Her Story
About Myriam
I've been in the fashion industry for over 30 years, and I can honestly say I've worked in every area of it. I started in New York in 1986-87 in quality control, then moved into production coordination and technical design, working with private label companies developing brands for Saks Fifth Avenue, JCPenney, BB Cache, and other well-known retailers. After close to 20 years doing that, I launched my own menswear line, though it was a difficult time in the industry with manufacturing moving overseas and many layoffs. In 2006, I moved to Atlanta to reinvent myself. I did my homework and realized there were no service companies there like in New York, so I opened Atlanta Sewing and Pattern Making Services, a development company where I worked with emerging designers and entrepreneurs who wanted to create their own brands. I ran that company for close to 22 years, and it became the number one company in Atlanta. In 2020, during the pandemic, I created Kinabella, a sustainable lifestyle brand focused on loungewear and resort wear made from luxury fabrics like modal. The brand is all about healthy wear for modern living, because I believe people eat healthy and exercise, but they don't think about what they wear. I design my own prints, and the whole focus is on sustainability for the woman who loves color and wants comfort while caring about the environment. Last year I moved to Florida because people told me the brand would do well here. I also published my first book in March called 'Fashion Blueprint: How to Build Your Brand,' sharing everything I've learned step-by-step. I'm originally from Barbados, I have one daughter, and I've been single for 11 years because I'm so focused on what I do. I love to travel, experience different cultures, spend time with friends, cook, and entertain. I'm very giving and nurturing, and I love mentoring emerging designers.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Myriam
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to resilience and alignment. Resilience is what has kept me in my business for all these years. The fashion industry has gone through so many changes, from manufacturing moving overseas to the pandemic shifting everything, but I've always found a way to adapt and keep going. Whether it was leaving New York for Atlanta to reinvent myself, or creating a new brand during the pandemic when I saw the industry changing again, resilience has been my foundation. The second key is alignment - staying aligned with my passion and purpose. I've been fortunate to be able to live out my passion, which is fashion, and to have worked in every area of the industry. When you're aligned with what you love, even the hard work doesn't feel like work because the love and passion is so much greater than the physical effort.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would say if you already have a passion, follow it, because it never becomes work. I can attest to that from my own experience. Although in most cases, following your passion makes you work much, much harder than if you had a 9-to-5 job or something you weren't too passionate about, I've found that I've worked so much harder than when I was working for someone else in the industry. But you have to be ready to work harder than if you were working for someone else. At the end, it would be rewarding. And sometimes, in most cases, it doesn't feel like work because the love and passion is so much greater than the hard work, than the physical hard work. A lot of creative people, a lot of designers and entrepreneurs will attest to that, because it's your passion.
03What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Honesty is at the top for me, whether it's in a professional business setting or personal. I think honesty should be, for me it's top, because if you have honesty, everything else just falls in place. If you're an honest person, the rest follows naturally. Beyond that, I'm very giving and nurturing. I love to share and give, more so than to receive. I have mentees that I'm working with, and it's from my heart. I've seen a big difference in their business in terms of rebranding, quality control, and being more hands-on. I also believe strongly that it takes a village - you can't clap with one hand, clapping with one hand won't make any kind of noise. You need two hands to clap that make noise, but just imagine having 100 hands clapping. That's what I've used throughout my journey in life. It takes a village in life in general, in your community, to grow your business, to help you within your living community, your home community. Everything takes a village - building a business, building a brand.
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