153. Clare V | Starting Small

Summary

Podcast Summary: What We Wore – Episode 153: Clare V | Starting Small

Introduction

In Episode 153 of "What We Wore," host Laura Vinroot Poole sits down with Claire Vivier, the visionary founder of Claire V—a brand synonymous with meticulously crafted handbags and a testament to starting small and dreaming big. Claire shares her inspiring journey from sewing bags in her home to leading a thriving business with locations in Los Angeles and Charlotte, supported by a dedicated team of 140 employees.

Early Life and Education

Claire Vivier's roots trace back to St. Paul, Minnesota, where she was born the youngest of six children in a progressive household. Her parents, originally from Indiana, fostered an environment rich in creativity and free thinking. Claire fondly recalls her upbringing:

"I had a lot of freedom because I think they were just tired of being strict. So I got to just kind of do whatever I want." [03:02]

She attended the Open School, a progressive K-12 institution that allowed her to explore subjects at her own pace, nurturing her innate creativity. It was here that Claire first learned to sew, a skill that would become the cornerstone of her future business.

Journey into Fashion

Driven by a passion for fashion and storytelling, Claire pursued an English degree at the University of San Francisco, initially aspiring to be a writer focused on fashion. While in college, she balanced her studies with work in cafes and restaurants, gaining a deep appreciation for California cuisine and culture.

"I always waited tables. I always worked in cafes and worked at restaurants in San Francisco, which was also a really great education in, you know, you." [10:19]

However, the evolving digital landscape and diminishing prospects in traditional editorial roles led her to pivot. In a bold move reflecting her early twenties' fearlessness, Claire relocated to Paris without fluency in the language, seeking to immerse herself in the heart of the fashion world.

Starting Claire Vivier

In Paris, Claire's ambitions took flight. She secured an internship at a documentary film production company and began sewing bags as a hobby, driven by a creative spark. A pivotal moment occurred when she found $400 on the street in Oakland, which she immediately invested in a high-quality sewing machine, transforming her hobby into a burgeoning business.

"I used that $400 to buy a nice sewing machine. And I went that day and bought a good sewing machine. And that was really with this dream of, you know, making more bags and starting this bag company." [15:09]

Claire launched her brand under her full name, Claire Vivier, focusing initially on laptop envelopes and gradually expanding her product line. Her dedication and eye for detail quickly garnered attention, leading to press features in platforms like Daily Candy.

Transition to Claire V and Legal Challenges

As Claire Vivier's brand grew, so did its recognition. However, this success brought unforeseen challenges. In 2013, the brand faced a significant legal hurdle when the renowned brand Roger Vivier sued Claire Vivier for trademark infringement.

"Roger Vivier, which is their term. And I really thought, well, this is crazy. That's my name." [24:18]

Given the formidable reputation and resources of Roger Vivier, Claire opted to rebrand, shortening her company's name to Claire V. Despite the emotional attachment to her original name, Claire viewed the change as a necessary step to continue her brand's trajectory without prolonged legal battles.

"I settled very quickly. And I mean, I sometimes miss Vivier. I think it's such a pretty name, but it's still my name." [24:09]

Building the Business and Partnerships

Central to Claire V's growth was the strategic partnership with Tom Cartsotis, introduced by mentor Stephen Allen. Tom's investment and expertise provided the necessary support to navigate the complexities of scaling a fashion business.

"Tom owned 33%, Stephen owned seven, and I owned 60%." [33:32]

This partnership facilitated crucial aspects like employee healthcare, financial management, and operational expansion. Claire acknowledges the importance of recognizing her strengths and delegating areas where she required assistance.

"I have a very... my gift is that I'm able to just be like, okay, I can't do anything about that right now." [30:17]

Growing the Business

From operating out of her home, Claire V swiftly transitioned to dedicated retail spaces. The first store in Silver Lake marked a significant milestone, embodying the brand's ethos of creativity and community engagement.

"The stakes are higher and the square footage is a lot right now, but there's... the same feeling of, oh my gosh, are we really going to be doing this?" [27:32]

Today, with over 140 employees, Claire emphasizes the importance of compartmentalizing responsibilities to maintain clarity and focus. Her ability to manage and lead a diverse team has been pivotal in sustaining the brand's growth.

"One of my business talents is that I'm able to compartmentalize, and I think it works to my advantage a lot because I think that's how I sleep at night." [30:14]

Reflections on Entrepreneurship and Starting Small

Claire vividly reflects on the advantages of starting small, noting that it allows for a deep understanding of every facet of the business. This foundational knowledge fosters empathy and respect for all team members, regardless of their roles.

"When you start small, you do understand every aspect of the company. And so you can have a lot of respect and a lot of empathy for people and all the roles in those in the company." [39:14]

She highlights that beginning without excessive capital enabled her to maintain creative control and build the brand organically, ensuring that every product detail aligned with her vision.

Personal Anecdotes and Inspirations

Beyond business, Claire shares heartfelt memories that have shaped her personal and professional life. She reminisces about her prom dress—a cherished garment inherited from her mother—and the joy it brought her, symbolizing her lifelong connection to fashion.

"I wore my mother's. One of my mother's dresses from the 50s. It was a beautiful strapless cabbage roses silk chiffon fitted with a 50s, like, tea length." [41:34]

Additionally, the influence of her family's artistic inclinations and her father's belief in the limitless potential of his children underscores the supportive environment that fueled her entrepreneurial spirit.

