black Tie now ships thousands of gowns a month all over the world.
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”?
I was in the right place at the right time; I got invited to walk the runway in New York Fashion Week Fall 2008 for Couture evening gown designers. I walked in 9 different shows my first season and wore the most glamorous formal gowns. I continued to come back to NYFW almost every season through my 20’s — always walking in stunning couture gowns. This experience left me with a romanticized impression of the formal wear niche. Almost 10 years after my very first runway show in September 2008 and a nagging desire to ditch the 9–5 corporate world, I went all in and opened the business in 2018.
Can you tell us the story about what led you to this particular career path?
I worked some jobs in my 20’s that I thought I’d like; however, I found myself pretty disengaged. I would look at the clock waiting for it to say 5 pm. I started questioning my workday and taking some ‘self-inventory’; is this how I want to be spending my days? I daydreamed of escaping and doing something fun throughout the day.
I started working on the business plan for Lady Black Tie a year before we opened. Running a business truly becomes a lifestyle, and if you love what you do, it doesn’t feel like work at all. I now have the opposite problem with looking at the clock — I get so engaged with what I’m working on that I don’t realize how many hours have passed until my husband reminds me how late it is. This was the ‘Aha’ moment when you know you’re in the right place.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?
I think COVID was a pretty big plot twist. It taught me in real time that there are no guarantees. If you told me in February 2020 that every prom and major gathering would be canceled in April I wouldn’t have believed it. Thankfully our overhead was low because the business was still so new, and I always operated 100% debt free, so we were able to make it through pretty unscathed and quickly pivot to selling elopement dresses for a time being!
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?
I suppose you have to have a higher tolerance for risk to go out and start a business.
What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?
We design and manufacture a lot of the dresses ourselves! I spend countless hours researching designs, making samples, and testing new styles. We’re building up our own line which helps us stand out from other formalwear businesses who are typically buying inventory from the same places.
Do you have a favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share a story of how that was relevant to you in your life?
“Adapt your game according to your results” You can only plan for so much, the rest you have to work with the cards you’ve been dealt. In our first 3 years in business we’ve dealt with COVID, major supply chain issues, outgrowing our warehouse too quick, etc…. Somehow we just make it work and adapt to each challenge.
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?
I like seeing more American manufacturing come back! This reduces shipping costs and lead times.
Can you share how your brand is helping to bring goodness to the world?
I always say with formalwear, I chose a career path that focuses on the ‘lighter side of life’. Many of our customers get very excited when it comes to picking out what they will wear for a special moment or occasion in their lives! I love being a little part in helping women find something they feel confident wearing.
Can you share with our readers about the ethical standards you use when you choose where to source materials?
We work with factories that are Fair Trade and compensate their employees with a living wage. One of our manufacturers is 100% American made and we proudly display this on each product listing!
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?
We don’t sell fast fashion so we can’t really comment.
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.
1. Don’t be intimidated by the bigger players. The first thing to know about selling fashion, and the thing I love about it — it’s not a winners-take-all market. All the big time fashion websites can’t have every idea and design. As a small brand you can absolutely make it and scale incredibly fast.
2. Know your niche well and create brand identity. We sell formalwear. Our website is just dresses and that is all we focus on. I don’t venture into activewear or ready-to-wear. Even during COVID when everyone was getting heavily into loungewear, we stayed in our lane. The only segments of formalwear selling through COVID lockdowns were elopement dresses, ‘minimony’ and engagement photo dresses, but we stayed true to our brand identity and didn’t deviate.
3. If you are designing and manufacturing, study your market. I have 3 instagrams. 1 is my personal, 2 is the business, and the 3rd is my ‘market research’ where I am following hundreds of dress brands and dress stores. I scroll it at least once a day like you would read a newspaper. I’m following to keep an eye on what’s trending and to keep a pulse on the market.
4. Content is king in the age of the internet. Clicks, views and engagement are the currency of the realm, and the surest way to establish yourself. My #1 expense is inventory and my #2 expenses are advertising and creating content!
5. Have Fun. All of the work you put into your fashion brand is ultimately pointless if you’re stressed out about it.. If I find myself ‘lost in the weeds’ or wrapped up in dealing with a difficult customer, I often step back and remind myself “Marissa, it’s just dresses… you’re just selling dresses here….” It’s alright to have fun on the job so long as the work is getting done; and not every day is going to be easy, but remember why you started — because you love what you do!
Every industry constantly evolves and seeks improvement. How do you think the fashion industry can improve itself? Can you give an example?
Less fast fashion, more clothing built to last.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
They can check out www.ladyblacktie.com!
Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.
Modern Fashion: Marissa Tilley of Lady Black Tie On The 5 Things You Need To Lead a Successful… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.