Boutique Chat #025 | WWDMagic: Spring 19 Trends, Business Tips & Life in Fashion | Kelly Helfman

You guys are not going to want.

To miss this week. Episode number 25 of Boutique Chat, and we are sitting down to talk all.

About trends and the future of apparel.

Shows with none other than Kelly Helfman of WWD Magic. It's going to be a good one. Let's talk about your business strategy and the juicy details of what actually works, from mainstream fashion to fashion on Main street and the entire ecosystem behind it. How do we scale your company and do it with a balance and the happiness that we all seek? Let's hear from those inside insiders, experts and strategists that actually make it happen. I'm your host, Ashley Alderson from the Boutique Hub, and I can't wait to chat. All right, guys, we are headed into a super busy month of August when so many of you are attending shows and buying for the next season in your boutique. Now, I know many of you are probably going to be headed to Las Vegas along with us at the Boutique Hub to attend Fashion Week and all the UBM shows, especially WWD Magic. So today's episode on the podcast is a special one for a couple of reasons. Number one, if you haven't been there before, it can be a bit overwhelming. So we want to use this time today to talk about the difference in all the shows, what you want to make sure you see, and all of the ways you can maximize your trip to Las Vegas. Now, if you've been there before, today we're going to be breaking down what's new and what you may not expect to see happening in Las Vegas because there's lots of new and exciting things that are going to be coming your way. And regardless of if you're going or not, you're going to want to listen today because we're breaking down trend analysis and what is going to be hitting store shelves for the next season. So this is one where if you love fashion like I do, you're probably.

Going to nerd out a little bit or maybe a lot, or maybe that.

Was just me, I don't know. But it's going to be a great episode. So, guys, today we're chatting with Kelly Helfman. She's the brand director and the head of the show at WWD Magic. Now, Kelly and I have gotten to know each other a little bit over the past couple of years since the Boutique Hub has been collaborating with the team at UBM who owns the shows in Las Vegas. We've been working together to host cocktail parties and to try to build better relationships with between the brands at the show and the boutique owners attending. Because Kelly, like our entire team at the Boutique Hub, wants to see success for all the small businesses who are in this industry. We all believe in the future of community over competition and how all of us working together with a great collaboration and a great partnership can really strengthen and grow every single business in this industry. Guys, Kelly is so excited about what she does. And not only is she going to be talking, of course, about the shows today and trips to Las Vegas and trend analysis, but for those of you interested in what it's like to be a woman in this industry who has an amazing career, who is also a wife and a mother, who sees the future of fashion and wants to be a part of it on any level possible, she is your go to gal. Kelly is a working mama who is going to give us some tips on how she balances this life and really enjoys every step along the way. Guys, this is going to be such a great episode. And if you can't attend Las Vegas, if you can't attend the shows, I hope you'll be there in the future. But if you are attending, don't forget you're going to get to meet Kelly in person at the Boutique Hubs cocktail party at WWD Magic at the Las Vegas Convention center on Tuesday, August 14th from 4 to 6pm now this is in Club 34. It's just down the hall from where you enter the main doors going into Magic. And Kelly's actually going to be coming to speak talking about trend analysis and we're also going to be joined by a boutique owner panel talking about tips and strategies for success in the industry. So you're not going to want to miss that again. 4 to 6pm on Tuesday the 14th. For all the details, check out our Facebook pages at the Boutique Hub business and we'll make sure that you're RSVP'd and ready to attend the event. So without further ado, let's talk to my soul sister in fashion, my dear friend, Kelly Helfman, who is the brand director and lead at WWD Magic.

All right.

Hey guys, welcome back to Boutique Chat. This week I'm so excited to be joined by someone who is such a leader in this industry and definitely has the know when it comes to trends in the industry. We're chatting today with Kelly Helfman who is the vice president and brand director of WWD Magic Fame Accessories. This show and the pool trade show, a huge part of fashion in Las Vegas and in New York, definitely a seen and be seen event. That every retailer should definitely be a part of going forward. So, Kelly, I'm so excited that you're here today.

Hi. Thanks for having me. I'm excited too, man.

So we've gotten to know each other here over the past, what's it been, two years maybe? So it's awesome to have you finally on the show, and we're kind of moving into some new areas of collaboration that I think are going to be so beneficial, not just for boutique members of the boutique hub, but brand members as well. I think there's such a stronger partnership that we're forging just to build more awareness of what's happening in Vegas, what's happening in the industry, and to make more of those connections, both online and offline. So thanks for being a part of this. Of course.

I'm so excited, and I'm glad we're finally doing this and talking more, and I look forward to collabing, definitely.

So game plan for today for everyone listening, purpose of our conversation and this episode is kind of twofold. One, we want to talk about the shows. Definitely. And how to maximize your time there, what to expect, just help you kind of have a better feel of the industry and what's shaken. But also, I mean, Kelly, we were talking about what it's like to be a mom and to have this career in fashion, and I would love to hear more about you and, you know, kind of a badass woman in this industry and how you managed to juggle it all. So we're gonna kind of wrap our conversation at the end of this episode talking about that.