Future Aspirations

Looking ahead, Claire expresses a desire to expand Claire V internationally, with a particular fondness for establishing a flagship store in Paris's Marais district. She envisions this expansion not only as a business growth opportunity but also as a way to reconnect with the city that played a pivotal role in her brand's inception.

"I would love to open in Paris... especially because I made them in canvas. I can draw from them now as inspiration." [37:12]

Conclusion

Claire Vivier's journey is a compelling narrative of passion, resilience, and strategic growth. From humble beginnings in Minnesota to leading a prominent fashion brand, her story exemplifies the essence of starting small and nurturing a vision with unwavering dedication. "What We Wore" offers listeners valuable insights into the challenges and triumphs of building a successful business, inspiring aspiring entrepreneurs to pursue their dreams with integrity and creativity.

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Notable Quotes:

• "I learned to sew in grade school." – Claire Vivier [06:19]
• "I can just do whatever I want." – Claire Vivier [03:02]
• "Roger Vivier was suing me for trademark infringement." – Claire Vivier [24:18]
• "When you start small, you do understand every aspect of the company." – Claire Vivier [39:14]
• "I do love what I do so much." – Claire Vivier [21:59]

Key Takeaways:

• Starting Small: Claire emphasizes the benefits of starting a business on a manageable scale, allowing for comprehensive understanding and control over every aspect.

• Adaptability: The ability to pivot—from aspiring writer to fashion entrepreneur—highlighted Claire's adaptability and courage in the face of changing industries.

• Strategic Partnerships: Forming alliances with partners like Tom Cartsotis was crucial for Claire V's expansion and operational efficiency.

• Creative Control: Maintaining creative autonomy was essential for Claire, ensuring that every product remained true to her vision.

• Work-Life Balance: Despite the demands of running a large team, Claire's ability to compartmentalize helped her manage stress and maintain focus.

Final Thoughts

Claire Vivier's story is a testament to the power of passion fused with strategic business acumen. Her journey offers valuable lessons on resilience, the importance of supportive partnerships, and the impact of starting with a clear, authentic vision. As Claire V continues to grow, her story remains an inspiring blueprint for aspiring entrepreneurs in the fashion industry and beyond.

Transcript

[Claire Vivier]

Foreign.

[Unknown Interviewer]

Of capital. And this is what we wore. Claire Vivier of Claire V is a remarkable designer and entrepreneur who shares her journey from making bags out of her home to running stores across the country. She still runs her business out of Los Angeles now with a team of 140 people. Last time I saw you, we had dinner. Was it the 75th anniversary of the Country Mart? I think.

[Claire Vivier]

Yes, exactly.

[Unknown Interviewer]

Is it incredible that it's been there that long? Isn't it the most special place?

[Claire Vivier]

I love it so much. How often do you get out here?

[Unknown Interviewer]

I'm there every six or eight weeks, I think. Try to. I mean, I love coming. I'd come more often if I could, but I'm still the buyer also. And so I have a lot of travel. The other direction.

[Claire Vivier]

Yeah.

[Unknown Interviewer]

In putting this together, too, I realized I have known you a long time, I think. I mean, I think I saw you very early in your journey.

[Claire Vivier]

Yeah. Your store is very well known, so I've known of your store for a very long time, so.

[Unknown Interviewer]

But I never connected. The Stephen Allen part. What a legend.

[Claire Vivier]

Yes. Yes. I enjoyed going by his new store.

[Unknown Interviewer]

How's it going? Is he feeling good about it?

[Claire Vivier]

He. He is. He's really. It's really nice to see him shine because he. It's like Stephen in his natural element, having his own little store and, like finding new brands. And it was really busy when I was in there, so I think he's doing well.

[Unknown Interviewer]

Are you native Californian?

[Claire Vivier]

No, I grew up in Minnesota.

[Unknown Interviewer]

Oh, wow. How did y'all get there?

[Claire Vivier]

Yeah, my parents are from Indiana. They met in junior high, I think in Marion, Indiana. They were not a couple, but they knew each other. And when they eventually became, you know, started their family, they. They had six kids. And I'm. I'm the youngest of six.

[Unknown Interviewer]

Oh, my gosh. Claire.

[Claire Vivier]

And my dad at the time was a lawyer and he got a teaching job, teaching law and Hispanic studies at the University of Minnesota.

[Unknown Interviewer]

Wow.

[Claire Vivier]

So he moved the family up to Minnesota when I was 2, and I'm very thankful for that.

[Unknown Interviewer]

Yeah. That must have been a magical place to live and grow up.

[Claire Vivier]

Yes. I'm very happy that we grew up in St. Paul. It was a. It was beautiful, beautiful place to grow up.

[Unknown Interviewer]

And what was it like being the baby of six?

[Claire Vivier]

Well, I had a lot of freedom.

[Unknown Interviewer]

And a lot of hand me downs.

[Claire Vivier]

A lot of hand me downs and a lot of freedom because I think they were just tired of being strict. So I got to just kind of do whatever I want. And of course also St. Paul, in the neighborhood we grew up in was just, you know, kids just were all over the place and could just run around and do whatever we wanted. But in terms of my siblings, so I have four brothers and one sister, I was just kind of always spoiled and treated well as the baby girl of the family.

[Unknown Interviewer]

What are your fondest memories of growing up there?

[Claire Vivier]

I loved the neighborhood we grew up in. We grew up in a neighborhood called Crocus Hill in St. Paul. And I mean a lot of people have this, these memories of back in the day, you know, late 70s, early 80s, when you just had so much freedom and we were outside all the time and walk up to our local street with all the business street called Grand Avenue and you know, just hang out and play kick the can on the street and like run around.

