Nancy Waller On Developing a Fashionable Brand

First off, let's hear about how you came to be a designer and what inspires you. 

Well anyone who knows me well, knows that I've been drawing since I was about five, but I think what led me to design was that I've always been Do-it-myself kinda girl.  From cooking, to crafting, to decorating, I've always been interested in how things are made, and figuring out how I can make it myself.  Part of it was that we didn't have a lot of money growing up so a lot of my Halloween costumes, barbie clothes, etc were made by me or my mom.  

One year I was a fairy princess for a halloween, dressed in my favorite pink dress, all i needed was a tinfoil covered crown and wand, with some pink tights stretched over hangers for my fairy wings.  Come to think of it, Halloween has always been my favorite holiday just for the excuse to make crazy costumes.  Beyond sketching and making clothes, I've always loved toys that let me build things, like legos or wooden blocks.  My first year of college was art foundation, and I basically took over my dad's garage cutting wood, spray painting, breaking glass, all for the sake of art.  It was a creative explosion.  Am I rambling now? That's my other thing, I ramble.

It's ok! Tell us everything! What lessons have you taken from your time at Macy's?  How do you apply them to your current independent work.  

I have never been much of a corporate executive type, but I actually had a great time there.  I made some great friends and invaluable contacts.  And I really learned just how small the industry is.  Everybody knows everybody.  Beyond that I was able to learn so much about the retail world, moreso that I might have learned at a smaller company. I learned how to see from the buyers point of view, how they buy and how to merchandise product on the sales floor.  So from this experience I learned how important it is to have a very unique and specific point of view in your brand otherwise you won't be able to stand out, to buyers or customers.

Also, if your brand isn't different from everything else they already have, you'll never make it to the sales floor at all, because buyers won't see the point.  On the flip side however, you don't want to be so different that buyers can't see a potential customers for your product.  I am trying to be smart when marketing myself and building my brand, and I am constantly trying to think of things from the customers point of view, essentially what can I do to my bags that will give the customer a reason to choose me over the next designer.

There is so much noise out there in the fashion industry so if I want to make an impact, it's important to be unique yet relevant to the consumer at the same time.  One aspect that really appeals to my customer base right now, is that each bag is handmade by my own hands and a unique work of art in and of itself.  But that is not a sustainable business model, so there are other things about my company that I am trying to develop such as eco-friendly manufacturing, using reclaimed or repurposed materials, using local suppliers, and yet still remaining a more affordable designer price point.

What your fans may not know is that you design an array of clothing.  Do you plan to branch out into other items in the future?  Let us know your hopes for your brand. 

I do plan to branch out into other items in the future.  For now I am focusing on the handbag collection and trying to grow that business as well as to hammer down all the details, such as where do i manufacture this stuff and how do i find the right suppliers for all my materials.  However, I have already seen some surprise success with my canvas illustrated grocery totes, which I initially had made up to use as a bag protector for the bigger bags.

Yet people seem to really love the tote itself.  So, I am thinking of adding some more simple items like that. What's in the works now is a small line of screen printed knit cotton T's with fun illustrated prints.  This is so far only in the planning stage so we may see these in the early Spring 2011.  More long term, I am planning to add other segments of business.  I do make and wear a lot of my own clothing, so of course I intend to add RTW (ready to wear) and probably jewelry as well.

What kind of look are you aiming for with your collection?  Does the collection target a particular demographic? What is your approach to marketing to that group?

I like to think of my line as tough with some pretty mixed in, though others may say it's the other way around.  Some pieces are more pretty and feminine, but a lot have studs and hardware which give it a bit of punk attitude, giving the whole collection a bit of a quirky, ecclectic mix.  I'm pretty much designing pieces that I would love to own, so in a sense I am designing for women like myself, who want something a bit different, a piece that has a special worldly aspect to it.

My approach for now, is to target the places that this kind of customer would go for a unique piece, something she has to find, and isn't going to see on the arm of every other woman in her neighborhood.  This includes smaller boutiques and trunk shows.  I think there is a void in the market in this price point, which is a designer bag, something that is fashionable and quality, yet is still under $400.  I think that customer is willing to spend a little more for a fun unique item, but let's face it, most of us can't rationalize spending a thousand dollars on a handbag.

Tell us all about how you got connected with Brooklyn Collective.  What excites you most about working with the collective? 

I met Jess Yam, who is friends with my husband, and is also a featured designer at the collective.  We started talking shop, of course, over drinks, and she told me how she was at this store in Red Hook in Brooklyn.  I was intrigued, and a few weeks later approached her about being in the store.  Jess introduced me to the girls who run the Brooklyn Collective.  I showed them my stuff and they were really excited about it.  And then, I set up shop.  Pretty simple story really.  I think the store is so interesting because the individual designers really control what they sell in the shop.  I also love it because there is such a fun mix of designers, people who sell ceramics, wall lighting, throw pillows, etc.  So there is this kind of lifestyle merchandising aspect to it:  the customer can accessorize themself and their with the same aesthetic.  That's a whole other fun lesson from my retail experience.