Episode Transcript
Speaker 0 00:00:07 Hi everyone. I'm Courtney Wright, host of Lady Boss Podcast. On today's episode, we're gonna learn how you can combine your passion with your business life. Chloe Mendel, the c e o of Maison Ater brings us today her fashion brand with a really interesting give back story. Let's have a listen. We are lucky today, Chloe. Thanks for being here. Thank you. Uh, we're gonna jump right into it and tell us your story. Well, I know a little bit about your entrepreneurial dad that was such a big influence and how you got started with Maison Atea, but can you just give the listeners a little bit about that story?
Speaker 2 00:01:05 Yeah. Well, I don't even know where to start. Um, technically I'm a sixth generation furrier. Um, my family started in Russia. Um, we were just Jewish humble furriers that, um, eventually started making furs for the sar 'cause in the ghetto the Jews made fur. That was just our trade. And then, um, over the revolution in Russia, my great-grandparents, uh, moved to Paris, and that's where my grandfather was born. And that's where the brand, my father's brand, Jay Mende, was named Jay Mendel because it was really just Mendel, which was generations before that. Um, one of my great-great-great grandfather's first names, and then my grandfather's name was Jack, so he put J in front of it. And my father grew up in the fur industry in Paris. Um, my grandparents are Holocaust survivors. And then my dad took his Parisian family business, you know, of making furs upstairs in the atelier on Ru Santano in Paris.
Speaker 2 00:02:07 And he brought it to America and had the American dream and knocked on Bergdorf Goodman went to Elizabeth Arden and they, he had his first, first salon on the second floor of Elizabeth Arden. Eventually his super sheed minks became very popular 'cause they felt like cashmeres and my grandfather had a heart attack. 'cause why would you cut the hair of a mink <laugh>? It's beautiful, right? But, you know, my dad did it. And that's kind of what brought him into some sort of notoriety at the time where stores started buying his pieces. And then the rise of PETA came and his first boutique on Madison Avenue started getting graffiti at night. And I remember going to school every morning, we'd walk to school and we would see graffiti on the windows, stickers on the windows. Um, this was just the times. And a lot of these activist movements were very popular.
Speaker 2 00:02:55 And so he would put dresses in the windows at night to ward off graffiti artists. Sure. And one day, I believe it was Aaron Lauder, walked in, he goes, I want one of those dresses. And my dad's like, what? Like that, that he's like, okay. And then he tumbled into being one of the biggest well-respected red carpet dress designers in the world. So, um, I worked for my dad on and off and I also worked for him after I dropped out of college, but, um, after college and participated in his couture collection in Paris. And then I decided that I wanted to have my own brand. 'cause I knew I wanted, well, I had my son, but it's like, I know I wanna work for myself and do something that's more meaningful to me today. And so that's when I started Meia, which is a luxury faux fur brand where every coat sold, rescues a homeless pet, and we're a hundred percent sustainable. So the idea was that we're making products that are more in line with my values today. And I think we're modernizing my family legacy with me. Well,
Speaker 0 00:04:02 There's a lot to unpack there, <laugh>. We are gonna unpack all of that. Yeah. Um, so your dad's super influential in your life in a six generation business. It's pretty remarkable. Um, I really like how you've, uh, made it relevant for today's consumer, both in terms of the product, which I want you to talk a little bit about, but your give back cause. So just so the audience hears that again, would you just remind us how it works, uh, when you sup, how you support Pause through it, purchase of your product? Yeah.
Speaker 2 00:04:30 Yeah. So, um, I am now on the development board of paws, and I'm, I'm very actively involved. I have five pets. I mean, you know, it's a zoo in my house in, in addition to the children. And so I reached out to the PAWS community and I said, you know, I really wanna have my business be charitable from day one. How do we do this? So we discussed like all the different levels of like how you can donate, right? And we decided that, well, they, they informed me that the cost of transporting pets to their facility from different cities, from different states, from volunteers driving, you know, it costs money. The cars, the gas, the people, sometimes they go to disaster areas like, like hurricanes in the south. And they're just emptying these shelters that are abandoned with pets and bringing them here to the incredible medical center. So, um, we, they define what that average cost is, and we go, you know what? Let's pay for the transport of pets. Hmm. So every coat sold, rescues a homeless pet. Why? Meaning we, we pay for the transportation of the pet to the medical facility so they can have a guaranteed life of health and a home.