[Unknown Interviewer]

I had a conversation with somebody I work with who has little people and she said she had allowed her four year old to walk next door to check and see if her best friend was there. And she said maybe 15 minutes later, the door and it was a police officer with her little girl. She hadn't gotten lost. She actually was just at the house ringing the doorbell and they weren't there and the policeman brought her back and my friend was saying, maybe I'm not a bad parent. It just didn't seem like that was a bad thing. And it's so different from how we grew up. We left at, you know, eight in the morning, kicked the can, started, you know, like just the whole day. And then my mom had a real dinner bell that she rang and we would come home for supper. That was it.

[Claire Vivier]

Yeah, I remember that too. Some parents had that as well. I grew up really close to my grade school. I went to a very progressive public grade school. It was actually K through 12, but I only went there for grade school and it was called the open school. And it was, it was, it was three blocks away from my house. So I got to walk there and back by myself. And I was there from kindergarten through eighth grade and I left to go to a big, big inner city high school from that little progressive school. But I loved that school. That was great.

[Unknown Interviewer]

Was it like a Montessori?

[Claire Vivier]

Yeah, the open school, K through 12. And you kind of went at your own pace for whatever subject it was that you were studying. And so you could, if you were in third grade, but you were at sixth grade math levels, so you could take math classes with sixth graders and, or even high school classes.

[Unknown Interviewer]

Does it still exist?

[Claire Vivier]

I don't know. It might. I Think it might have a new name. I don't think it's called Open School. It worked really well for me. I think it does not work for. It didn't work for all my siblings. I was the one there the longest because you really kind of needed to have that kind of drive and self determination to do things. Otherwise you could like skip school and do, you know, kind of flounder, get kind of lost in the shuffle. But it worked really well for me.

[Unknown Interviewer]

And you're such a, like incredibly prolifically creative person. I wonder if that was your first sort of encouragement to do that. Did you. Do you remember a fashion memory or an art memory from that time?

[Claire Vivier]

Well, we definitely had wonderful art classes. So I do remember those art classes and I do remember also learning to sew there. And I always talk about that when someone asks me how I started my business. I always say that I learned to sew in grade school. So that was very impactful in my life. And then I don't remember fashion, but I remember outfits that I wore. I remember, you know, me being interested in fashion and, and getting dressed being important to me and what I was wearing.

[Unknown Interviewer]

Did you have anybody else creative in your family? Any of your siblings or your parents?

[Claire Vivier]

One of my brothers is a musician, so he's very creative. And my sister is creative. She's. She's very crafty. She's a very good sewer. She's. I don't know, she's good at whatever she does, but she's a. She's a birthing professional. She's been a nurse in labor and delivery for the last 35 years. But she has started a. A company called Gilligan's Guide. And it's about the infant positioning in the mom's belly and it's about getting the. Getting the infant position for optimal birth. Birthing.

[Unknown Interviewer]

And is she still in Minnesota?

[Claire Vivier]

She's in Minnesota. But she's also a talented artist in her way. My parents, I would say my mother, not. She was. She would never have considered herself an artist, but she was very much a free thinker and a very progressive and art appreciator and subjected us to a lot of art growing up. And then I think my father as well, progressive and very interested in the arts. But it's funny because he was. I think this picture right here behind me is my dad painting. So he did do some fun like fine arts. He did some painting and he did some theater. But it was always kind of like something we didn't really hear about. And it wasn't it was just his own thing.

[Unknown Interviewer]

What were the messages to you as a young person about what a career could look like for you because you're the youngest. So you saw the older ones already doing things, I guess.

[Claire Vivier]

Yeah, they were so kind of progressive and free thinking and, like, kind of believed in letting their kids follow their passions and do what they wanted to do. So I, I remember, you know, in college days, and a little bit after that, I was a little bit, like, I had wished they had given me a little bit more guidance. And I remember asking my dad, dad, what should I do? What should I be? And I was probably like, you know, 18 or some, or maybe in college, and. And he said, you can be whatever you want to be, babe. I, I always remember that because I think he truly believed it, and I think that was his biggest privilege, was that he was able to tell his daughter and his kids that, because that definitely was not the case for him. You know, he grew up extremely poor Mexican, in a small town in Indiana where there were not a lot of Mexicans, not a lot of brown people. So I think the fact that he had gotten us to this point in life where he could say, you can be whatever you want to be was a big privilege to him.

[Unknown Interviewer]

Amazing. How did you decide to go to San Francisco for college?

[Claire Vivier]

I think being the last of six, I just kind of wanted to get away. I wanted. My. My dad had taken me to New York a few times on some of his business trips, and that those were. I think I went two times during high school, and those, those are the only times I got to see, like, I had never been to California and New York was it for me. And I saw the big city and I was like, oh, this is, like, this is happening. Yeah, this is happening. I was already very into fashion, so I knew that New York was something that I wanted. But I also knew of California being another bastion of wonderful creative things happening. New York sounded a little intimidating to me, so I didn't apply to any schools in New York. Los Angeles, same. Too intimidating. And so San Francisco just sounded like a big city, an exciting place to be without it being like this huge, huge metropolitan area. So that's how I chose San Francisco. I, I, you know, I applied to some schools in Connecticut and also down at the Claremont schools, I applied.

[Unknown Interviewer]

Oh, nice.

