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Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Snap Up Designer Handbags from Coach, Rebecca Minkoff & More at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale
PureWow editors select every item that appears on this page, and some items may be gifted to us. Additionally, PureWow may earn compensation through affiliate links within the story. All prices are accurate upon date of publish. You can learn more about the affiliate process here. You can learn more about that process here. Yahoo Inc. may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below. Read the original article on Purewow. Longchamp. Coach. JW Pei. Handbags from these and tons of other fan-favorite brands are up to 40 percent off during the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale designer handbag edit. This is not a drill—but there is a catch. To access these bargains now, you'll need to have a Nordstrom credit card or be a member of the Nordy Club. (It's free to join, and card holders are automatically enrolled.) Even though the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale will be open to the general public—non-cardmembers included—as of July 12, inventory is limited, so it's worth checking out ASAP (and definitely before the sale ends on August 3). Here's when you can shop: Here are the bags I've singled out as totally worth it—investment items even at full price—but on sale, they're too good not to add to cart. I'm talking about the Coach North Leather Tote (was $395, now $250), Longchamp's classic Le Pliage tote (was $250, now $187) and the Veronica Beard Leather Top Handle Bag (was $598, now $400), just for starters. And remember—you can't beat Nordstrom's shipping and return policy. Enjoy free standard shipping—the estimated delivery date is noted on the product page and at checkout. And returns are free in store or by mail—just print a label at home or show your QR code at a USPS or FedEx location. I'm a Fashion Editor & These Are My Top Picks from the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Nordstrom Longchamp's iconic Le Pliage is indispensable for chic travel, whether you're commuting to the office or jetting off on vacation. I've had mine for years and as a tote bag enthusiast, I confidently say this is one of the most versatile bags in my closet. The leather-trimmed nylon tote is on sale in a cheerful pomegranate shade, is water-resistant and folds flat in your luggage. This iteration comes in a very trendy plum red. $250; $187 at Nordstrom Nordstrom Nothing screams '90s more than a big, slouchy hobo bag. If you really want to dive into the bohemian aesthetic, consider this Rebecca Minkoff suede hobo, complete with tassels and top stitching in an earthy maple brown. It's got two genius side zip exterior pockets for the essentials: phone, wallet, keys. I hate rummaging through my bag like I'm Mary Poppins, wondering why I can't find my keys as I sweat in the unbearable heat. Problem solved. The handle has Southwestern-inspired top stitching, while the lined interior has three additional pockets. $398; $250 at Nordstrom Nordstrom OK, I lied. The only thing that screams the naughties more than a hobo bag is a baguette bag à la Lorelei Gilmore, and I'm pretty sure she would have approved of this stylish Coach number. It's available in four colors, including a splashy Merlot, with the signature 'C' logo on the flap. I appreciate the removable crossbody strap so that you can convert the bag into a nighttime purse, while keeping it casual during the day. There are two pockets, one exterior and one interior, and the bag has a textured, pebble finish. $395; $230 at Nordstrom Nordstrom Both PureWow Fashion Editor Abby Hepworth and I have been toting around Naghedi's woven St. Barths bags for some time, and we're smitten. The woven texture is a classic wardrobe staple, and both the medium tote and St. Barths Petit Tote (was $225, now $168) are on sale in an alluring—but still neutral—pine hue. (Yes, I classify green as a neutral because it's everywhere and goes with every color in nature!) The bags are made from soft neoprene fabric. Though unlined, there is an insert for the floor of the bag to help it hold its shape and prevent everything from crumbling into the center when you pick it up, which I appreciate. The smaller iteration also comes with a removable crossbody strap that I like to stow in the tote—it's surprisingly roomy given the size. The only caveat is that you can't load down the bag too much, since the material will stretch out of shape. $285; $213 at Nordstrom Nordstrom While not a handbag, I'd be remiss not to include the past year's hottest handbag accessory: a