Designer Discussion: Inside the TRUUdesigns Studio with Louise and Catharine

Dear Pennies,

This past week, I interviewed Founder and Entrepreneur, Louise Wannier and Creative Director Catharine Stebbins of forthcoming fashion design house, TRUUdesigns. TRUUdesigns is based in Old Pasadena, California and is a house tailored for women who know themselves, fashion, and style. With their upcoming e-commerce site and StyleBar event, these ladies are a focused duo of entrepreneurship and design. Please check out the interview below to learn more about how they plan to allow women to virtually style themselves on their e-commerce site and receive consultations in person at the StyleBar event.

DLP (de la Pen): What do you do at TRUUdesigns Studio?

TD (TRUUdesigns): As entrepreneurs, we love all facets of structuring and building our business. Our hands-on management policy has us involved in every detail of the business, including designs conception, fabric choices, curated style details, organization of the actual production process, and creating our website and marketing materials! We want to ensure that our customers will truly enjoy their shopping experiences, whether in-person or online. We work together to find the best people to partner with us in the operational and administrative aspects of our business–and we’re fortunate to have assembled a wonderful TRUUdesigns team.

DLP: What’s the inspiration behind the name “TRUUdesigns”?

TD: We think the name TRUUdesigns conjures up both the Modern Classic design aesthetic, as well as our desire to realize our core values by making a real difference in the lives of so many women who feel like fashion doesn’t listen to them. TRUU means designs for you, and we realize that meaning by inviting you to actually participate in the design process. Our design team is led by TRUUdesigns Creative Director Catharine Stebbins, whose goal is to create designs for grown-up women who seek effortless, timeless, wearable styles.

DLP: How does TRUUdesigns’ e-commerce site differ from others?

TD: We offer all our styles in ready-to-wear sizes, but each piece can also be personalized to fit each customer’s taste. You can choose a style and then personalize the piece by picking from a range of options such as sleeve style or length, skirt style or length, or neckline. The beauty of our system is that all options fit within the design integrity of each style–so you can make it TRUUly yours, uniquely you, and there is no issue with size. Since we offer personalized fit, you can choose either the size you wish, or enter your measurements and we will make precisely the right one for you.

DLP: Where does TRUUdesigns clothing come from? Who designs it? Who makes it?

TD: We design all the styles except for those that are from our partner designers. Each of our partner’s designs are selected to work well with TRUUdesigns styles so we can offer the widest range of options to our customers. Our preference is to choose sustainable, eco-friendly and/or natural fibers, and we are work largely with either local sewers or American garment construction professionals.

DLP: Who is the ideal TRUUdesigns client?

TD: We are a fashion design house for women who know themselves. Our client could be a working professional or a busy mom, but in all cases, she loves fashion and desires to express her own sense of style. She probably doesn’t have a lot of time to shop, and she may be frustrated with so much of the same out there and not enough unique for her. Our clients are most likely over 30, because we are designing for “grown-up” women who love style but don’t want to be slaves to the trend of the moment. Our clients are looking for clothes that enhance their professional, adult lifestyles as well as their figures.

DLP: What is the TRUUdesigns StyleBar?

TD: Our In-Studio launch is Sunday, January 16, 2011 from 2-5pm in Pasadena’s Old Town sector, at 93 East Union Street.

Email stylebar@truudesigns.com to RSVP for the event, and you will receive a special offer for our opening customers.

Every month, on the first Wednesday and Sunday of the month, we will be hosting TRUUdesigns StyleBars. We’ll preview new styles and fabrics, and much more. For example, we want to create a conversation with our customers in order to learn and develop the styles they dream about. This new kind of In-Studio shopping gives our customers a chance to come in and play with the fabrics and have conversations with like-minded people. From time to time we host special StyleBar events that cater to womens’ organizations of interest to the community, and to give back to those working on projects that make a difference in the community. As women, we want to honor those who donate so much time to help a diverse array of meaningful causes.

DLP: Where did the idea for the StyleBar event come from?

TD: We’ve been communicating both in-person and online with potential customers who, just like us, understand that women don’t have enough places to go and have fun. The idea came from an instinct and feeling that it would be great not just to open a design studio, but also to create a fun place to be. The StyleBars are meant to provide the opportunity to both explore your own style and fashion sense as well as meet new friends and discuss topics of interest in the community.

DLP: What goals do you hope to accomplish for TRUUdesigns in 2011?

TD: To build both a service and studio that meet the needs of our customers while increasing growth in 2012.

DLP: Where do you see TRUUdesigns in the future?

TD: We are just beginning, so we imagine it could develop in a number of directions. Short term, we hope to build a successful online presence, and also encourage the In-Studio shopping experience with Stylebar events in Pasadena. Longer term, we plan to open up sister studios in many cities across the country. Ultimately, we want to develop a nationwide conversation that explores partnership among like-minded designers who create fabulous fashions for “grown-ups.”

And there it is. The Fashion and Style of The Pen…de la Pen.

For More Information on TRUUdesigns check out these links:

TRUUdesigns on Facebook

TRUUdesigns Blog