[Claire Vivier]

And I'm so happy that I chose San Francisco because Best city of San Francisco was such a great place for me to be in, great education for me. I went to the University of San Francisco, and that was fine. And that was, you know, I had some great professors and things, but I think mostly I'm just so happy I was in San Francisco.

[Unknown Interviewer]

What did you major in?

[Claire Vivier]

English. I thought I was going to be a writer. I wanted to be a writer, but I wanted to write about fashion, you know, like. So I think what I really wanted was to be in the fashion world.

[Unknown Interviewer]

So did you work while you were there? Did you do other things?

[Claire Vivier]

Well, I always waited tables. I always worked in cafes and worked at restaurants in San Francisco, which was also a really great education in, you.

[Unknown Interviewer]

Know, the best food in the world.

[Claire Vivier]

Best food in the world. Wine. Such an education of wine and food. And really great place to be. I worked at a place called Universal Cafe, and that was a really great restaurant back then. And I learned so much about France and Italy and, you know, Alice Waters and grapefruit, you know, what California cuisine was. So that I worked during college. And then after college, the only kind of writing positions when I actually utilized that degree were after college. I worked for the website of the NBC affiliate in San Francisco, which was. Used to be kron. I don't think they're NBC anymore, but I worked for their first website. It was when websites were just starting and I worked for kind of a fun, like trendy show that talked about different trends in San Francisco.

[Unknown Interviewer]

You didn't feel like that was it?

[Claire Vivier]

No, I didn't. And then it was kind of an interesting time because already back then, which was so long ago, kind of editorial jobs were kind of going away and things were kind of in the. In flux already because as Internet was happening and so magazines weren't really the path to a lot of success anymore. So I didn't think moving to New York and trying to get a job at Conde Nastros really a great path for me. And so I got a wild hair to move to Paris. I just picked up and moved to Paris. I got an internship at a documentary film production company and I took a job waiting tables, being paid under the table. I don't know, I think I just wanted to be again, wanted to be close to the world of fashion. And I wanted. I think I was just kind of that early 20s fearlessness of I can do whatever. And it's kind of a great time to do things like that because I feel like as you age, you become more fearful. And I didn't have any fear. I was moving to a country that I didn't speak the language, but I thought, well, I can probably do this.

[Unknown Interviewer]

And I'm thinking with a Last name like Vivier. Maybe you met your husband there?

[Claire Vivier]

I did meet my husband there, yes. Yes. My. My last name was Guerrero. Yeah. My maiden name. We met at a dinner party. I had been in France for probably two or three months by the time I met him.

[Unknown Interviewer]

And how long did y'all stay?

[Claire Vivier]

Well, I stayed for 10 months in Paris, and then my boyfriend, who became my husband, came back with me, and we've been together ever since.

[Unknown Interviewer]

Wow. And where did y'all move from there?

[Claire Vivier]

We moved to the Bay Area.

[Unknown Interviewer]

And what were you doing at the time? And what was he doing that he could move there?

[Claire Vivier]

He was working in the world of French television. He was a journalist for French television, and he was able to move and just do stories for. For France, about the United States. So he was working a lot, traveling a lot around the US and shooting stories for France. And there was a time that we were working together. I was working with him producing stories for French television. Yeah, I did that for a while. And then we moved down to Los Angeles and I started to work in production, prop styling, things like that. I just, you know, called friends and said, what are you guys doing? And they gave me some work in the prop styling world and the production world and, you know, wanted to explore the entertainment industry, since this is really the. The place to be for it. And I. And I really didn't glom onto it. I really was like, I don't. I don't know if this is my passion, but I had started to sew bags myself. Something sparked, and I really felt like, this is it. This is my passion. And if I could figure out how to make this work, I would be so happy.

[Unknown Interviewer]

And what were the bags? What did they look like, and where did you sell them?

[Claire Vivier]

I started to make laptop envelopes for myself and my friends.

[Unknown Interviewer]

You had your sewing machine with you in la? Had you traveled around with it from San Francisco to Paris, back to la?

[Claire Vivier]

I did have one with me. It was not a great sewing machine, but I had a sewing machine. And, yeah, I guess I had traveled with some janky sewing machine. I don't even remember. What I do remember is that one day we were living in Oakland, and I found $400 on the street. And I knew that I was going to use that $400 to buy a nice sewing machine. And I went that day and bought a good sewing machine. And that was really with this dream of, you know, making more bags and starting this bag company.

[Unknown Interviewer]

And did you tell your husband along the way? I mean, did you say, I'm really not liking this. You know, working in production, I think this is what I want to do.

[Claire Vivier]

I don't know. I think it was more of a hobby and a. I don't remember when I expressed to him that this was really something I wanted to turn into a real business and for it to be really my life's work.

[Unknown Interviewer]

Had you told anybody? Had you told your parents or friends anything?

[Claire Vivier]

Well, I think it just. Everything went like day by day, step by step. You know, I started with a website and I had a friend build me a website and I would take all the pictures and I would upload the pictures and write the copy and do everything. So I just, you know, my friend made the framework for the website and then once I had the E Comm set up, I contacted editor friends in New York and would get some press and you would get things like Daily Candy and things like that. They were so important. I'm not sure when my husband took it seriously. You know, I. I kind of can benchmark things by dates. Like in 2010, I hired my first employee. In 2011, I moved the business out of the house. In 2012, I opened my first store.

[Unknown Interviewer]

That's fast.

[Claire Vivier]

And then, you know, kind of opened a store a year.