handbag charm. Maison de Sabré has cute fruit charms resembling peaches and oranges made from the brand's upcycled leather, finished with brass hardware. As a bonus, you can slide an AirTag inside it so you know where your bag is at all times. (Though, if you're like me, you may opt to stash some candies instead.) $75; $60 at Nordstrom Nordstrom If you need a good schlep bag, but don't love the slouchy hobo designs going around, try this Coach North leather tote. The simple square design is spacious and great for commuting, with a magnetic snap closure and interior zip pocket. The pebbled leather adds some texture for visual interest, and the bag is available in two neutral colors, black and honey brown, which can be easily styled up or down. $395; $250 at Nordstrom Nordstrom JW Pei hits the sweet spot of being both a celeb fave and affordable. The Hana tote is a sculptural, water-repellent bag with a magnetic snap closure and interior pocket. It's reminiscent of the DeMellier New York tote, but at a much friendlier price point. Plus, buckle and belt bags are all the rage right now, so you'll be perfectly on-trend, though it's still classic enough to wear for years to come. $139; $90 at Nordstrom Nordstrom Veronica Beard is one of my favorite brands, known for her tailored, classic silhouettes. And, if the Princess of Wales has anything to say about the matter, you can never go wrong with a structured top-handle bag. During the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, this croc-embossed beauty is $200 off, available in a versatile and neutral navy with gold hardware. The suede-lined interior has a zip pocket, and the bag comes with a detachable crossbody strap so you can mix things up. $598; $400 at Nordstrom Nordstrom You can't go wrong with a bucket bag. This roomy rag & bone leather tote is the perfect carry-all, an essential Hepworth writes is a must in a handbag capsule wardrobe. The structured bag is incredibly roomy, with back and interior zip pockets and twill lining. During the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, there are three colors on sale: Dusty Blue, Cognac and Cedar. $498; $330 at Nordstrom Nordstrom Here's another win under $100 from JW Pei. This fun, asymmetrical going-out bag might be a neutral brown, but it's anything but boring. With gold accents to finish and a structured, half-moon shape, it's as comfortable at a girls' night out as it is brunch with the family. $109; $70 at Nordstrom Nordstrom Teddy Blake's Lola bag features a soft, pebbled Italian leather with top handles and an optional shoulder strap. The Italian-made tote is finished with gold hardware and comes in some stunning colors. Aside from the neutrals, you can opt for an exciting shade of mint green and a camel that leans more towards a honey caramel. $685; $460 at Nordstrom Nordstrom This leather designer carry-all is perfect for running errands or accenting a party outfit. It's got a fun, structured design that'll make it the star of the show, while its chestnut hue also ensures that it remains versatile. There's an exterior zip pocket and interior wall pocket, plus polished silver hardware for an inventive take on the classic and buzzy belt bag. $459; $300 at Nordstrom Nordstrom Fans of Kate Middleton's Polène handbag, here's your chance to snag something similar—the Teddy Blake Kim bag. It, too, features a top handle, belted design with gleaming silver hardware and a detachable crossbody strap. The pebbled leather bag is made in Italy, and is finished with four dainty feet on the base. $730; $490 at Nordstrom Nordstrom This suede bag has whipstitched accents on the front flap and sides, with accent tassels trailing the clasp and zipper. There are two pockets: A slip beneath the flap and back slip pocket, in addition to a top zip closure. From an everyday crossbody to a shoulder bag and clutch, this Rebecca Minkoff design is the definition of versatile. $438; $230 at Nordstrom Fall Coats from the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale to Buy Now & Wear Later PureWow's editors and writers have spent more than a decade shopping online, digging through sales and putting our home goods, beauty finds, wellness picks and more through the wringer—all to help you determine which are actually worth your hard-earned cash. From our PureWow100 series (where we rank items on a 100-point scale) to our painstakingly curated lists of fashion, beauty, cooking, home and family picks, you can trust that our recommendations have been thoroughly vetted for function, aesthetics and innovation. Whether you're looking for travel-size hair dryers you can take on-the-go or women's walking shoes that won't hurt your feet, we've got you covered.