I love you. First of all, thank you for that intro, because it is hard for all of us. Thank you, though.

Yeah, well, it's true. I mean, it can be lonely at times. Don't you think? It's so nice to have someone who gets it and can relate on that level, like mom guilt like we were talking about, and the struggles you go through.

Do you ever find yourself looking up momboss? I do it often when I'm, like, going to sleep at night and I'm starting to feel my mom guilt because I'm going on a business trip and I'll just click on momboss and I'll see all these moms that are ruling the world and they have these great careers or they own their own businesses, and then I start feeling a little less alone. So I suggest that when you have a moment of guilt, just search hashtag momboss and then you'll feel a little bit more empowered.

I like it. I like it, man. So let's talk about, first of all, the shows.

Okay.

What's coming up? Because August is going to be such a crazy month. And actually in the next couple weeks, it's starting for you. So let's talk about if someone's not been to Vegas for a while, specifically or to Europe, the UBM shows for a while. Tell us about the shows, kind of the differences between them and what people can expect.

Okay, so magic is a huge marketplace. It's. We take up a million square feet in Las Vegas two times a year. It's August and February. And don't let that intimidate you because of those. That million square feet. It's 2,000 brands. We do split it up into 16 very small shows. So that way we make it easy for you to navigate and we make it very clear of where you need to shop. So coming up this August, the show's actually August 13th to the 15th. And for those of you that have brand sourcing opens up August 12th. So you have a chance to go hit up sourcing before you actually have to man your booth. We're coming up on a great show. Typically, people will be selling immediates. They'll also have spring, summer, 2019. But you can also get a lot of back to school and holiday resort. Specifically in terms of women's, we have shows at both the Las Vegas Convention center and the Mandalay Bay Convention center and with the women's shows at the Las Vegas Convention center, because I think that your listeners have. Are there some contemporary and some more. Everything retails under 100.

It's definitely a mix. So I would say Magic and Project are the two biggest ones for our community.

Okay, wonderful. So lvcc, the Las Vegas Convention center, it's on Paradise Road. That's where we used to always be. So if you're used to coming to Magic, A few years back, we used to have the entire show at the Las Vegas Convention center. And then we outgrew it. So we had to expand to the Mandalay Bay Convention Center. Currently at the Las Vegas Convention center, we have WWD Magic. And WWD Magic is our largest women's show in Vegas. It's kind of, I would say everything retails under $100. It's that sweet price point. So if you buy brands like BB Dakota, Lush, Olivacious, Audrey 3 plus 1, like you frequent the San Pedro Mart in LA, your highest end brand is probably free, then definitely WWD Magic would be the place for you. We have 600 brands there, and it's a mix between Ready to wear accessories and we do have some beauty and services companies as well sprinkled throughout the show. So that's WWD Magic today. Explain that.

Okay, Ash. Yes, I like it.

Then the only other show at Las Vegas Convention center that has Women's is fmp, which is footwear. It's all footwear, all genders and kids. So you would definitely want to stop by there if you have footwear in your store. And they have all different price points of footwear. So it's anywhere from Ash to Rachel Zoe, all the way to Chinese Laundry, JP Original and Haviana's. So all price points of women's footwear at fmp. So that's what you need to hit up at the Las Vegas Convention center, if that sounds right for your boutique.

Now, is children still at LVCC as well?

No, it actually is moving this show over to the Mandalay Bay.

Okay.

Yeah, but your children's footwear is in fmp, the footwear. So if you carry children's footwear, you're definitely going to want to hit up fmp. And then, yes, now the kids show, Children's Club Magic has moved over to the Mandalay Bay and it's adjacent to Project Women's. Okay, so moving over to the Mandalay Bay Convention Center. Like I said, we have children's there. And it just made sense because the children's brands we have align more with the Project Women's brands. They're a little bit higher end. Like we have DL 1961 Denim for Kids or Ella Moss Kids. And so that made a little bit more sense in terms of the brand alignment we Project Women's is at the Mandalay Bay. So if you carry brands that mostly retail over $100, I would say Project Women's is your jam. We have brands like David Lerner, James Jean, Scotch and Soda, Rebecca Minkoff. So that is really our more contemporary women's show. And then adjacent to Project Women's we have Stitch. And Stitch is a little bit more of a mature woman, I would say a little bit more bridge. And some of the brands we have there are Johnny Was, Karen Kane, Donna Morgan Echo, and then lastly, the next place to buy women's over at the Mandalay Bay would be Pool and Pool Trade show. It's such a gem. I just took over the show actually in October, so it's been almost a year. It's indie art inspired brands that are emerging and just coming into the industry. So it's the best place to find all that real Feminine jewelry from these emerging designers. You can find really cool graphic tees. Like, we have this one, the Bee and the Fox, where it says, like, you know, it's all pro mama shirts. And then another really great T shirt company called Kulk C U L K. I would say we have a few real noteworthy brands in there. James Campbell loves pool. He feels like pool works for him. So James Campbell footwear's in there. We have next level for all of your basics and Bella and canvas as well. Pool really is a great little gem, so I suggest going there. We have artists doing art on tees. There's, you know, cocktail hours all through the day, live music, so just make sure to check it out. And it's the best place because it has cash and carry. So if you see something you Love, there's about 53 vendors where you can actually buy something and walk away with it just for yourself. And there's a lot of candles, cute cards, so some good register options.

