Successful Fashion Entrepreneurs - Just Like You: Katro
It’s a new year, and success is waiting for you. In the next several weeks, I’ll tell you the real-life success stories behind some of our innovative designers. You’ll see, they are just like you. This week we’ll focus on the launch of KATRO Studios.
Success stories inspire all of us. If they can do it. You can do it. You simply need to have an idea or vision to get started. In the case of many of our successful clients the partnership starts with our free 30 minute strategy call. If you have visions of launching a new fashion line this year, it’s a great idea to schedule that call and you’ll understand how teaming up with an experienced fashion expert and mentor, like V.Mora, can help make your new launch easier, faster, less expensive, and ultimately, more successful.
In this blog, I am featuring the KATRO Studios success story. Kathleen Rosenbloom, the founder of KATRO, started with fond childhood memories and summers on the beach in Malibu. These inspired her to redefine the concept of pajamas and loungewear. She created a luxury loungewear fashion line that was comfortable and cozy at bedtime yet also looked stylish and colorful if you decided to wear it anywhere else. Here’s her success story.
KATRO Beginning:
Kathleen treasured her childhood memories of her grandmother teaching her to sew pajamas when she was young. She loved finding comfortable, colorful prints and adding special touches of her own to create sleepwear that was both beautiful and practical.
When her own kids were young, she spent summers in Malibu where she began designing bright, colorful caftans that she could wear to the beach during the day and then dress up with lipstick and a pair of heels at night.
With her friends’ encouragement, she began selling these multi-purpose caftans at trunk shows. Her success at the shows inspired her to create Katro Studios and launch her unique line of pajamas and loungewear. Today, she creates luxury loungewear and pajamas for the woman who does everything. Her collection is designed to move with you through your busiest days, wildest nights, and laid back Sundays.
Initial Inspiration:
Kathleen’s heart lies in California, and KATRO’s colorful prints and easy silhouettes are influenced by its vast, epic beauty and outdoor living. Inspired by a love of travel, she collected ideas from around the world and integrated them into her California lifestyle. The KATRO brand she created allows you to mentally escape to another world while you are still physically in the same place. It’s a style of effortless, sophisticated luxury. Each piece serves as a direct reflection of Kathleen’s love of textiles, travel, and nature.
KATRO features a unique, free spirited collection that communicates a wanderlust sensibility into an everyday wardrobe. It’s the fusion of creativity, comfort, color, and practicality. The mood of the line projects a Bohemian-like comfort and casualness with a luxurious, sophisticated flair. Her aim is to celebrate life and all of its everyday intricacies with every item she creates.
Fabric and materials:
Kathleen’s Malibu sensibilities made her insist on the highest quality fabrics and materials. She creates colorful wardrobe fashions that last and remain vibrant year after year and wash after wash. They become your comfort clothes that cradle you when you sleep at night, and give you a stylish presence when you dress them up for day or evening wear. These fashions are designed to easily move with you through your busiest days, wildest nights, laidback Sundays, and deepest sleeps.
Currently the designs are produced in Los Angeles with extreme attention to quality and detail. Being a busy mom with kids, she understood the need for a line of comfortable, durable, colorful loungewear for the woman who does everything. The fabrics are chosen to effortlessly move with you as you go about your day. She selects brilliant, colorfast prints and easy silhouettes that are inspired by epic beauty and outdoor living.
Business model:
Kathleen took the first step from innovative designer to fashion entrepreneur when she first took some of her comfortable caftans to local trunk shows. Her success at the trunk shows gave her the courage and motivation to expand and grow.
She launched her line with an eCommerce website, KATRO.com, that features her entire line which specializes in creative pajama sets, colorful robes and caftans, and even stylish leather jackets with an LA flair. They are priced in a range that reflects the quality of the fabrics, materials, and manufacturing that goes into them. Pajamas and short sets range from about $250 to $400 a set, robes and caftans run about $450, and the quality leather jackets run a little over $1,200 each.
In addition to selling on her website, KATRO also has a strong presence and a growing community of followers on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Kathleen has shunned the enormous start-up costs of trying to sell at brick and mortar retail outlets, and opted for the speed, convenience, and economy of eCommerce.
Growing and Evolving:
KATRO’s successful launch has given new meaning to upgrading your wardrobe. Now a busy mom can look fabulous when she goes to bed at night, picks up the kids at school, binge watches her favorite show, or steps out for an evening of fun. This multi-purpose loungewear pairs extreme comfort with breathtaking beauty. Kathleen started slow by selling her fashions at trunk shows, but had the courage to take the leap and expand her brand. KATRO has now successfully launched and can evolve into the next stage of growth which is expanding and scaling the line.
Kathleen was a very busy mom inspired by some wonderful childhood memories. She embraced her vision and created a successful fashion business. She wasn’t a corporate titan in the fashion world, but she had very creative ideas that filled a niche and energized a specific target audience. She started as someone who was probably a lot like you are right now.
You may have a concept or vision for a fashion line. You might even have some samples of what you envision. If you want to take the next step and launch your line, you can do it. Kathleen’s journey is proof and her success should inspire you.
Your dreams can come true and at V.Mora, we can help you make them happen faster than you can imagine. If you want to talk about it, schedule a totally free, a 30 minute strategy call. We want to hear your ideas and help you. You can schedule a call right now HERE and we can get you started.
Your ideas today could be your success tomorrow. You owe it to yourself to schedule a call with us and discuss what your options are. Your potential is unlimited. You just need the right team on your side, and your dreams can come true.
Stuck on product Production? At V.Mora we can help you through the entire production process from designing, to sourcing and so on through our Production Development services. If you are in need of the following Development and Production services:
Sourcing
Technical sketches
Pattern Making
Prototype making
Sample Making
Fittings
Digitizing and Grading
Marker Making
Manufacturing
Please contact us at: vmorainquiry@vmora.com