Speaker 0 00:05:35 It's incredible. I see your passion about that. And I know that, you know, uh, everything I've read pa businesses that have a purpose and a passion outside of just bringing the register are always so much more successful. How do you define success for Maison Naate?
Speaker 2 00:05:51 I, you know, it's a hard question. 'cause we are still a new brand. We, I mean, we're, what, four or five years old and considering we just are getting outta a pandemic mm-hmm. <affirmative>. So we lost basically, let's say two years of normalcy. Yeah. Um, and it's given us also opportunity to rethink what we're doing. Grow, um, think sideways, you know, angular. Like you have to just be creative, especially when you're a small business navigating, uh, difficult times.
Speaker 0 00:06:16 What does the next couple milestones look like and what does success look like for you? Sure.
Speaker 2 00:06:20 So success for me personally, I think it's being able to balance a great home life where, you know, your family and your children are a priority. They feel that. And you feel, let's say, secure at home, you feel happy, you're accomplishing the things you wanna do. You know, I can take my kids to the park if I want to, and all of those great things. So spending time with my children is my number one prior priority. But also being able to work with really great people, do inspiring things, create, um, and it's exciting. We're on the forefront of sustainability as a brand. We're on the forefront of charitable causes and creating products that women look and feel beautiful in. So for me, it's just like a balance of all of that. Now, yes, it would be great if, you know, one day, you know, we are huge and we're everywhere and every, you know, we're that number one brand. But for now, it's the taking the steps to get there by and still not compromising what is important to us as values as a business owner, as a boss. Right? Yeah. I have people who work for me. I want them to feel happy and also feel good about what they're doing every day. And it's important to create that environment and grow and strategically grow slowly and thoughtfully and craftfully and every day. It's, what can we do today to do better at what we're doing? And, you know, we ask those questions.
Speaker 0 00:07:37 You know, in some ways I think your youth has probably helped you. You are gonna grow your business during a time where social media is such an influence on a brand. But how has maybe, um, your youth been a hindrance since starting up this company?
Speaker 2 00:07:54 I think, you know, five years ago compared today, I, as much as I am the same person, I've learned a lot about who I am. And I think my confidence level has changed significantly. Um, I am, I'm, yeah, I think confidence is a big shift for me in those years. Right? Um, you know, I had a six month old baby when I started my business. Um, I, I have advisors and I still, I go to advisors every day. I wor I ask people questions. This is something that I think is crucial for anyone starting a business. Doesn't matter what, how old you are, right? There are people who've done it. There are successful people, there are people, they made mistakes. You don't need to repeat those mistakes. Yeah. Now there are mistakes you are gonna make and that's totally fine. But don't repeat mistakes that you don't have to.
Speaker 2 00:08:37 When you could just ask someone what did you do? And how could you avoid that? Right? So I talk to people, I ask questions and I'm not afraid of asking questions. But I think now, today, when people ask me more about what I'm doing and why I'm doing it, I am less scared to say, I just wanna do something that I love. You know, where at the time it was like, is that selfish? Is that okay? Yeah. Can I have a startup? Am I selfish to be a mom and start a business? 'cause people would say, why are you doing that? Or like, isn't it hard? And yeah, it is hard. And yeah, I am exhausted. And especially when I was breastfeeding and all that, I was like working between hours sometimes, like from 11:00 PM to 1:00 AM between feedings. 'cause I was up anyways. So you just have to be creative and not afraid of what people are gonna say to you about it.
Speaker 0 00:09:21 Yeah. I mean, um,
Speaker 2 00:09:23 But yeah, that's where use comes in. 'cause I could stay up from 11 to one and do that. <laugh>. Yeah.
Speaker 0 00:09:27 Dinging. Dinging, ding <laugh>. That's for sure. Um, now tell us, when I think, and I listen to your story, you know, you mentioned Paris, you mentioned New York. Those are places people start fashion brands. Yeah. How is it to start a fashion brand in Chicago?