I'm so glad you said that. Of all the times I've been coming, I did not realize there was cash and carry there. So you'll know where to find me when I have some free time this August. I'll be at Pool.

Oh, yeah. They have the most adorable things.

Perfect. Can you also talk about. We kind of talk about sourcing for a second. We have a lot of brand members of the boutique hub as well, and some boutique owners who are kind of getting into some more personalized items and creating some of their own pieces. So can you touch on that show, too?

Oh, that's so exciting. First of all, if you have more than one store, I feel like we should all be excited. Exploring private label and carrying your own line. Why not? You could actually sometimes cut out the middleman and. And do something really great for your tribe. So sourcing would definitely be a good place to go. Again, it opens on Sunday, August 12, and you can find manufacturers there. Fabric trim, zippers, buttons from all different countries all over the world. Some have very low minimums for you, and some have very high minimums, and they'll be very upfront about that. You can find Made in USA manufacturers if that's something you want to get into. But I also suggest if you're creating your own line for your store or you just want to start a line, definitely WWD Magic is also a great place to explore that. And I think, Ashley, you and I have spoke about this before. A lot of our brands in the trend section at WWD Magic, as well as Young Contemporary, they Do private label. So not only are they at our show to sell to your boutiques and to buyers at Nordstrom's and Bloomingdale's or online stores like Revolve, but they also do private label. So for instance, we have sites like Fashion nova coming to WWDMagic to write brands and then they just put their own label on it and then put it on Fashion Nova which is exploding. Or a store like I know all you west coast ladies will know William B. William B. Goes to WWD Magic, picks their favorite pieces and then they put their William B. Label in it. So that's another great option just to make your life easier. And again, for the brands at wwd, Magic, because they're such fast fashion and they all own most of them, I would say the majority of the ready to wear guys, they own their factories in China or Korea. They have the capabilities to push it out really fast to you and do low minimums because they have it in stock.

Absolutely. I love that that's so important. Talk about being an order writing show plus being an experience. Because I think that all the shows kind of have this reputation that goes along with them of you have to be there to experience, experience it. Not just, you know, one booth and the next you're in and out. But it truly is like the debut of the next season and you want to be the first to see what's happening in Vegas.

Yeah. So I think boutiques and buyers, they get a little intimidated about Magic because it's so large and it's a buying trip and there's going to be so much to see and they just sometimes give up or you come and you don't really necessarily get the bang for your buck for the travel that you spent. So it's really important to schedule your trip prior to going and I'm here to help you with that, honestly. Ashley, please, if you can get everybody my information at the end, it's really important to know that this is not just a buying trip. It's also an educational trip. It's a networking trip. So you're going to do a lot of things in this one to two to three days that you're going to be coming to Magic and you're going to want to schedule it out. So if you're a boss mom like me, you're going to live by your calendar and you're going to make sure that you see your top 20 brands that you love. You want to see their collections and buy. Right. But you always have to make time for the Brand to find new. So we want to make sure that we're coming. If you're going to spend the money to come to Magic, you want to make sure that you're finding the hottest new brands. And we have about, I would say, 18% this show of our brands at WWD Magic are new. So you want to discover those new brands at the show, and then you want to leave time for seminars and the Social house seminars as well. We have the ones in the buyer suite and then the ones in the Social house on the concourse. And that's free education for you. And we all, even though we think we know most of it, we all can continue to learn, and we have the opportunity to grow as store owners. So it's important to make sure to get that schedule in advance and really block out your calendar for the ones you want to go to. And that's anything from selling on Instagram or Facebook Live to E commerce, to how to create your vibe on social media to attract your tribe to influencers, to how to get into beauty in your store. Store. So I would really carve that out. So sometimes, you know, we go to these regionals and it's. It's much more manageable and small, and it is a buying trip. But at Magic, because we're so large, we're really giving you three days of an entire experience for you to educate, to network, to have a little bit of fun, to buy, to meet new brands and so forth. I love it.

And there's no fun head. Are you kidding me? No fun, right?

Oh, my gosh, you guys. So that's. We always survey our boutiques and our attendees after the show, and everybody wants more partying. I think that's also the fun part about Vegas as opposed to some of the other shows, is you're coming to the show for like a work trip slash vacation trip, you know, especially in August. It's hot. You can hang out by the pool. We're actually doing a party by a pool for all of you, and you're all invited. It's on Tuesday night, August 4 4. Yes, yes. From 6 to 9 at Daylight Pool at the Mandalay Bay. And we just. We listen to you guys, like, let's work all day and have some fun at night. So, yeah, it's on us.