[Unknown Interviewer]

Ever since, I talked to entrepreneurs a lot and I always say, be care about sharing what you want to do, especially with the people that you don't expect. I mean, especially with the people that, that love you the most. You don't always get the most encouraging answer from them or feedback, right?

[Claire Vivier]

Oh, for sure. I completely believe that. And I think that's probably why I wasn't extremely vocal about this is what I'm going to do. You know, I remember one day walking in New York with a friend and my friend asking me about my business, and we were walking by a Kate Spade store, and I remember she said something like, well, what do you. What do you want from this? What do you want? What do you. What do you think? And I said, I actually want to be this one day that seemed so outrageous to me and I felt like, oh my gosh, I. I believe I said that I shouldn't say things like that. And I, you know, knock on wood, even to this day that I say things like that. So I felt like, like very, like kind of ashamed or embarrassed. But, you know, she was one of my best friends and I felt like I could be honest with her.

[Unknown Interviewer]

And what was her response?

[Claire Vivier]

I don't remember. I'm sure she was just like, okay, wow, do it. Yeah. But it's funny that I still remember that because it really was a moment where it was the first time I had voice that I really, I really wanted to take this far. I didn't want it to be like a small thing. I wanted to keep going and keep going and build the brand.

[Unknown Interviewer]

And could you visualize sort of what that looked like? I mean, what it would, what it would take to be able to produce it, expand your production, expand your team and also expand your marketing?

[Claire Vivier]

Oh, my gosh, no. I really think ignorance is bliss. It was such a gift that I didn't know how hard it was all going to be. When I am talking to entrepreneurs now, I don't say this at all, but I always think, of course, we're now on a podcast and someone might listen to this. But I think when someone says they're starting a fashion brand, they're starting a bag line or a clothing line, I'm always like, wow, okay. I'm never negative with anyone who says that, but in my mind I'm thinking, well, it's going to take a ton of determination and perseverance because it's. It's really hard. I'm happy that I didn't know and I think I was smart enough to know that what I. What I didn't know and what I was good at, what I was good at and what I was not good at. How do I find the help to be for. For, you know, the bookkeeping part, I knew immediately, like, I have a problem with bookkeeping. I'm scared of money. I'm sc. Scared of where I was at the time. You know, I was scared that I wasn't going to have enough money to pay the bills and I wasn't going to have money. So I knew that I needed a bookkeeper and she was a great hire. She was a part time employee and she. I think she was kind of like my first or second employee, but she was only part time, so I don't ever really count her. But she was extremely important to those first few years of the business.

[Unknown Interviewer]

A lot of times people have worked in an industry that they become an entrepreneur in and you didn't have any experience in it other than writing about it?

[Claire Vivier]

No. No family.

[Unknown Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Claire Vivier]

No business people in my family at all.

[Unknown Interviewer]

So did your parents think. And your husband, were they like, has she lost her mind or were they.

[Claire Vivier]

They were always just amazed. I. I think it will. So both my parents have now passed away. My father passed away about 10 years ago. He passed away right after the opening of my Second store, which was in New York, and Nolita. And he got to come see that at the opening of that. And wow. I think even then it was very. He was very amazed by the success that I was having. Just really proud and happy for me. Didn't understand how I was doing it or what was happening that, you know, proud. And then my mom passed away two years ago, so she really got to see it go pretty well. She was just always so amazed. She was just always like, I don't know how you do it. I don't know what you're. I don't know how you do this. Angie. She calls me Angie. If she called me Angie. I don't know how you do it. Angie. It's just. It just amazes me.

[Unknown Interviewer]

That's so nice.

[Claire Vivier]

Yeah. My husband, I don't. I don't know that he was. Since he's been with me along for the journey, I don't know that he has that same type of amazement. I think his feeling about this is that I'm just. One thing in particular I find interesting is he. His perspective is that he is witness to somebody who really loves what they do. And he. We have a conversation, a conversation every once in a while about the fact that not everyone loves what they do their job.

[Unknown Interviewer]

People don't. Yeah, right.

[Claire Vivier]

And that is something that's a foreign concept to me because I do love what I do so much. And I am so fortunate to come to work and be excited to be here and work with people I love and do something creative and see this type of growth and then have the satisfaction of. Of seeing people wearing the product and all that stuff is something that I'm so grateful for and just makes me still really happy.

[Unknown Interviewer]

I read somewhere that you talked about the magical feeling of staying up late and sewing your own bags. Will you talk about that?

[Claire Vivier]

Yeah. That's when I was just starting out and I had post finding the $400. And it was my first experience with designing bags. And I knew how to sew, but I had never sewn my own things and figured out my own patterns. And that was something that. It utilizes your right and your left brain because you're, you know, you have to do things reverse and backwards, basically, when you're sewing and you have to really. It's like a, you know, math problems. You have to really think about it. And I loved both aspects. I loved the idea of creating something beautiful. And what were the. What were the dimensions that were the most conducive to a. A good laptop case? Design. What were the elements that were going to make it special, what was going to trim. Going to be? But it needed something. You know, what were the little, Little touches that made it specific to. To me in my own brand, which wasn't really a brand yet.

[Unknown Interviewer]

And wait, what was it a brand then? Was it called Claire V then?

[Claire Vivier]

No. When I first started, I. I called it C. Vivier. Oh. And then I called it Claire Vivier. So I started the company as Claire Vivier. Like, for when I, you know, was kind of a real company, it was Claire Vivier. And then in 2013, I had to. I was forced to change my name to Claire V for legal reasons. But that's fine. We're all moved on and we're. I think, I think it suits the company well.