Speaker 2 00:09:41 So it started in New York. Okay. So, um, our office is still there. And to be honest, I don't think it's that easy to have a fashion brand in Chicago because the resources are in New York. So you depend, there are resources in Los Angeles, New York, Paris, and I think we're small atelier. We make things in-house. We work with craftsmen that have history in fur. 'cause you know, fur now is becoming less and less popular. It's not a bad product. I think fur is stealing an incredible product. I never talk badly about fur, even though I do have a faux fur brand. Um, but those craftsmen are also generational businesses. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. And they have a skill that is not easily taught. And so we work with Furriers, creating faux furs with the eyes of a furrier. Right. With the craftsmanship that can be applied. And that's something that nobody in any other field, unless they have a history in fur making can do.
Speaker 2 00:10:37 'cause it's just a vernacular that's not just translated. So that's what makes us different. I think, you know, people who own furs and love fur, who might not wanna wear it today, they look at ours and they go, wow, I'm not really changing what I love. I'm not sacrificing, it's not a, you know, a trade for like a cheaper piece. I'm really buying something of value that I love and hopefully will share with my daughter or, you know, my niece or my sister. Yeah. So, um, now I think during the pandemic I was able to learn how to work remotely easier, where I was flying a lot more often. Okay. Um, I created an environment in my home where I could translate things where I could talk to people regularly. You know, zoom is a great tool that we all have adopted. Um, but yeah, it's not easy. And I, I think in the end, you, I still have to go to New York a lot. It's not gonna only be in Chicago. Sure. But, you know, we have a great community for sales. Right. A lot of great women here. Um, Chicago is a market that's not as, I think, as embraced as it should be. Um, we have a lot of fashionable women here who love it and wanna be supportive. And you do have people here who can make things. So we, we kind of, we work with everyone, but I'm still based in New York.
Speaker 0 00:11:50 Yeah, that makes more sense. I think. Um, certainly there are a lot of grower multiplier women that can influence your brand and, and mm-hmm. <affirmative>, certainly some specialty stores. As you look out at retail and, and distribution in general, how is has the pandemic changed distribution for clothing, which is basically what you're making
Speaker 2 00:12:11 The pandemic has changed how people shop. I, I think mm-hmm. <affirmative>, um, and because comfort, right? Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, um, we haven't really gotten into the habit of dressing up for work and dressing up after work as a regular occurrence as it used to be. Right. So when you're buying something, what are you buying that you're gonna use and love and wear all the time? And I think those are questions people are asking themselves now, right? Yeah. Um, you know, people lounge, wear sleepwear all skyrocketed during the pandemic. Um, high-end clothes, not so much <laugh>. And we know why. So I think women now are so eager to dress up and feel beautiful and wear the stuff they haven't worn in two years and also shop new clothing. Right. So I think we're now turning into another chapter of this where it's, it's gonna be a whole different shopping experience. And it was before, I mean, you'd go to stores and you'd see a lot of cashmere sets. Um, I already bought a few cashmere sets, I'm not gonna buy more now. Right? Yeah. So now I wanna buy things that I'm gonna wear and in the summer go out and go out to dinner and be out with my friends and, you know, we all like getting dressed up, who doesn't. Yeah.
Speaker 0 00:13:22 Yeah. Do you think, uh, is there a place for mass retail going forward? Or, uh, will you really focus on, um, both your own, uh, direct to consumer as well as specialty stores?
Speaker 2 00:13:33 Um, for my business, I, I'm a firm believer of direct to consumer and having close relationships with our customers. Right. Um, to this day, I still do most a majority of our sales. I go meet with customers, I bring coats to their homes. Um, we create appointments. They go, what can I wear with this piece? Um, it's really a personal experience and we make custom pieces. Um, we, we are at the moment, my brand is the go-to for Foer, right? Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. So if you are looking for, a lot of brands have like one piece, one piece, a crazy piece, like, but we kind of offer the collection. So if you're like, you know, I just want something that's gonna cover me up that's warm, that's super soft and elegant that I can wear dressed up or down, we're gonna have that. And so that's something that I love working with our customers, our friends, our community, and you know, we love doing stuff in people's homes, doing small boutiques. I think niche retailers are such a great place for people to shop. You know, I'd say shop local. Yeah. You don't have to go to a big store. There's nothing wrong with big stores. But that's not really for me today. Um, I wanna work with a store that loves who I, my brand loves what we do and will tell their customers about it because it's hard to know that we're charitable and all those great factors. Sure. Um, when you're amongst thousands of other brands in a store. So,
Speaker 0 00:14:54 Um, and as I understand it, you um, started your company with a partner. Yeah. Um, tell the listeners what are some things that they would wanna think about when selecting a partner? 'cause I think you've had a successful relationship that way.