So before the pool party, we've gotta talk about this. So it's our boutique boss cocktail party from 4 to 6 at LVCC in Club 34. And then you guys are actually. I'm so pumped about this. You guys are Providing a bus for Boutique Hub members this year to take you over from LVCC to the pool party at Mandalay, which is amazing. So thank you guys for that.

The least we can do. Thank you for all coming and we're so excited. I'm so excited to meet each and every one of you and talk that day. We'll have a lot of fun and then we'll head over to this party I'm talking about and free drinks. We're going to have some great entertainment and we could all schmooze and just get to know each other.

Love it. So something else that's new this year that you and I have been talking about is your new collaboration with Fashion Go. You want to talk about what that's going to look like on the show floor?

I am so excited about this. So it's actually there's an online and an on site component and it was kind of a no brainer for me to partner with fashion go.net because we're the two major B2B powerhouses in this like trend and young contemporary wholesale game. So we've been talking for quite a while and finally we ironed down our partnership. So we are doing and a blog with fashiongo.net, me personally every week on Monday it's called Kelly's Magic Mondays and I just basically give my expertise on trends. So every Monday I pick a really fun trend. Like last week it was or this past Monday it was International Ice Cream Day. And I picked all these beautiful pastels and these really kitschy ice cream cone prints and I picked my top picks from fashion go.net and then every week I also do an interview with a boutique owner and so we talk about what's working for them, what's not. And so if you haven't seen it, check that out. So that's going to live on their site every Monday. Next week I'm doing Taylor Swift the Reputation Tour looks, it's all sequins and amazing 80s shoulders. So look out for that one. And I'm a little obsessed. And then on site, Fashion go is bringing 35 new brands that have never been to WWE before. So they're going to have a big space on the show floor. It's actually called online. So if you see signage or promotions for online, this is what we're talking about. It's wwdmagic and fashiongo.net new neighborhood at wwdmagic it's gonna be all new brands to the show and we're gonna do this for the next few shows. So we're really excited. So we're gonna always offer you these, these new cool, up and coming brands or they're pretty established but they've just never been. So this show we've 35 of them. They're each gonna have a couple curated racks inside this space and the space is gonna live right below the concourse. So the concourse is the main area where we have all of our activations and free people in the social house. It's gonna. And you'll see signage for online and each brand is going to have a few racks with the curated selection of their line. So you can really touch and feel and get an idea for the product. Then you can go online on an iPad right at the show and view the entire collection and just order and check out. So we're now combining both the on site experience and the digital experience. And listen, I, I've been working on trade shows for 12 years and I want everybody to know how important it is to come to a trade show to find those brands to touch and feel. We've all ordered from online and it from a B2B platform online and it comes to you and it's just not that quality that you were hoping for and you're like, oh, okay, you know, I'm stuck with it or whatnot. This is your opportunity to touch and feel and find your favorite brands at WWD Magic. And then all year round 24, 7, you can reorder those brands online. So we get it. I mean we, we know that both the shows and the online B2B platforms are part of your buying and that's why we're collabing with Fashion Go to kind of make this easier for you. So we're really excited and for the first time ever, you guys F Go and WWD Magic are bringing you free water at the show. So in August, this was a. I know this is a major thing. As we all know, the convention centers charge about $8 for a water bottle. It's mind blowing. So we are going to sponsor water station water stations throughout the show floor and Fashion Go is going to give all the retailers that are coming to the show water bottles to refill them throughout your buying.

I love it. That's amazing. Both of these things are amazing. I was gonna. One of my next questions was I wanted to talk to you about challenges happening in the industry today and really mainly how fast the industry's changing in terms of going omnichannel online and off. But what you've just talked about demonstrates beautifully how you're kind of taking that next step to bridge the gap between online and offline sales and wholesale.

Yeah, I think, you know, it's hard because people are cutting their budgets. They're feeling as if they can do things online. And we understand. So we really believe that. That maybe it's about picking what shows work best for you. So maybe you come to two WWD Magics a year, and then you do buying on a shopthefloor.com or a fashion go.net all year round to do your reorders. But it's really important that you also realize that a show like WWD Magic or Magic Marketplace in general, Project Women's, you're getting an entire experience of buying, networking, educating. So you're really investing in your store and ultimately your customers that are your shop.

Exactly. And there's something about. And I'm a huge believer of that online purchase taking place. But you're right, you can't ever replace that in person experience. But not only that, the relationship that you're building with those brands and those reps at the same time.

