Clarisse Lalonde-Sauvé
WEBSITE: www.flairxempire.com
| Tell us a little bit about yourself. And briefly talk about your services or what you sell: | I am a fashion designer based in Ottawa, Canada, and I've established the label Flair Empire. As a designer, I like to take everyday wear, and make it elevated. I take inspiration from video games, cars and architecture. My goal as a designer is to create unique designs that empower and boost the confidence of those who wear them. I strive to offer ethically-made, quality designs that stand out for their distinctiveness. Some of my interests outside of fashion I love learning about: - The planet, the environment, sustainability and recycling. - The world, our discoveries and evolution, our technology. - Nature, architecture and psychology. - I love learning how things are made or how they work- I find this world so intriguing. Hobbies - Thrifting - Home decor shopping - Spending time in nature and with animals. - Hot tubs and the beach |
| What inspired you to start your business? | I've always loved being creative, from making crafts with recycled materials, to doodling, starting my own t-shirt line, studying architecture. Growing up, I was immersed in a world of video games and fantasy thanks to my brother, and quickly became intrigued by the fashion and clothing I saw in these games. I wondered why characters had such cool clothes, and why our clothing was so boring. Now as a designer, I bring the fashion I saw in video games into real life everyday clothing. I enjoy taking basic pieces like sweatpants, leggings, or a t-shirt and finding cool, creative ways to elevate them- adding contrasting panels or style lines/seams? Using an unconventional fabric to make it? Adding chains, embroidery, pendants or jewelry to the garment? Changing the proportions, adding volumes... A short story about the downfall of my first business: During the pandemic, I approached my cousin about starting a t-shirt business. I would be in charge of design and production, and she did marketing. The business was booming, and we couldn't keep up with demand. At that point I decided to talk to my cousin about outsourcing help for production, but she refused, insisting that we had to be making everything ourselves? A few days later, she messages me saying if I can't keep up with production, then we need to shut down. She then asked me what it would take, to buy me out of my own business. I was devastated, the brand had become my everything. I realized that I would have to start over on my own. If I was going to do this, I wanted to do more than just t-shirts. I started teaching myself how to sew, and got the hang of it quickly, but I wanted to refine my skill to have quality product that I could sell with confidence, so I enrolled in fashion design program. Fast-forward two years, and I'm showcasing my 8-look collection on a runway and receiving the "Designer of the Year" award. Since then, I've been working on my label and doing contract work on the side. |
| What problem does your business solve? | Flair Empire resonates with those who seek unique, ethically-made pieces stand out for their distinct aesthetic, instantly boost confidence and give a sense of superiority. We solve the problem of dull, boring disposable fashion that has no personality, and the unethical working conditions associated with fast fashion production. The purpose of Flair Empire is to create the uniform of empowerment-pushing for self-expression through fashion, and a quality-over-quantity consumer mindset. We want ethically-made fashion will become the new luxury fashion. |
| What daily habits contribute to your success? | Every morning when I wake up, I make a list of priorities I need to work on. I make sure to always have lists of things I need to/would like to work on. Some tasks I dread more than others, I try to get those ones out of my way first. Best for last. I try to complete tasks from start to finish as much as possible to feel accomplished and cross them off my list. If a task is likely to take more than a day, I break it down into steps, and write out the steps on my todo list rather than the entire project. Looking at a big project to do without breaking it down leads to easy procrastination. Breaking down the tasks makes a project much more approachable. I also regularly remind myself that owning a business is a lot of work, and that I should be working as much as I possibly can. Breaks are important too. If you are too tired and burnt out, your work quality will go down dramatically, you might even backtrack yourself. Finding a balance is always tricky, but really its all about listening to what your body is telling you. |
| How do you stay motivated during tough times? | I remind myself that I am responsible for my own life and success. If I don't do it, no one else will. If I stay determined and persevere, I can succeed. There's that saying, "You can do anything you set your mind to". A good daily reminder. I remind myself why I started. I try to imagine what my business could become, if I just keep going. I tell myself that if I don't do it, someone else will. When it comes to social media and posting regularly, if I'm struggling, I try to tell myself that my online community expects me to keep going (it works!) |
| What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received as an entrepreneur? | These quotes have stuck with me since I started: "Focus on one thing & do it well" - Taking on too many projects or tasks can result in rushed work and reduced quality output. Having a diversity of tasks to do is inevitable as a business owner, but remembering to focus on your purpose, reason or end goal will keep you on track. This quote is also especially valuable for creatives who have so many different ideas for products. Its easy to get carried away with all of our ideas and work on 20 projects at once. But none of those 20 projects will turn out as good as if you had spent more time on a few thought-out projects instead. "It takes a long time to become an overnight success" - A good reminder when it feels like I'm not progressing, when I feel guilty for not doing enough, or when I feel down. S/O to my dad for sending me that one. I'll never forget it. "You don't know the behind-the-scenes." - A good reminder when I happen to compare myself to others, especially with social media. |
| What does success mean to you? | I think like most people, I will feel successful when I can use my passion (for design) to make a living for myself, but I also want those who wear Flair Empire to strut like they own the world, turn heads, and to feel that they can take on anything. I hope that one day, Flair Empire could be recognized on the streets, as a symbol of how impactful, and empowering fashion can be. I would love to foster a community of powerful and confident fashion enthusiasts that are as excited about fashion as I am, and want more diversity, self-expression and personality in the industry. |
PRODUCT + SERVICES:
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