When your brand focuses on a specific body shape, creating clothes that fit is fairly easy. But what if you are designing for specific psychographics instead of demographics? What does fit look like then? Heidi Keil is the founder of Humble Hearts Clergy Apparel. She designs clothes for female pastors and chaplains – which is super niched on both faith values and vocation, not necessarily body type. Manufacturing clothes and a business that fits has been a prayer-filled journey for Heidi, but she serves in this way because she loves it.
In episode 115, hear how Heidi arrived at a size chart and a size range that fits the pastors she serves, why Heidi started Humble Hearts as a business but it’s turned into more of a hobby within her lifestyle, and how Heidi’s faith values and favorite bible verse inspire her humble approach to running her brand.
Heidi began designing clergy apparel, at the request of her pastor, when she was a student in an Apparel Design program. It was something Heidi continued to offer, somewhat sporadically, while working in the costume shop at The Guthrie Theater following graduation. When the theater closed due to the pandemic in 2020 she turned her time and attention to creating a line of clergy apparel (mainly due to her own need for something to fill her time). Gradually, with the help of family, friends, past instructors and work contacts she slowly developed an online presence. Humble Hearts Clergy Apparel is in its 5th year.
Where does the name come from? “…live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.” Ephesians 4:1-2
Heidi shares: “This small business has been a wonderful way to blend my interest in fashion and apparel design with my faith.”
This episode explores:
Fitting the customer
- The number of iterations it took to get the Humble Hearts size chart and size range right
- The things Heidi had to learn when she switched from her costume shop job to manufacturing clothing for Humble Hearts
- How Heidi learned what details and functionality are important for clergy apparel
- What changed when Heidi realized she didn’t have to do everything herself
Fitting the lifestyle
- Why Humble Hearts started out as a business and has now become more of a hobby for Heidi
- How Heidi’s season of life allows her the time flexibility to run Humble Hearts
- How those around Heidi support her in this business
- The activity that has the biggest impact on sales for Humble Hearts
Fitting the values
- Heidi’s humble approach to running her brand
- How the liturgical calendar affects Humble Hearts’ selling season
- How Heidi’s work with Humble Hearts serves a greater purpose
People and resources mentioned in this episode:
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