Exactly. And I want people that haven't been to Magic in a while to get excited about the experience we're really bringing you. So before October, they didn't have this brand director role that I've kind of moved into. And the reason why they created this is because we really wanted to invest more in the trade show experience for you all. And we want you to walk in and really touch on the five senses. So when you walk into the LVCC or Mandalay Bay, you touch on smell, you touch on sound, you touch on taste. All those things your five senses are really aware. And we are really encouraging you to do the same in your store. So, for instance, I have a specific type of music playing by these two amazing DJs at WWD Magic that's gonna resonate with my attendees. And then what you smell, you walk into a boutique, you should smell some beautiful candles that your buyers are gonna love and taste. I want to give you the best of the best food for the first time. We're actually gonna have much more healthier options at WWDmagic with calorie content. So we're touching on all those things visual. I want you to see really cool things. We're gonna do a 90s fashion lounge that's visually gonna be mind blowing for you. So. So we're just excited to again, bring that experiential part for you. I mean, we all love a good Instagramable moment. I'M going to have them all throughout the show this time.

Can I clone you? Is that possible? Can you be cloned and come to the boutique Hub as well? This is amazing.

Yes, I'm in.

I love it. Oh, my gosh. So let's also talk about something that you're so knowledgeable in, and that's trend. So I know there's a lot of boutique owners who are listening and they're asking. Actually, we get this question all the time on the Hub about where are you going to find what is next in trend? And sure, you can experience those things online, too, but I feel like at Magic, everyone does such a great job of bringing those trends to life and displaying them new way that you wouldn't have thought possible. So I'd love to know your thoughts on what's coming and what people are going to be seeing.

Yeah. So definitely WWD Magic and the entire Magic Marketplace project, women's especially, they will have so much inspo for you and your stores. So get your phones out and take pictures of all of these amazing mannequin displays they have on, how to style them and whatnot for the future. A few things that I know we're gonna see definitely at the upcoming August show are in terms of ready to wear sequins. Like I mentioned before, it's all about the sequins 80s 90s. So I feel like this is not just a New Year's Eve moment. We're actually gonna really be wearing sequins a lot out on our nights out with the girls or date nights. And maybe it's a blazer or it's a dress or it's a sequin handbag, but sequins are definitely back in along with those 80s shoulders. So remember how I want to say a year ago, it was all about the bell sleeves.

Yeah.

Now we're gonna see a little bit more of an elevated shoulder. And it doesn't have to be a giant shoulder pad. Don't be scared. We're not going Designing Women quite yet. But do you remember that show Designing Women with Delta Burke?

Oh, totally. I loved it. And I mean, the shoulder pad, I would have brought this back so long ago because it, like, slims your waist and makes you look like you're not a Hunchback of Notre Dame. I mean, all the things I love. Shoulder packaging, pads.

I love it, too. So we're gonna have some shoulder pads definitely there or just like a good structured shoulder also. And I think you're gonna love this one because I from stalking you on Instagram I see you're a rodeo girl. That cowgirl chic is definitely going to be a part of August. So anything. So. And this is, you know, in LA and New York too, everybody is getting into the fringe game again. Definitely. It could be suede fringes, it could be string fringes, just tassels. That's going to be big overalls of all sorts. So just different fabrics, not just denim, and then also wider pants. They can be belle, they could be earthy tones, but definitely that cowgirl chic was all over the Runway. And our brands at WWD Magic are all going to have it in their booth for you to buy.

I love it.

Do you want me to talk about accessories a little bit too moving forward that you have to incorporate in your store? One of them being statements tights for definitely for fall and winter, there's going to be a lot of simple dresses with a statement on their tight. So whether that's a print or even a designer. I don't know if you guys follow any of the Kardashian girls, but I'm a geek and I do. And Kylie had these amazing Alexander Wang tights on. I think it was Kylie and they just said Alexander Wang down the tight and she had a super simple outfit on. But I also like the floral prints and still the plaids. Also, we're going to see a lot of colored animal prints on handbags, so anywhere from red snakeskin to a purple leopard print tiger is back. We're going to see a lot of colored animal prints on handbags, backpacks, and belt bags. And again, belt bags are going nowhere. So we all have to make sure to have some of those as an option.

That's perfect. We need to. We need to get some blog posts going on the boutique hub about these pieces because I know the ladies listening are going to eat this up. It makes me want to go, like, tomorrow. I love seeing all this, like, play out in person. It gets my inner North Dakota. Didn't previously know fashion like I do now. So excited. So this is. Thank you for sharing those.

Yeah. And don't be scared of these because I know I gave very kitschy, bold trends, but really, everybody can rock them. And I always am a huge advocate for of just wearing what makes you happy. And if. If you wear a simple black dress with a belt bag that's in a, you know, red snakeskin print, that's all you need. And it just brings so much happiness to all of us. So I can actually give you examples for the blog post of brands that are at the show that are showing these trends that you guys can make sure to visit.