Forbes
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Rebecca Minkoff's 20-Year Bet On Herself
Rebecca Minkoff What if one question could define your entire career? That's what happened to a young designer in 2005. Just as Rebecca Minkoff's signature 'I Love NY' t-shirts were gaining momentum thanks to actress Jenna Elfman's appearance on the Jay Leno show, Elfman reached out to Minkoff and asked if she also made handbags. At the time, Minkoff had never designed a handbag. She said yes anyway. 'I feel like a lot of opportunities come about from white lies,' she admits. 'I knew where to get leather because I had been making leather jackets. I love going into Home Depot and looking at all the hardware, so the hardware for the first few thousand bags was legitimately from the different Home Depots around the city where I dragged my suitcase.' Finding Her MVP After countless hardware runs and late nights spent stitching together prototypes, she came up with what would become a movement-defining accessory: the "Morning After Bag." The slouchy, leather trim bag designed to carry everything in case of last-minute sleepovers catapulted Minkoff's business and turned her into a household name. 'It was during the time of Sex and the City,' Minkoff says. 'But more than that, it was taking back the idea that (the walk of shame) should be something shameful. It signaled that movement of independence. We can be strong, independent, have a great night out and walk home proudly.' It can be astonishing how much things change over a twenty-year period, yet some things stay remarkably consistent. While the Rebecca Minkoff of 2005 was helping women strip the shame away from their 'morning after,' today she channels that same energy into helping women entrepreneurs build businesses on their own terms through the Female Founders Collective. Yet she remains a fixture in the fashion and accessories industry, having outlasted so many of her peers thanks to her rare ability to adapt, evolve, and innovate across two decades of building her business. One of Minkoff's key lessons? Focus on what's working. 'When you find your MVP, your minimum viable product, you ride that wave,' she says. 'Once you have momentum, figure out why it's working and iterate on that success.' The Rebecca Minkoff brand has served as something of a companion for women's milestone moments: her first real paycheck, her first big job, her first child. 'The brand has always been about being that friend, that mentor,' she says. 'We started out the same age, and we've stretched together.' The Rebecca Minkoff brand persona isn't a stretch from the woman behind it. When I first met Minkoff in 2023, she had invited me onto her podcast to talk about my forthcoming book. I was struck by how grounded and approachable she was. Weeks later, when the studio lost all the audio from our interview, she stayed calm and unbothered. 'Well, this is not the best news,' she wrote to me. 'But let's find a time to re-record.' As with this article, she followed up personally, not through layers of team or PR, but with a quick note from her own inbox (though she eventually did enlist a little help from an assistant to reschedule our recording). Minkoff understands that her long term relationship with consumers, influencers, media and those in her industry comes along with high expectations. 'One of the best things you can do for your customer is make high-quality pieces that last,' she says. 'If it holds up for 10 or 15 years, that's the most sustainable thing you can do.' By the late 2000s, Minkoff's eponymous brand had become a household name. Behind the scenes, however, she was in the red. 'I was $60,000 in debt on a credit card I had no idea how I'd pay off,' she says. 'We were in great stores, but losing money. I had no idea how to get out of the hole.' Then the 2009 recession hit. That's when Minkoff made the tough decision to lower her prices. 'Hero bags that were $495 and $595 came down to $295 and $395,' she says. 'We sacrificed our margin, but we knew it was our only choice to stay in business at that time.' Minkoff's bet worked. Bags began flying off shelves. According to Minkoff, the company saw 546% growth in 2009, selling over 100,000 units over the next three years. 'I think our customer felt like we listened to her,' says Minkoff. 'We saw it as a short term play for two to three years while our customer was getting back on her feet.' Minkoff proudly poses with one of her first handbags From the beginning, those close to Minkoff recognized her talent and believed in her success. 'When I saw how quickly Rebecca snapped into action to respond to that demand, I knew she was going to build something amazing,' says longtime friend and former DailyCandy editor Crystal Meers. 'People didn't just want one bag, they wanted one in every color, and she was so determined to deliver. From the start, she has been resilient, resourceful, and tireless, doing what needs to be done to succeed.' Experimenting is core to the brand, not only when it comes to product but in their marketing as well. Without traditional ad dollars early on, the company frequently turned to emerging tech as a way to build product visibility and brand recognition while finding new ways to connect with consumers. In fact, Minkoff was one of the first designers to experiment with QR codes, live-streaming fashion shows, and offering SMS-based customer service long before those were standard. Minkoff famously created the first interactive dressing room mirrors and was a pioneer on bridging NFTs with real world shopping experiences. 'Sometimes we won, sometimes we failed,' she says. 'I didn't care. I wanted to try. If you're not testing, you're not learning.' One of her biggest tests came during 2021, when COVID gutted many businesses, including hers. 'We were down 70%,' Minkoff recalled. 'Our supply chain collapsed. At one point, we only had 3,000 bags in stock instead of 300,000.' That's when Minkoff made the call to sell the business. They brought in Sunrise Brands as a strategic partner, selling for a reported $13-$19 million. The sale allowed her to shift into a new role: Chief Creative Officer. 