[Unknown Interviewer]

It does. But. But are we moved on? Like, was that. How hard was that? I bet that was really difficult because it is your name.

[Claire Vivier]

Oh, we're for sure moved on. Okay.

[Unknown Interviewer]

Can we legally talk about it?

[Claire Vivier]

I think we can talk about it. The company, Roger Vivier, sued me and for a trademark infringement, I think is what they're. What they call those types of things. And, And I really thought, well, this is crazy. That's my name. And just because we were in the same category of Roger Vivier, which is hand. They do some handbags, although they're primarily shoes. And I was such a small company at the time, and I did not think I had the resources to fight them legally and didn't want to expend the time and energy to fight a company like that. It's a huge Italian conglomerate. So I really, you know, settled very quickly. And I mean, I sometimes miss Vivier. I think it's such a pretty name, but it's still my name. Yeah, we really just moved on very quickly. It was like, okay, clear be moving on. And like, never looked back and never thought of it again.

[Unknown Interviewer]

So when did you realize it was time to. To move the business out of your house?

[Claire Vivier]

Well, it was really taking. So bags were really taking over. I. I had found one. I was producing bags in Los Angeles with one factory, and I would, you know, buy the materials and go drop them off at the factory. Go. I would kind of make trips every day to the factory, just going to check up on the production and going to pick up what was ready and bring it back to my house. And I had moved from one room to another room. I was upstairs in my house and moved downstairs in my house, took over the den that we had, and then the den became too small. So I was putting a lot of bags in our dining room.

[Unknown Interviewer]

Did you have your son at this point too, or no?

[Claire Vivier]

Yeah. And had a small child. Yeah. And so he was part and parcel of those early years. I'm just looking at some drawings he did because he used to just be in my room with me drawing while I was making things or, you know, emailing or whatever. I was doing shipping. So the bo. Once I started the box, boxes started to be a problem because I was shipping to stores. In 2011, I had a neighbor named Catherine Bentley, who is a great jewelry designer here in Los Angeles, and she was also looking for an office space. So we were like, let's just look for a space together. And we found a space in Silver Lake, which happened to be a retail store, but we thought, that's fine, we'll just use the back. And hey, since there is a retail store, why don't we just use the first front, like the first little slice, first third of it to be a little retail store. I'll sell bags. You can sell jewelry. And we used the back part as our offices. And it was very quickly clear that this was very successful for both of us.

[Unknown Interviewer]

And did you have an employee running it? I mean, you had somebody selling it or were y'all doing.

[Claire Vivier]

No, we were just in the back and we had. But we. We both had employees. And I. My employees to grow. I mean, my bags. You just take more employees than jewelry. It's just jewelry is a much smaller operation. Yeah, we would just have one of the employees go out front every time someone came in. And then 20 of us, space became available at the corner, which is still where we have our store in Silver Lake. And that is where I say is the very first Clara V store. Because that's. That's when we were still Clair Vivier. It was it. That's my very first store.

[Unknown Interviewer]

In that. Those first five years, what do you think the biggest risk you. You took during that time? Was it opening the store?

[Claire Vivier]

Yes. Taking on rents was. Was the first. So first with Vivier and Bentley, with. With Katherine Bentley, and then moving down to the Corner. It's just the stakes are higher and the square footage is a lot right now, but there's. It's still that same feeling of, oh, my gosh, are we really going to be doing this? Are we really going to be paying this much in rents, rent every month?

[Unknown Interviewer]

I understand.

[Claire Vivier]

You understand?

[Unknown Interviewer]

And why was it so important to you to grow your team and the stores in Los Angeles?

[Claire Vivier]

Well, it just made the most sense and was easiest. This is my, this is our hometown and this is our community. And it's a great place to be as well because there are, you know, a lot of fashionable people and people interested in brands and buying something special. So it happened to be. I also think I'm always very thankful, but I started the company here in Los Angeles and not in New York or Paris because I think those places are more intimidating to me in terms of the world of fashion versus Los Angeles. We, we people in la, we have our own space and we have, we're doing our own thing and we're, we're not feeling the same kind comparison with other people all the time. And when I'm in New York, I'm always like a little like, oh my gosh, we're not doing enough. We're not doing this. You see all these other brands doing all these other things versus in Los Angeles working on, you know, we're in my offices. I've always been in Silver Lake. Right now we're in Frogtown, which is Silver Lake adjacent but you know, nowhere near the fashion world.

[Unknown Interviewer]

You know, it's interesting you say that I was telling the buying team they were having a problem with a couple of, of sales reps and they were saying, I just, I don't believe what she says to me. The way she talks to me like we're not on the same plane of what we're talking about. And I said, you have to understand, these are gals that are just out of college, they're living in New York, they're, you know, 25 years old, they have an enormous amount of rent and they really do have to sell you a lot of product. And so you do need to consider that whereas I think in LA there's so much more space physically and also just space to be creative and to think and to. You're not like you don't have this like, you know, five thousand dollar rent for your four hundred square foot studio pressing down on you. Yeah. To influence what you're saying. And they're like, oh yeah, that does kind of make sense actually.

[Claire Vivier]

Yeah. I suppose you feel the same being in a Charlotte, you know, you, yeah. You get to have this beautiful store and it's not this crushing rent, I assume. Or maybe, maybe not. When you started it.

[Unknown Interviewer]

Yeah, when I started it was. But I also think like you said, I mean, I think any, any rent is crushing and any employee is, is crushing in that it's, it's a massive responsibility, you know, to, to meet that every month.