Speaker 2 00:15:10 I think <laugh>, you wanna find someone that's really good at the things that you're not good at, right? Yeah. I mean, that's, that's just it. It's the skills of the things that you don't wanna do, which aren't necessarily not necessarily bad things. Right? Yeah. Um, like dealing with money, like no, oh no, I can't <laugh> like people, it takes me like weeks to sign a check on time. Like, it, it's, it's just like the thought process of it. So I need someone who's like really good at looking at numbers, really good about thinking strategically. Like, Hey, like three months from now we gotta make stuff. Like, oh yeah. Like, I'm, I'm bad with time. I'm bad with just like, everything you need to like, organize. That's not me. So I need, I knew I needed someone who's organized. I knew I needed someone who could be like, Hey, this is a great opportunity. Why don't we think about it? Not the night before, but like, you know. Yeah. Um, and properly do it. So, um, Gustav Misson Rouge is my partner and he is so lovely, so amazing. He, he's so conversational, easygoing, and people just love him. So, um, I'm so, uh, lucky to have him and he's been a great partner for us.
Speaker 0 00:16:19 So you focus on all things creative and sales? Yes. Okay. And what are some ways that you make time to, you know, it's hard to do creative work when you're very, very busy and you have mm-hmm. <affirmative> a very packed schedule. How do you let that creativity come out?
Speaker 2 00:16:35 It's hard. And I'm not, honestly, I don't have the, the answer to that right now. 'cause I still have trouble, uh, let's say compartmentalizing my schedule in a way that I can really create to the best of my ability. I still think I get distracted. I have too much on my mind. Um, on the days that I have to dedicate to design, I really kind of put nothing else in my schedule. Okay. Um, because I might wanna go and take a walk and I might wanna make myself lunch. But those are all things I need to like, be in a zen moment to think about and do research. It's a lot of research. Yeah. I mean, a lot of times the design part, I don't even do anything on paper or talk about it until I've been looking for days on like archives, fashion shows, what people are doing, what other people you have to know what other people are doing today. Right. So much competition. And there are a lot of other brands have so much more technology than I have access to. Mm. So it's just be keeping up to that, what can I offer that no one else can offer? Um, and like I said, you always as a small brand have to think about those things and be willing to make adjustments and changes in real time. Right. Yeah.
Speaker 0 00:17:39 Yeah. It's a lot. I mean, I think, uh, it's hard, you know, it, it's always hard to understand from the consumer standpoint what goes into the end product. And when I hear all those stories, I, uh, you know, I often wonder and been through the entrepreneurial journey, how you get through it when, when it is a small team, what are some, you know, milestone things as you just look forward in the next year that you'd like to tackle, which will really help you get to some of these goals more easily.
Speaker 2 00:18:03 So I'm so excited you'll get, this is the first announcement of it, I think publicly. Oh, I feel very lucky.
Speaker 2 00:18:09 Yeah. We are expanding our offering, so we are breaking seasonality over time. Right. 'cause that's really important. Right now we're a Foer brand. Um, we sell heavily in winter, but I'd like to be able to offer things year round. So we launched raincoats, they're made of a hundred percent recycled, but water bottles are super cute, lightweight, easy. They kind of fit all body types, like really happy with those. And we'll be launching Home Goods this fall. Wow. Which I'm so excited for. Pillows, throws, um, custom pieces, upholstery. So I'm, I'm really excited for this. And they're really beautiful. Um, in addition to our fall collection, what's gonna come out anyways. Yeah. Um, so, you know, it's the steps like knowing what can we do that I'm really confident in that feels good, looks good. That, um, I mean, at the moment most of our customers are women, so I say women will love Yeah. And, um, that no one else can do. And I think we, we've tapped into that and I'm really excited to see the feedback. I'm, I'm seeing a lot about this and watch <laugh>.
Speaker 0 00:19:08 Wow. That's exciting.