'Now, I focus on design, events, and building relationships. I'm not in bank meetings anymore. I'm having fun again. I'm back to what I'm best at.' 'I always asked, 'What am I bad at?'' she recalls. 'Then, once I could, I hired other people for those roles.' Reflecting on her career, Minkoff sees how each season of running her business evolved alongside her own personal growth. She went from stitching t-shirts on her apartment floor to showing her collection annually at New York Fashion Week. When she became a parent, her relationship to work shifted. After returning from maternity leave she realized she couldn't be everything to everyone. But Minkoff says she has never believed in balance. 'There's no one-size-fits-all answer,' she points out. 'Most of the time, the framework we're trying to 'balance' within was built for men.' She tried working too much. She tried clocking in and out like it was a desk job. She tested her limits, then redesigned them. 'I brought my kid with me to so many events and shows,' she says. 'I didn't sleep. But I didn't want to be away. So I found a way.' That realization paved the foundation for her next chapter. In 2018, after the birth of her third child, Minkoff launched the Female Founder Collective with co-founder Alison Wyatt, created the Superwomen podcast to amplify the voices of women entrepreneurs, and later debuted her newsletter Can't Make This Sh*t Up, sharing raw, relatable stories of founders navigating highs and lows. 'It was personal,' she says. 'It was me, pumping in an airport lounge and thinking, someone else has to be going through this.' Like so many entrepreneurs, Minkoff built the business she wished she'd had at the beginning of her own career. In 2021, she published her first book, Fearless, which was part memoir, part leadership lessons designed to show women how to trust their gut, take bold risks, and build something that lasts. Minkoff believes women can't wait around for what they want from their careers, be it flexibility, more money, or a new role: they have to claim it. 'No change has ever happened by waiting for someone, usually a man, to give it to us,' she says. 'You have to take control. Pilot your own way of working. Ask HR for what you need. Propose a new structure.' Which is exactly what Minkoff herself continues to do. Twenty years later, her brand is still that companion for women's milestones. And the woman behind the business continues to propose new ways to flip society's perceptions of what's possible. She's still listening to, and growing up with her customers. Still experimenting with new technology. Still, as the title of her book indicates, fearlessly trying out new, bold ideas. Still advocating for women business owners. So what's Minkoff's next chapter? While she couldn't reveal details on the record, she hinted at 'exciting new developments' that will offer, 'the freedom to dream bigger, move faster, and ensure (the business) remains not just relevant, but essential for the next 20 years and beyond.'
Yahoo
15-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Want to name a company after yourself? Rebecca Minkoff shares pitfalls to avoid.
Listen and subscribe to The Big Idea on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you find your favorite podcasts. Some of the biggest brands in fashion are named after the designers who founded them. Fashion staple Chanel was named after its founder, Coco Chanel, and luxury label Alexander McQueen was named for designer Lee Alexander McQueen. Founding a well-recognized brand that is synonymous with one's own name seems like a dream, but it can also create its own challenges. "I said if I'm going to work this hard, it's going to be my name because I want everyone to know who I am," designer Rebecca Minkoff told podcast host Elizabeth Gore on Yahoo Finance's The Big Idea. "There has never been a time that I wish it wasn't my name. There have been times where my name has been on product that I didn't agree with." Before launching her own brand, Minkoff said she worked for designers for three years but was ultimately determined to get her own designs recognized. While working in the industry, she noticed that she "connected" best with designer brands named after their founders, which inspired her to pursue a similar path. The Rebecca Minkoff label officially launched in 2005. It currently operates 13 retail stores worldwide and is distributed in hundreds of retailers internationally. As the brand grew and changed, however, so did Minkoff. This meant she often faced challenges around how much of her personal identity would be wrapped up in the brand's products and image. She recalled, "There was this saying throughout the company for a long time, if I wasn't in the room and a decision would be made: 'Well, will Rebecca wear it? Will she like it?'" Eventually, Minkoff admitted her identity couldn't be at the forefront of every business decision. "It can't always be what Rebecca would want," she said. However, she also noted a couple of critical moments when the brand's commercial aspirations got in the way of the authenticity that she wanted to become synonymous with her brand. "There was a time where many of our wholesale partners were coming in and almost playing designer," she explained. "If you said no, they just didn't buy ... And so for a while we said yes, and it didn't help us." "That's the hindsight," she added. "It didn't help us to have a laptop bag that said 'Nerd Alert' on it." At another point in the company's history, she detailed how the company decided to "freeze the customer" at age 26 and marketed to that demographic. But that decision didn't reflect Minkoff's experience at the time of "changing diapers, having a messy kitchen" that her customer base connected with. "We froze the customer at 26, then I could no longer identify because I was having very different experiences," Minkoff recounted. "My core customer was also becoming a mom, and we weren't talking to her anymore. We were talking about going to the club. And so you have that disconnect." "You don't have to be showing every part of your life to be authentic," Minkoff continued. "But you have to be authentic about what you do show." Every Thursday, Elizabeth Gore discusses real-life stories and smart strategies for launching a small business on The Big Idea podcast. You can find more episodes on our video hub or watch on your preferred streaming service. Sign up for the Mind Your Money newsletter
