Starting a Fashion Brand with No Fashion Experience with Xi Chen of Sonderlier

Have you ever thought about launching your own fashion brand - but wondered where you'd ever get the experience to start? Many of us go to college and focus on majors that we never end up using IRL. And sometimes, brick-and-mortar retail experience just isn't going to cut it. Xi Chen went from getting her PhD to realizing she wanted to start her own fashion brand. Her brand Sonderlier is truly a brand all of us will appreciate post-COVID. Focused on every day essentials, Sonderlier is a brand you can shop and feel good about adding extra pieces to your closet. Xi's journey hasn't come without challenges - from learning how to get a fashion brand off the ground, to understanding what consumers value and seek in clothing - Xi has gone through just about every hurdle modern entrepreneurs face today. What you will learn: The conversation that changed everything for Xi Why trade shows are so important if you’re starting a fashion brand The steps that Xi took after the trade show to figure out how to launch Why it’s so important to find a community you can learn from The community Xi joined - and how she used it to her advantage Why it’s important for Xi to have design control with her brand How Xi navigated overproduction with manufacturing and identifying the right manufacturers Why overconsumption and overproduction is such an issue in the fashion industry How Sonderlier’s fashion for everyday combats overconsumption What Xi believes it’s going to take to reduce fast fashion Check out Sonderlier - https://sonderlier.com/ (https://sonderlier.com) Follow Sonderlier on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/sonderlier/ (https://www.instagram.com/sonderlier/) Follow TNBT on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thenextbigthingpod/ (https://www.instagram.com/thenextbigthingpod/) Contact us - hello@thenextbigthingpodcast.com