In episode 40, Victoria Cates gives us a peek into the creative dollhouse of her whimsical, vintage-inspired slow fashion brand: Potion23.
Victoria Cates, Owner and Designer of Potion23, was born and raised in New York, earned a degree in fashion design at the Beverly Hills Design Institute in Los Angeles, and now calls St. Louis home. Victoria’s love for vintage fashion and passion for art and history has led to the birth of her own fashion line–Potion23. Victoria is driven to create by her desire for wearable silhouettes, unique prints, and her very particular taste.
Potion23 is a collection of whimsical, vintage-inspired fashion and is heavily influenced by the elegance of the 1930s and 1940s. Potion23 revives the art deco magic of these historical styles and rejuvenates them with playful modern prints and bespoke hand-embroidery for a truly individual look. Each design is an heirloom of the future, rediscovering the path of slow fashion and the pursuit of quality, locality, and sustainability.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
- How Victoria’s passion for art turned into a fashion career
- What prompted Victoria to start her own brand
- How Victoria designs pieces that are heavily influenced by vintage and historical details without making it costumey
- What inspired her upcoming collection
- How Victoria balances designing for her creative vision versus designing what sells
- How sustainability plays a role in the kind of textiles Victoria uses for her collections
- The difference Victoria has seen between in-person and online selling – and what that does for her business
- The out-of-the-box places that Victoria has found to sell her collection and connect with her customers
- Victoria’s tips for finding your customer
People and resources mentioned in this episode:
- Potion 23 website
- Victoria’s email
- Potion 23 Instagram
- Potion 23 TikTok
- Maker’s Valley
- Kansas City Fashion Week – Get your tickets to Potion 23’s runway premier on April 13th, 2022!
- May’s Place vintage store and market in Saint Louis
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