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Rebecca Minkoff's boss advice for putting your name on a brand
Listen and subscribe to The Big Idea with Elizabeth Gore on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you find your favorite podcast. This week on The Big Idea with Elizabeth Gore, noted fashion designer and entrepreneur Rebecca Minkoff joins the show to answer the question: How do you leverage your personal brand for a product? Minkoff shares her experience as a multi-hyphenate fashion designer, podcaster, author, and media personality and the best ways for entrepreneurs to find success when their names are tied to their business Finance's The Big Idea with Elizabeth Gore takes you on a journey with America's entrepreneurs as they navigate the world of small business. This post was written by Lauren Pokedoff How to y'all. I'm Elizabeth Gore. Welcome to the Big Idea from Yahoo Finance, the show that navigates the world of small business and entrepreneurship. All businesses start with one light bulb moment and I'm going to take you on a journey with America's entrepreneurs. As the co-founder of the small businessfunding platform. Hello, Wallace. It has always been my mission to ensure entrepreneurs have the tools they need to live the American dream. We're going to get between the spreadsheets with these operators to flow from their smallest failures to their biggest successes. So let's cowboy big idea question is how do you leverage your personal brand for a product? What this means is, how do you use your own name to elevate your business? Our industry's focus will be fashion. I love fashion, whether it's boots or stilettos. So here weJoining me today is Miss Fashion herself, Rebecca Minkoff. Rebecca is a multi-hyphenate. Not only is she a fashion designer, but also an author, influencer, podcast host, and a former real housewife of New York. She is also the co-founder of the Female Founder Collective, a great partner of Hello Wallace, that is a network of female-led businesses that works to enable and empower each other. So let's get to talking to Rebecca.I can't believe you're here. I'm here. You like my dress. I love your dress. I mean, I'm bringing it back. I was like, I have to wear a classic Rebecca Minkoff. I have it. So I just 20 years in this business. What does it feel like? You know what, it feels like a 100 lifetimes. You know, it just feels like the amount of people I've been and the amount of stages of the business that I've seen, um, it's wild. And the big idea question of the day is, when do you use your own name to create your brand?And I want to back up 20 years ago when you know you didn't name this, you know, Sally's. Like, why did youchoose your name? I chose my name, so I worked for a designer for 3 years before I went out on my own, thinking I knew I said, if I'm going to work this hard, it's going to be my name because I want everyone to know who I am. And I also felt like as a, as an inspiring designer, I connected with designers that were their own names. I read the autobiography of Chanel, you know, I connected with her story and how scrappy she had to be at a time when women had like no rights at all. Um, and other, another incredible woman, Donna Karan, you know, Alexander McQueen, he's not a woman, but still like these people that you're like,I don't just like your clothing or your bags, but I like who you are. And so to me that was kind of, you know, the starting gate for my own name. So what are some pros and cons in tying your personal identity to the business? There was this saying throughout the company for a long time, like if I wasn't in the room and a decision would be made, well, will Rebecca wear it? Will she like it? What would Rebecca do? Yes, exactly. And that can also be hard to act as a business because you do have to to take something again, you know, the 80/20 rule and commercialize it. And so it can't always be what Rebecca would want. And so we had to sort of get that mentality out of the company, like, what is great for the business, what looks like the brand, which is Rebecca, but as I said before, it's the expansion ofthat. And has there ever been a time when you're like, oh, I wish that wasn't my name? There's never been a time that I wish it wasn't my name. There have been times where my name has been on product that I didn't agree with that, how does that happen? Because I know you, you are in control. You know your products. I mean, you're an incredible CEO, so how does that happen? So it happens when you are at a critical point of business and there was a time where many of our wholesale partners were coming in and almost playing designer, and if you said no, they just didn't so you sort of look down the path and you're like, do I give them what they want and be in the store and sell and have a, you know, high volume business and by that time you're very big. So you're like, if I say no and we shrink, that means loss of business, loss of people. And so for a while weYes, and it didn't help us. That's the hindsight is it didn't help us, you know, to have a laptop bag that said nerd alert on it did not help us. OK. Then COVID happens and everything goes away and you're forced to reevaluate. Well, what, what do we want to stand for? And that, you know, in many ways having that exercise was the best thing that could have happened to us. I remember once you and I had a conversation that you had to have a really on pricing. I think it was after the market crash here or something with some of your big stores and you had to walk. Do I remember that right? Well, we had to lower our prices where they were going to walk and we did our prices and thank God we did. That's a time where it was good that we listened every singleOne of my competitors evaporated. Interesting,interesting. The same woman who was making X amount of dollars was either not making that anymore or her 401k was gone. And so her ability to be nimble and pay $500 for a bag