What inspired you to start your clothing brand, VALT?
I was inspired to launch a label by many things. I had the entrepreneurial itch to claim something as my own, I had always been obsessed with clothes and fashion, and I wanted my brand to have meaning behind it — that was the biggest thing.
After taking several business, fashion, and personal branding courses, I learned that you are best suited to serve an old version of yourself. For me, this was a painful period in my life where I struggled with postpartum depression. After re-realizing the power that getting dressed held, that was the lightening bulb moment —I wanted to make new moms feel seen outside of motherhood.
How does your clothing empower women?
I hope it does that. So much of my inspiration comes from watching "regular people" start their own companies and product lines. And there is an abundance of that here in Ridgefield, which is one of my favorite things about this town. The creativity and entrepreneurial energy of women here are extremely inspiring and push me to keep going. The whole idea behind my Getting Ready Robes is to "dress your mind right" — aka wrap yourself in glamour and luxury each morning to get you into an "I've got this" mindset.
Why does fashion fascinate you?
Fashion holds more power than any of us realize. It dictates how we represent ourselves and how we treat people. It's an industry full of history, scandal, entertainment and awe. We can use fashion and style as tools to get us to where we want to go or we can let it hold us back. Plus, fashion is just fun, period.
What challenges have you faced while building a brand?
Most of them are financial. Taking financial risks when you aren't sure if it's going to work out or not is a scary feeling. Aside from that, I have learned that you are typically the only one getting in your own way when it comes to moving forward. It can be a constant battle of self-worth and imposter syndrome that will drive you crazy if you don't have a clear "why" to your business and brand.
When it comes to Fall fashion, what trends do you anticipate us seeing most this year?
Definitely the Back-To-Basics trend. Labels like Ralph Lauren, Max Mara and The Row do an incredible job of keeping things fresh and interesting while still sticking to their roots of classic and clean design, which is what I predict the smaller brands will be doing.
I think people are going to embrace this no-fuss, foundational way of dressing via classic denim, crisp white button downs, and leather loafers. Other trends shown on the runway included Corporate Cocktail and Scarf Dressing, with hues of canary yellow, red orange, and olive oil reigning supreme.
What are some styling tips you can share with us?
However you can incorporate your personality into your look, do it. Dressing in a way that is chic yet unexpected is a tried and true way to go. Pairing a sweater with a midi skirt and mules is a good example of this. As is a sleek and tailored blazer paired with denim shorts. These juxtapositions make functional sense — at the same time, they are allowing you to be who you are without conforming to your environment or boxing you into an of-the-moment trend.
I would also say never underestimate the power of a bold lip. Swiping on a hot pink or deep red will instantly transform you into boss mode when you're in need of a little power play.
"My hope is for women to be reminded that they serve a purpose when they're wearing VALT."