[Claire Vivier]

Yeah.

[Unknown Interviewer]

And to. To not to let them down.

[Claire Vivier]

I have about 100 and I think 140 people now on the payroll.

[Unknown Interviewer]

Wow.

[Claire Vivier]

That's just kind of a. A number that is. Is kind of. I'm flabbergasted. But at the same time, I think I have a very. One of my business talents is that I'm able to compartmentalize, and I think it works to my advantage a lot because I think that's how I sleep at night. That's the other thing my husband says to me is, like, I don't know how you sleep at night. I don't know how you. Because I'm a much better sleeper than he is. And he's like, if I had the weight of your. Of all the responsibilities, I would. He would never sleep. And it's true. You just wouldn't be such a big worrier. And I think my gift is that I'm able to just be like, okay, I can't do anything about that right now.

[Unknown Interviewer]

Can't fix that right now.

[Claire Vivier]

You can't.

[Unknown Interviewer]

That might be women, and that might maybe even be mothers. I mean, I think you sort of. You. You're forced to in so many different ways. Compartmentalized. Don't you think?

[Claire Vivier]

Yeah.

[Unknown Interviewer]

And one of the things about you that I think is really interesting, and I don't. We don't hear this a ton. You've had a business partner for a lot of your time in business.

[Claire Vivier]

Yes, yes.

[Unknown Interviewer]

And it's been a very positive relationship. I don't hear that all the time, especially in fashion. Right, right, exactly.

[Claire Vivier]

I do feel like I hear way more often than not that there's been some kind of fraught relationship, and it hasn't really worked out the best for the designer. And, you know, knock on wood. Still time to go. But we've been partners for 12 years, so that was right before I opened my first store. It was very early on in my trajectory and the businesses trajectory factory. I met a man named Tom Cart Sodas through Stephen Allen. Stephen was my mentor and good friend already. He carried my bags. My bags were sold at his showroom as well. And he was just always a very early champion of the brand. And in 2012, he said, I'd like to introduce you to a guy named Tom Cartsotis, and he's interested in investing in some fashion companies right now. So I met with Tom, and it was very informal. We met at the Greenwich hotel oversee, and I didn't have a business plan. I didn't have anything to show him. We just talked about what my dreams were for the company and what my problems were at the time. And how could. How did I see that I could, you know, fix these problems and what could he do for me? And that's. We just kind of like, chatted. And then afterwards I thought, well, okay, do you. What's next? Do you want a business plan? Do you want anything? He said, well, why don't you just send me an email and put some of this stuff in writing for me, But I don't need a business plan. So I wrote out a long email to him, and that's how our business was forged. And at the time he decided to purchase 40% of the company, the money just went back into the company. I didn't take any money off the table at the time. And then Stephen Allen bought 7% from Tom. So. So I had two partners. They're still my partners. So Tom owned 33%, Stephen owned seven, and I owned 60%.

[Unknown Interviewer]

And what sort of support did they give you? I mean, you said you're always good at knowing what you're not good at. What were the things that they helped you with that you knew they were the right fit?

[Claire Vivier]

Well, at the time, I think I had about 10 employees, and I needed to. I needed more employees. And I. I also knew that in order to. To attract people to work for the company, I needed to provide health care. So that was number one on my list. I remember saying to Tom, I don't know anything about how to. And I don't want to spend the time figuring it out, like how to get health care for my employees. Can you help me with that? And he said, sure, I'll help you with that. So I was able to go under their umbrella of his other companies and bring my employees in. And so for a time being, we. We had healthcare that way. They were very helpful on leases. They looked at the leases. One of the main things for the. For the first, probably eight years of our partnership, his, his fractional CFO was my fractional CFO really helpful. Randy Kercho was extremely helpful in keeping. Keeping things very clean on our books. And I was very, very thankful for that because that was just an area. And we had my bookkeeper, that same bookkeeper that I broug. She. She was with me for many years working with Randy. And we just got to a point where she, she didn't want to do it anymore. We were just a bigger company than she wanted to deal with. As, as time went on, that. So helpful with figuring out who I needed to hire Because I had never worked in a bigger fashion company, so I didn't. I didn't even know the roles that we needed. Like, I didn't. I was doing some of the functions, but didn't know what they were called. Like a merchandiser or a planner or a. A product development person, or I'm, you know, the production team, you know.

[Unknown Interviewer]

Yeah, I do know. And it sounds like you've always been comfortable calling yourself a creative. At what point did you start feeling comfortable calling yourself a business person?

[Claire Vivier]

I don't know when I started to feel comfortable with that. I think maybe it was recently I. I have been playing a business person over to the exterior world. I've been a business person because I've been the owner of this company with all these stores. But I. I didn't feel comfortable thinking of myself as a business person until recently when I just started to. I don't know, it just comes with age and with time when you're just like, I'm doing this. This is. This is me making all of these decisions. And yes, I have a great president and yes, I have good partners, but I'm the person choosing those people, and I'm making the final decisions on these things. And I have built this team. I've brought the creative people in as well as the other, you know, So I guess just recently.

[Unknown Interviewer]

And how has the business changed as you've opened in more communities? Has that made it transform?

[Claire Vivier]

I don't know that has transformed the company, but it has. We've just grown. And one thing that I notice is that we have to have more teams doing more specific things. So whereas our creative team used to kind of touch everything, now they kind of are like, you're on stores now, you're very creative, but now you're on stores, you're no longer going to be on product, and this other person who's creative is just going to be on product and things like, we don't have time to have everyone on everything now, so we have to be very conscientious about setting the roles for people.