evaporated. And so we thank God we did that because, you know, that is our pricing structure today is affordable luxury. You know, I'm pulling out, you always talk about her and she and and what you know your customer wants andWhen I originally met you was because you were doing so much work for and with other female founders. Tell us about that journey. So it was 2018. I was quite lonely as a female founder. I had my brother, my co-founder Rebecca Minkoff, but again, he had a very certain way of how he liked to share information with others and I was like, someone, please, is this as hard? Is this hard for everybody? Is this? And I just needed other women. And within the fashion industry, it was also incredibly lonely because no one wants to share the bad stuff with each other because it's so competitive. So I began to peer outside of my industry. I met you, I met other like-minded the power of that unlocks something like, you know what, we can all help each other. This isn't a competition. And if we surround ourselves with community, with education, then hopefully this makes a difference in the in the future success of other businesses. Brought on Alison White as my co-founder, a couple of months later, so together with our amazing team, we really built an amazing membership community, but an education based. All the unsexy parts of business. You want to know what your CRM platform or how to raise capital or what to do with it once you have it. We're here to teach you. And how do folks find that? Female right? And I want to go back to your name again because I think a lot of small business owners, whether they have a storefront, whether they have, you know, a consulting service, is it, you know, putting your full self out there? So of all those people you've been, which one do you feel the most sorry for and which one are you the most proud of? Uh, wow, that's a good question. I feel the most sorry for me. Uh, 20, uh, let's just say 2011, um, we thought that the way to grow and the trend was grow at all costs. Margin doesn't matter. And I wish I would have dug my feet into the ground and said, margin matters, we're building a profitable And again, when everything seems to be going in an industry a certain direction, you think you have to jump on that bandwagon. Taking money from investors doesn't cure your problems. Man, tell me, right? Yeah, right? You know, and really quickly the grow it all cost thing. I mean, Silicon Valley for a while had this split scale and do this and throw money at everything andSmall business owners, that is a very dangerous proposition, right? It's incredibly dangerous and it makes every small business owner think I have to raise money to be successful. We've stripped Americans of the idea that they can have a beautiful small, which means under 25 Profitable business that provides a lifestyle for myself and my family and my colleagues. There's nothing wrong with that fun, right? Now let's go back to the one that you that you liked the most or had the most fun. I'm like. Oh yes, I hate like, oh, yours are your best, but last two years have been phenomenal. Well, you know what, and you have 4 beautiful kids. You're, you've got a podcast going, you have a book going. I love what you do for other female founders. So you said you've been multiple people over 20 years. So if your brand is your identity and you are changing and evolving, how does the brand follow along? Well, I think it needs to if you want to stay happy with it. You know, for a while when I first had kids, we had an unfortunate hire who said,We don't want to talk about your family or your kids. So let's just freeze the customers. She apologized to me later. Yes. A little too late for that. But you know, we froze the customer at 26, then I could no longer identify because I was having very different experiences and my core customer was also becoming a mom. And we weren't talking to her anymore. We were talking about going to the club. And so you, you have that disconnect. So II think if you can imbue as you're evolving what you love and say into your brand, most likely your core customer that loves you is in that journey with you and usually is experiencing the same thing. You're not going to theb. I'm Rebecca, is being authentic profitable? You don't have to be showing every part of your life to be authentic. But you have to be authentic about what you do show. For instance, if you see me changing diapers, having a messy my kids like, you know, wrecking the house and it's clean. Does that make you want to buy a bag? Probably not. It makes you laugh. It makes you feel like, oh, she's so fun. But if I'm in the business of trying to sell you accessible luxury, that's what I want to show you and have you connect with me on many different levels, and that's what I have to be authentic about. So being here with authentic or showcasing how to style something and being authentic, that's where you want to show up and be real. I think that is some of the most brilliant advice I've ever heard, particularly for this next generation. You don't have to show everything in your life, but what you do show, be authentic 100%. All right, hold that thought. We will be right back on the big back to The Big Idea. I'm Elizabeth Gore here with the amazing Rebecca Minkoff. So now you've got a book for your list. You've got this incredible podcast. So tell me about both of those. And again, that's just just putting yourself out there even more. Like, tell me your thought both of those. My thought process is if we imagine Rebecca Minkoff as the hub, then you have all the spokes that are like our brand pillars. So it's obviously women supporting them through lots of different ways. So if you're a founder, it's female founder collective. If you want to have more fearless life, its reading the book and applying the rules. And then the podcast is for those that need their weekly dose of likeI interview someone like you and they're like, oh my gosh, she had a tough time. This is what she applied in her life, and this is the problem she's solvingfor me. I'm enjoying doing this podcast because I'm learning so much in the chair. I'm just curious, a couple of things that you've heard that