Yeah, we'll do that. We'll touch base after the podcast and. And take that on. The other thing I want to mention too, just hearing you speak and knowing how boutique owners minds work around, around the world, really, because what might hit somewhere may not hit in the Midwest for another season yet. So I love the opportunity. If you're coming to the show and you don't feel comfortable yet about writing orders for some of these trends, at least come Instagram them. But use it as a conversation starter within your own community because every community has to have a fashion leader who does it first.

Right.

And no one's going to feel comfortable taking a step on that trend until they see someone that they know like and trust do it first and teach them that it's okay to take that step as well. So I would say come experience it, but start the conversation for sure, even if you're not ready to order it.

That is so true. Fashion is so aspirational and I think we're all thinking about it and want to do it. You know, there's a brand for everybody at WWD Magic and we definitely have our more feminine brands that are still doing tons of off the shoulder and ruffles and there is a huge segment for that girl. And then we have our more kitschy brands that are super fashion forward with, you know, Rick denim and mom jeans and there's a segment for that girl. But the inspiration that you get when you're walking the show is just so exciting and I feel like you nailed it, Ashley, is when you throw it out to your shoppers and get that inspiration out to them maybe on social media and say, you know, take an Instagram story survey and say, are we loving this belt bag? Are we not? And then maybe by the next day at Shopping Magic, you'll know whether you should order it or not.

Yeah, absolutely. That instant feedback does wonders for sure. So because we're still sisters, I want to shift gears a little bit and I want to ask you more about you and your role in all of this, because we both have a deep love for fashion, but also for helping people, whether it's a designer or a brand or a rep, but the boutique owner ultimately and how she grows her business and serves the consumer. So I'd love to know, before you got into this role, what did you do previously?

Oh, my goodness. Goodness. First of all, I love you. We are soul sisters. I felt it from the beginning. The feeling is mutual. So, guys, I basically kind of grew up in this area and I get you boutique owners. Because while I was in high school, my mother had a vintage clothing store. So I would spend the weekends. Are you ready for it? Buying with her at estate sales, garage sales and Goodwills. Then we, we would pull the coolest pieces. That's how I was taught to have this really good eye from a young age. So, like cool vintage rocker tees from the Goodwill and then we would mark it up and sell them. So that's how I started for the love and fashion. And then I always worked in retail during college and summer jobs, I was a Nordstrom's girl. And then out of college I started my own line and it was called Queen K W E E N. And I had. I was in a showroom in the Cooper Building in downtown la. I'm sure many of you have visited with brands like Heatherette. I'm totally aging myself. I don't know if you know Heatherette or Megan Fabulous, but I had this clothing line. I had it for a few years and loved it. Then from that point, it was really hard to have your own business, as we all know. And all the money I was making from the line was going right back into it. And I just felt like I needed that steady paycheck. So I got this amazing opportunity at 24 years old to work at Magic. This is 12 years ago, so I just aged myself. I was 24 years old and. And I had a family friend who worked at Magic. It was in la, the office, as a customer service rep. So I started from the bottom in the corporate world as a customer service rep. I was calling brands to prepare them for the show, make sure they were all ready for setup, register for their badges, and did that for quite a few years until I got promoted and promoted and promoted. And then 12 years later, I'm still with this company for acquisitions later. Our company's been through four buys since I've been here. And now I oversee wwd, Magic Fame Accessories, the show. Those are both in York as well as Pull Trade show. So that's kind of my career in a nutshell, I think coming from the boutique side and the brand side. Before I started with Magic and now my career at Magic, working with boutiques and brands. I feel very confident, empowered to help anybody I can with their business with tips or just plainly having girl talk and talking about fashion, quite frankly. And also being a mom in this industry and having this career and having to travel and, you know, it's a lot. So I think this community that you've started, Ashley, is pretty incredible for all of us. I know there's a lot of working mamas listening and just all sharing our knowledge. And I love what you've done.

Really well, let's talk about the mom piece of it. And really, two points. I want to get to the mom piece, but I want to go back and touch on. First of all, I want to shop in your closet. But second of all, I love that you demonstrated. I know there's a lot of women that are listening who have a business, have a boutique, have a brand, whatever, and they're wondering is, is this it for me? Is this what I want to do the rest of my life? And some of them are kind of on the edge, like, maybe this business isn't what I thought it would be, but I love this community so much, I don't ever want to leave it. So I think you've demonstrated that there is a very clear path for people that if business ownership isn't what they want to do the rest of their lives, you can still find a role like you have that really keeps you in that same community and is so incredibly fulfilling at the same time.

Absolutely. There are so many amazing fashion business companies. So a lot of times when people think they want to get into fashion, they think I'm going to either be in a store or brand. There are trend. There's trend people like Fashion Snoops or WGSN that you can work for if you love that part. There's companies like mine that own fashion trade shows or the local marts like Atlanta Mart or Dallas Mart. There's so many things you can do in fashion where you don't necessarily have to work for yourself. If you ever. And don't feel bad about that, like, it's a lot, and some of us can handle it and kill it, and. And we're thriving. And some of us. Maybe it's just not right for us. For me, personally, I just felt more comfortable working in the corporate world. I like a schedule. I'm a total. A type Virgo. I like to know what's coming into my pocket every month. And I like the direction, and it's worked for me, so never feel bad about that. But if you love to own your own business, like ride on and please share your secrets with all of us, because I think we're all looking for. For that help on how to. How to do this, and we should all be talking to each other. It's not easy.

