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75: Sarah Chessis, founder and CEO of Isabella Wren

A former banker from the UK, Sarah started a custom clothing company in Hong Kong for professional women’s workwear. She became an entrepreneur on the heels of the financial crisis and of becoming a single mom when she adopted her first child. Isabella Wren marries old-school artisanal sewing with cutting-edge technology, paving the way for solutions for made-to-order apparel.

In today’s episode you’ll learn:

  • Why Sarah decided to leave the banking industry
  • How Sarah financed her enterprise
  • About the latest technology in the apparel design industry
  • Sarah’s advice for aspiring entrepreneurs
75: Sarah Chessis, founder and CEO of Isabella Wren
The Jay Kim Show : Entrepreneurship | Investing | Startups
The Jay Kim Show : Entrepreneurship | Investing | Startups
Sarah Chessis, founder and CEO of Isabella Wren
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What was your biggest insight from this week’s episode? Let Jay know in the comments or on Twitter: @jaykimmer.

LINKS FROM TODAY’S EPISODE

  • Read the full transcript from Sarah’s interview
  • Find Sarah on LinkedIn
  • Find Isabella Wren on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn
  • IsabellaWren.com
  • Map of Isabella Wren’s current showroom location
  • Register for Retail’s Cutting Edge event at the StartmeupHK Festival — Don’t forget to use your discount code — JAYKIM20OFF

DETAILED SHOW NOTES

  • (3:57) Sarah’s brief introduction of herself and her work
  • (4:55) Sarah describes her background, her childhood dream of being a fashion designer, and the personal-ife decision that impacted her decision to pursue entrepreneurship
  • (12:45) Sarah explains the ins and outs of how she financially made the jump from banking to entrepreneurship
  • (15:46) The challenges Sarah faced in getting clothing to fit and the technological advancements she discovered along the way
  • (17:42) Jay and Sarah discuss the differences in the markets between men’s and women’s custom-made clothing
  • (21:50) Sarah describes the customer experience, the various ways a customer can go about getting measured for custom garments
  • (24:43) The crazy backstory that made Sarah realize she couldn’t build her business around a single pattern maker, which eventually led to a 3D body scanner
  • (29:17) Sarah describes her relationship with Marc Close of Bespokify
  • (31:00) Sarah describes the customer experience in the Isabella Wren showroom
  • (32:25) Details about manufacturing, design, and turnaround time on Isabella Wren garments
  • (35:50) Sarah describes her 2018 plans for Isabella Wren
  • (37:20) Sarah’s advice for aspiring entrepreneurs

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