you want to pass you were just mind blown when you were doing your podcast. Yes, I think the two that I'll say is I believe that I was interviewing Patty from Fortune. Patty Sellers, and she said if women talked about money, the way they talk about sex and children, how much moreMoney would we all have and would would the gender gap be as large? And you notice it everywhere you go. You're the first to pull out the pictures of your kids, or, you know, talk about good or bad in your sex life. Would you ever be like, how much money you making? Did you, what did you do to diversify your stocks? Did you get crypto? Like, we need to be having those conversations because it's happening on the golf course for the men and in the boardrooms, and it's not happening enough for women. So I loved her advice for then the second piece, and I feel like I say it all the time, but hopefully your listeners have not heard me say it yet, is Kristen Ozolski from Nomaical Wines said, Never take advice from a person whose life you don't want. Oh, I love that because when you're starting a business, boy, are you going to get a lot of advice. You're going to get great advice, bad advice, neutral advice, and I think what I like that lens. Like, is this the person you really want to listen to and you're going toYou have to distill it either way, right? Yeah, and you can AB test advice. It doesn't mean that like, you know, try it if you think and approach it like an engineer. There's not a single engineer that I've ever met that gets emotional about AB testing. Like, I'm a failure. A didn't work. They're like, A didn't work, go to B. What if you approached your business and failure that way, you know, and it's not the end. It's just that didn't work, so what's B? Plan Z, right? of plansy, we talk about dirty unicorns, right on this show, some pretty massive mistakes that you've learned from and can pass knowledge on. Can you drop a few of those to us? Yeah, I think you'll be surprised at how much money you think you need to be successful in terms of scale. And, and actually, if you invest in the right things, I think we, when we took in an investment in 2012, that money was gone in three then upgraded website, sorry, an upgraded website in some new product categories. We could have had one store with 1/5 of the footprint. That was actually the proper size that we needed because we discovered it later through a pop-up. We could have not blown up the company to 115 people, and we could have just focused on going back to our community, which we're very enmeshed in today, butJust being with your community, learning, surveying, and them come along for the ride. And when, when in that moment, cause you know like getting really granular where you're like, oh crap. Oh crap was I knew what we were spending on the New York City store. I have a friend down the street who opened her store and spent 10th of what we spent and profitable almost right away. And I was like, wow, we really, we thought we had to have the Madison Avenue or 5th Avenue, like big branded fancy store with custom everything. Actually, it turns out she got all her furniture at different auctions and flea markets and spray painted it all black and it looked just as great. Going back to this, don't, don't grow at all costs. I mean, I think this is the thematic of our day here. I mean, that's just, it's so interesting when you learn it the right way, learn it the wrong way. If, if I'm, if I'm in fashion, which is our industry today, and I, I want to get started and I just look around and I think, oh my gosh, it's Rebecca Minkoff. How could I ever get to that level? I mean, what is your advice on that, that person who's drawing and designing and sewing their own clothes and ready to go to market right now? I think that you haveSocial media on and not on your side. There is no traditional route. Start documenting what you're doing, bring people along for the ride. Focus on one thing, you know, one thing, what is your t-shirt and is it the best and what sets you apart, and how are you getting people emotionally connected to what you stand for and who you are? And you might not be good at being on camera right away, but that's where it is. Video is here to and people want, they want to say I'm wearing this brand because I identify with X, Y and Z to you, your, your story. Now you said there's good and bad with social media. What'sthe other side of it is that there's a million other people doing what you're doing. So how are you going to stand out and how you get through and the traditional forms are eroding, you know, the press that we get have the same metrics for sales as it did, you know, back in the day. If my jacket was on the cover of a magazine, 10,000 units. Today, cover of a magazine, a couple 100 units, you know, so it's like you have to begin to sort of be creative in how you're showing up and it has to unfortunately be everywhere, which for a lot of founders can be overwhelming. So that's interesting. So howHow, what, maybe in the last couple of years, what was something you did that did sell 10,000 units? I'm just curious. Well, we didn't have 10,000 units, but we did a collaboration with Wicked for the launch of the movie, and so we did 2 bags. We kept it really tight. We go I was like this better sell out, and it sold out. It was like a nice, it was a nice feeling to have. Yeah. Where did that come from? How did that idea manifest? It manifested because I had just had my last baby. I was 10 days out. I get this urgent call. It's NBC wicked. We get on a Zoom, they're like, we'd like to invite you to come to London in a couple of days. You're going to get the whole experience. We want you to be our collaboration crazy hormone cocktail me was like, I could do this. I could leave. I'll take the baby. And I was like, wait, I can't even give him a passport. And then I was like, I can't do this. And I just looked at him and I said, I'm not leaving him and I can't take him. So I'm going to say no to the opportunity, even though this is a huge deal. And I called him and I said, I just had a baby, like I can't leave and I can't bring him. So thank you so much. And I said, Well, who's your second, you know, have