Definitely. So let's talk about Being a mom and that piece not being, being easy in fashion too. So you have two kiddos, right?

I do, I do. Davey Dahl, she is nine years old and my son Gray. And Gray is. He just turned six. So, you know, my kids are getting a little older. I guess I would say it's getting a little bit easier to have this career and be able to balance it all, but I. That mom guilt never goes away. As much as I preach to myself and tell myself I'm doing it for them and they're going to be just as happy as a child whose mom stays home with them. You know, it, I. It's hard. It's definitely hard. But I do my best to balance it while taking care of myself too, and my husband.

Right.

So what's your, I'm curious, what is your boundary? Do you have like boundaries that you set in terms of time or being on your phone? Like, when do you shut up off work and really focus on being a mom or being a wife? And are there any routines that you have with your kids or with your husband that help you really save some of that sacred space?

Oh, gosh. Okay, so in terms of the day to day work, like you're going into your boutique or your corporate job or you're working at your brand, I definitely am a 9 to 5 person and I'm a big advocate with my team that they should all be leaving at 5 o'. Clock. I don't feel it's healthy for any of us to stay past, you know, five, six o'. Clock. There is a real, real proven success with employees who can leave work at work and have a good work life balance. So that's number one. So if you're a store owner or you own a brand and you're staying at your store till 8 o' clock at night and you're making your girls stay, like just try to keep it on an eight to nine hour day max. So that's number one. My boundary is that. And you know what, some people look at me when I'm leaving the office and they're staying at 9 o' clock at night. And that just doesn't work for me. For me, I have to be able to have a good work life balance. So that's number one. The discipline of definitely leaving on time and being an advocate for your team to leave on time as well. And you know, it's like I always tell myself, we're not saving lives. This can wait till tomorrow. The email can wait till tomorrow. So that's number one. Number Two, when I'm home, social media and online and Internet and constantly want to read blogs and listen to podcasts and educate. It's an ongoing thing that takes up a lot of time. But I think you have to be really good about your time. And I don't even know why I'm saying this, because I haven't worked out in so long. But what I used to do when I was working out is when I would work out for that hour a day, that would be my time to surf social media or listen to a podcast or check out my favorite blogs. And then when I would get home, as I would tell myself, you need to leave that baggage. So envision all your job and all your blogs and all your fashion obsessions into this beautiful piece of luggage. Let's just say it's a vintage Louis Vuitton. You put it on there, visually, you're putting all of your work in this beautiful bag. And the second you walk through that front door, you leave the bag at the front door and you walk into your home clear minded for your family. And that's how it has to be because if you start really mixing the two, I mean, I've had it happen. My husband will say you're always on your phone and it's super unhealthy. And you're also an example for your children. So put all of your work and all of your thoughts from work and fashion into that beautiful bag and leave it at your front door the second you walk in to be with your family.

I love that analogy. And it reminds me of, you know, like the 50, like in the 50s, like the husband coming home and putting his hat on the rack and leaving.

His briefcase by the door and then.

Kissing his wife, which not in like a masculine feminine way, but really it's the same thing. Like you leave it at the door and then you're putting present after that.

Yeah. And my husband and I are high school sweethearts. We've been together since we were 15. And you know, as all of us know, marriage takes work and you really need to be present. And I think that that is the sacrifice you give for your family. And if you're social media obsessed like me, one of my secrets is if I find great moments within the home to capture. So my kids are being silly, or I made a great dinner or I find I'll just snap a quick picture and then put my phone down and I post late. I post later when I'm at the working out or I'm alone and I'm not with my family. So you can do that. That's the beauty of Instagram right now. You can post that beautiful shot later if you want to share a little bit of your home life and make it personable and relatable on your feed.

I like that. Are you comfortable sharing your Instagram handle? Because I love following you and I'm sure there's other people who oh my.

Gosh, yes, it's Gray Doll. So Instagram, it's Graydoll, G, R, E, Y, D A, H, L and I. And then of course my work ones are wwd, Magic pool, traitor, whatnot. But I really invest in my personal one only because I want you to see a snapshot into the real life. I don't show all the glitz and glamour. Listen, some of it looks really glamorous and then there's some times where I'm just a mess and I'll show you what a train wreck I am or how tired I am. One thing I also found on social media, my personal one, my girlfriend time is like therapy. So one thing that's been really tricky for me, Ashley, and I don't know if, I don't know if you do this as much as me, but I try to go out with girlfriends one to two nights a week after I put the kids down. So I put the kids down at 7:38 and then I'll go meet the girlfriends at 8:30 somewhere locally just to have like an hour of therapy, a glass of wine to chill out. So there's another balance tip. If you feel guilty leaving them to get your girl time or your alone time, put them to bed and then go. Most of us moms want to put our kids down anyways. And then I show a lot of those moments with my friends just to show that you can do it all. I don't feel bad about going to grab a glass of wine after I put the kids down or going to a show late after I put the kids down. Like, listen, I'm putting them down and I'm waking up with them when I'm in town. That's all I can do. So I think showing that balance and that we can have fun and have that girl time therapy is really exciting. And I think it's empowering too that we shouldn't feel that guilt.