Speaker 2 00:19:09 Hopefully, hopefully it's as lump as much as I think it will be.
Speaker 0 00:19:11 And I think that'll, that will lead you to a, another group of, uh, consumers. Mm-hmm. Which is you'll need to also partner up with designers and, um, people that can offer those things into their client's home. So good for you. I mean, um, you know, I don't know, a lot of people know that you also own a cafe and, and a venue space and, and probably a number of other businesses. But, um, you know, just a little more time, you know, as I look at your schedule, it, it's really packed plus a lot of travel, both to see your family, et cetera. Do you have any, um, hacks that you like to use to make your days, um, feel more in control, which is tough when you're an entrepreneur?
Speaker 2 00:19:47 Uh, I don't know if it's hacks. I think it's discipline. Right? Okay. Um, I'm up at five, uh, no excuses. And people always say, well, I don't know how you do it. You know, I don't like it <laugh>. I don't wake up at five and be like, yes, my day is gonna start. It's great. Every time I wake up at five, I'm like, should I sleep it every single time? I'm like, maybe today's a day, maybe I'm tired today. Like it's, I always go through those thoughts and then like in those five minutes between five and 5 0 5, I'm like, Hmm, do I really need to do that? Call at 9:00 AM and do I wanna out, like, it's, it's always a battle. Um, but I make myself get up and I do work out. Um, and it's not so much the piece before the children because my children are late sleepers.
Speaker 2 00:20:29 They wake up at eight. It's like <laugh>. I don't it, it's not about that. It's really just about being productive. And, uh, in those few hours in the morning, you have nothing else distracting you. No one's calling you. You have far less emails happening at the same time, far less people coming up and asking you questions. So I can just do a lot of the to-do list things that I keep postponing or putting off at that time. And then when I get to the date, I can get interrupted. I can get carried away. I can get distracted. I can go on a tangent about talking about, I don't know, the color red for two hours and not worry about, oh my God, I'm not gonna get my work done. Yeah. Um, and then when it gets to dinner time, I kind of just stop and I go, I'm just with my kids now. I'll sit on Instagram if I want to. I'll watch kids' movies. Um, we'll bake cookies and my kids get my full attention pretty much after six o'clock and they go to bed at 10 30. So they have me for a little bit. They're not like seven o'clock sleepers.
Speaker 0 00:21:28 You are, uh, so impressive. Chloe. I, I think what you've started, 'cause I know this is just the start of the journey for you is, uh, really remarkable and I look forward to seeing how Maier expands, which you told us, and just how you personally continue to evolve. I've, uh, known you a few years and I can see that confidence building and it's really terrific to see a, a woman with a sixth generation, um, family company. It's, it's just a lot about who you are a family's so important to you, um, and the, the discipline. I think that's a great way to wrap up What I see in you is that you are such a disciplined person. And I think people need to know this is, uh, entrepreneurship is not something that's easy. Yeah. And, uh, I love that you nod to that. Uh, you know, just, it is what it is. You
Speaker 2 00:22:12 Just, you have to love it, you know? Yeah. Because like, people go, oh, don't you go out, don't you want to like drink, don't have party? I'm like, but no, because then in the morning I don't feel good and then I'm really stressed out for the next two days about all the things I didn't get to or I forgot. So it, it's, that is fun for me. And yeah, there are due nights that I go out and I do travel and I take weekends here and there, but, um, when you love what you're due, you don't feel like it's a sacrifice. And I think that's super important. You have to follow your passion and it could work, it could not work, but you don't wanna regret later, did I not try it? Right. Yeah. Um, and I love that my children get to experience my chaotic life and be with me throughout those times. Um, and they see it and they're there and they're helping. And my daughter shoots some of my Instagram content 'cause I'll be like, stand there with the camera <laugh>. And she doesn't, she
Speaker 0 00:23:02 Doesn't, yeah. I I don't think you ever regret, um, having your kids involved in your business, you know, instilling a work ethic in, in the people that we birth is, uh, probably one of the number one goals. So, good for you. Yeah. Well, I, I, uh, congratulate you on everything you're doing and I really look forward to what's next for Chloe and Lizzo.
Speaker 2 00:23:20 Thank you, <laugh>.