her come. And so we sent Mary and she had an incredible experience, and she was actually the right one to go because she made all the connections and then we negotiated for a long time on what the deal, you know, and information and how that works would look like, and then product design, we got access to the art, we got to touch and feel the props. It was an incredible experience. I want to thank you. That's amazing, but I do want to pick up on something as mothers. SoIn in those moments, doing the right thing for you, your baby, your child, I think a lot of folks would be like, well, how can you run an effective business? And you chose the right thing, it came back around to you and then it still was effective. I, when uh when I had the great opportunity to work for Michael Dell at Dell Technologies, I was very, very pregnant with my same thing, I turned, I said, I'm, I, I don't know if you know, but I'm pregnant, and there's no way I can take on a job with this capacity. And they came back around and was like, take your full maternity leave, we'll be here when you're done, but we'd like to know that you're coming. And it was, you know, so, um, I just, II lift these two stories up for a second because I want women to know you can pursue, make the right choice for your child, and still run a really effective company. You can, and there will be sometimes opportunities that do go away, but it's OK. You don't have to take every opportunity, and I say this in hindsight because I thought I did, you know, with the 1st 3 children.I took every opportunity just in case it goes away, and then you miss out on these moments, you know, luckily enough that I had a 4th that I could be like, oh, I missed that. I missed that. I missed that. I missed that. I'm not missing anything else. And so now I'm just like, you know what, if it's too much time away or, you know, it takes my attention too much off of something, like I just have to walk away. Yeah. I love, I love the wicked collaboration. I do think withThe noise partnerships are such an effective way to break through, you know, because your funnel, if we all talk about marketing funnel, and if you're talking to the same people over and over and suddenly you have, you know, you partner up with someone, you have this whole other set of eyeballs. It's quite powerful. It's quite powerful. And when you look at the overlap of like you have the Rebekah Minkoff legacy fans, you have the wicked fans. If you can make that magic happen, then it's golden. That is brilliant.I want, I want to pick up on the best advice that you've had in the early days. We'll go back to your not this 20 years, that you just now realized it was the best advice. Maybe in the moment you couldn't, you know, saturate it because I, I think we look back on things and be like, holy crap, that was good. That was good. I get it now. Do you have any of those? Oh, I have a lot.I was so committed to my craft and my art and like just blind vision. I was never good at figuring out and commercializing it and my my uh colleague of like Rebecca Minkoff, if you look at it like a pyramid, let's just say I'm at the top, and as long as everything when it's diluted still looks and feels like you, but it's made for people maybe that live in more rural communities, that having a stud on their flip flop is their edge, you know, it's OK, you can let go. It doesn't have to be fully studded flip flop or a fully studded bag or the aggressive leather jacket that, you know, that I want everyone to want. And so as soon as I could sort of wrap my head around that, you grow a business, you commercialize it, it pays the bills, you know, up until that point, because I was so committed to likeIt has to be the most aggressive form of every design I do. That's a very tiny niche business. If you can afford to do that, great. You know, if you can afford to just have those customers, awesome. You know, there are a lot of successful brands that have done that. And so I just wish I would have embraced that a Well, I got to tell you, your book is aptly named Fearless. I hope everyone reads it. I actually know I will walk out less fearful thanks to you and thank you for being on the show. You are such a vision. You're a great mom, great business owner, and a great human being. Thank the end of each episode, I like to give a shout out to a small business who is doing great work. Today, I'd like to shout out Gurley Garage, so cool, founded by train mechanic Talina Hanley in San Diego, California. Gurley Garage teaches and empowers women in automotive education, consulting, and repairs. So go get your car fixed or check them out at you, Rebecca, for coming on the show today and thank all of you for joining us. We hope you've learned a lot. This has been a big idea from Yahoo Finance. Please make sure to scan the QR code below to follow Yahoo Finance podcast or check us out at the Big Idea wherever you get your podcasts. And if you follow on Amazon Music, just ask Alexa, play the big idea. You can also come say howdy to me on any of my social channels at Elizabeth Gore USA.I'm Elizabeth Gore and as my grandmother always said, hold your head up high and give them hell. See you next time. This content was not intended to be financial advice and should not be used as a substitute for professional financial services. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Rebecca Minkoff's boss advice for putting your name on a brand
Listen and subscribe to The Big Idea with Elizabeth Gore on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you find your favorite podcast. This week on The Big Idea with Elizabeth Gore, noted fashion designer and entrepreneur Rebecca Minkoff joins the show to answer the question: How do you leverage your personal brand for a product? Minkoff shares her experience as a multi-hyphenate fashion designer, podcaster, author, and media personality and the best ways for entrepreneurs to find success when their names are tied to their business Finance's The Big Idea with Elizabeth Gore takes you on a journey with America's entrepreneurs as they navigate the world of small business. This post was written by Lauren Pokedoff Sign in to access your portfolio