[Unknown Interviewer]

Do you have a dream store, a dream location for a store?

[Claire Vivier]

I sure do. I would love to open in Paris.

[Unknown Interviewer]

Yeah. What neighborhood?

[Claire Vivier]

We go back and forth. I think probably the Marais, just because of the amount of foot traffic. I love the Left bank and being in Saint Germain or the 6th or something like that. But I think the shop, you know, it's so beautiful and calm and like civilized dust down there.

[Unknown Interviewer]

It feels very dust.

[Claire Vivier]

But that's where I'd like To live. And I'd probably like to have a store. Just keep it in the mare.

[Unknown Interviewer]

I'm with you. But about Los Angeles, tell me, why is it so important to you to, to produce in Los Angeles?

[Claire Vivier]

Oh, this is something that I really love. I love that, you know, I started with one factory, went to 2, 3, 4, 5 factories we now utilize in Los Angeles. And I just love that we're able to, number one, be so close to the production. So we get to, to go down and see QC product very easily. But also it's so, it's always so inspiring. Whenever you go to the factory, you're talking to really skilled professionals and you get to really chat about designs and things inevitably come up that you hadn't thought about that could be problems or new designs. This happens all the time that I'm just chatting with the head of the factory and we'll figure out new designs, which is extremely inspiring to me. But the main thing is, is the jobs that we're creating in this, in this community. It's great to create jobs anywhere in the world, but it's really, really nice to know that we're creating jobs with living wages to people here, right here in Southern California.

[Unknown Interviewer]

What are you most proud of in the past 16 years of your business?

[Claire Vivier]

I think I'm proud also of the people that I see wearing the bags and the, in the amount of joy that it brings them and the, and the fact that they're very, like, excited to meet me because they love their product so much and they love the brand and that's really cool. And I, I'm really proud of that.

[Unknown Interviewer]

Tell me what's powerful about starting so small?

[Claire Vivier]

Well, I think it's the only thing I know, so I don't, I can't compare it to anything. But I will say that when you start small, you do understand every aspect of the company. And so you can have a lot of respect and a lot of empathy for people and all the roles in those in the company. I think starting small for me was so wonderful because of the product, because I'm again the person, the product person, the creative person. And I love being able to choose the, choose all the elements, choose all the pieces of hardware, choose the, the leathers, the materials, the linings, everything, and then go down a factory and get to discuss that with, with the people making the bags. And I don't think you would be able to do that if you started with a lot of capital because you would already be. You would have to already have a team and you know, there would be a lot expected of you immediately, and I'm just very thankful there was nothing expected of me.

[Unknown Interviewer]

Do you think if you pulled out your laptop covers, could you put them in the store now? Would they sit alongside your collection now?

[Claire Vivier]

No, for sure. No. Especially because I would. I made them in canvas. I can draw from them now as inspiration and that we've definitely done, but we make them a lot nicer now. A lot cuter. There. There was a time when I. I started to work with leather. Just the beginning of working with leather. My machine did not work on leather. I didn't have the right foot to. To sew with the machine. So I was sewing things by hand in leather. And I was using an awl. It looks like a big, big needle with a wooden handle. And you kind of poke it into the leather and it's hand, hand sewing. And I would sew with embroidery thread and all and make these big chunky stitches with. With shiny gold embroidery thread on patent leather. And those, I think could almost sit in our store these days. But. But I think we could make them better.

[Unknown Interviewer]

I know you weren't at open school anymore, but if you did make your own dress, want to know what you wore to prom?

[Claire Vivier]

I. I think you would have liked my prom dress. I wore my mother's. One of my mother's dresses from the 50s. It was a beautiful strapless cabbage roses silk chiffon fitted with a 50s, like, tea length.

[Unknown Interviewer]

What color?

[Claire Vivier]

It was like kind of a cream with the pink and green roses. Oh, I didn't like the length, so I tucked it under to make it a bubble skirt.

[Unknown Interviewer]

Oh, my gosh. It sounds so good. Okay.

[Claire Vivier]

To make it a mini. And it was so cute.

[Unknown Interviewer]

Oh, my gosh. And so just altered that part. Everything else fit perfectly. You didn't have to do anything.

[Claire Vivier]

Everything else fit perfectly. Crazily enough, yeah.

[Unknown Interviewer]

And then do you remember accessories? Shoes or hair?

[Claire Vivier]

Here I got the pumps, the green pumps that I had dyed green to match the flower, to match the green on the flower, which were actually pretty cute. I wish I still had them, but I don't. They were satin pumps, you know.

[Unknown Interviewer]

Wow.

[Claire Vivier]

That was pretty cute outfit. I have. I have a picture of it.

[Unknown Interviewer]

Oh, I need to see that. Yeah, that sounds like a good look. Wow. Well, thank you so much for taking the time today. I have really, really enjoyed talking with you and hearing about your story.

[Claire Vivier]

Thank you so much for having me. I love your store so much. It makes me want to go over to the country market now and go shopping.

[Unknown Interviewer]

Me too.

[Claire Vivier]

Yes. I haven't been there in a while, so I gotta go do some shopping.

[Unknown Interviewer]

Thank you, Claire. What We Wore is produced by Capitol and Balto Creative Media. The original song, Someone so Enchanting, was composed and performed by Brit Drazda. Please follow us on Instagram hatweworepodcast for additional content and show updates. QueenCityPodcastNetwork.com.