Oh, I love that I need to do that more often. I'm going to take that tip and run with it. Because what's the old saying, Distance makes the heart grow fonder, Right? When you can take that time for yourself. I Think it allows you and empowers you to be a better mother.

Absolutely. And you're showing your kids to invest in your family, in your friendships, in your career sometimes. I have a lot of friends that are working, I'm sorry, stay at home moms. They're not working. And they, we've heard those moms say they lose sense of themselves. Right. So I do find that you really need to take the time for you and don't feel bad about it.

I like it. All right, how about you in terms of. Because you mentioned podcasts and blogs that you like to read, I'd love to know where do you go for both personal development but also like business inspiration. Inspiration. I'm going to ask this in two parts. Blogs, YouTube, podcast, books for business. And then where do you go for style inspiration?

Oh, gosh, this is okay. I follow on Instagram for style. I have very kitschy style. Again. I grew up in vintage fashion and I, you know how stylists like a Patricia Fields who did the styling for Sex and the City. She's the wackiest looking woman ever, but she can style anybody to your taste. That's how I kind. I feel like I'm Patricia Fields in some way. I love really kitschy, over the top fashion. So I follow a lot of like Paris street style Instagram feeds. I mean, you can find tons of them and I can tell you I can list them out for everybody that give me major inspo. So like a year ago when people were wearing plaid blazers with sneakers and socks, that happened a year or two ago in Paris. And it's just coming over to the States now. So I follow those European street style Instagram accounts for my own personal inspiration on how to dress. In terms of like podcast. I like, I like many ones like goop. So the goop one's been great for me. I think it talks a lot about women empowerment and entrepreneurship and wellness. It's kind of everything wrapped up into one firm. Me. Sometimes Gwyneth makes an appearance, sometimes not. But goop is definitely worth it.

I like it. How about not just style ones, but also do you go anywhere for like self help or inspiration, mindset, motivation, that sort of thing?

Yeah, it's called therapy. No, I'm joking. No, maybe I'm not.

But.

You guys, this, this is real life. That one book that just came out, if you have not read it, it's the how how to be a Badass. Have you seen it? I've read both. Oh my gosh, it's so good. And they have one about money too. They're out at Target right now. That a girlfriend told me about it and I read it. It is so good. Please read that for, like, just self help, empowerment and how to succeed.

She is on my vision board to speak at the boutique summit. So both you are a badass, and you are a badass at making money, and she is.

Thank you. What was that? Yes. I could not think of the exact title. And she makes a button that when you're working and you need a little bit of pick me up, you can slap this button and it says things like, you're a badass and you can do this, and it's just the best invention ever.

I did not know that, but I have to find one.

I will send you the button.

I. I'm gonna find that. She like her humor. She's so dry, but, like, so funny. I found myself. That is the first book that I found myself literally laughing out loud at her dry drink.

Oh, she's so good.

So good. Have you read girl wash your face?

No. What is that? Hold on. I'm putting it down on my phone right now.

Kelly, do yourself a favor. You have to read this one. This will be. This is right up there. Like, those are the top two on my list. You are gonna thank me later, okay?

And don't be. Don't judge me for this one. I don't know if you guys watch Real Housewives, but Of course I do. It's another guilty pleasure, though. Erika Jayne. She's the Beverly Hills housewife. She has a book out that is so empowering. And she just talks about how she was always different and, like, took risks. So I love her book too. I'll find out the name for it. You guys, I have the worst mom brain ever.

No, send it to me. We'll put it in the show notes. I like it. Perfect. All right, so last question, because this is the boutique hub after all. Right, so I would like to know, what do you love most about working with boutiques in this industry?

Gosh, there's so many things I really am just inspired by you all, number one. So I need to say that, like, all you ladies that come to the show and buy are so inspirational to each other, to your shoppers, to everybody. So I think think what I love most, especially about the boutique owners that shop WWD magic. And I think we were talking about this earlier, Ashley. So real. Like, just the realest women. I find that in fashion. There's a lot of hoity toity people out there that are Very, you know, anti Wintourish and kind of from the Devil Wears Prada. And I find that the boutique owners are so grounded and so real. And you do it because you love it and that makes all the difference in the world and that makes a shopper want to shop at your store and be a part of your tribe. So I just like all of you. I'm a very emotionally connected person and you motivate me.

I love it.

Well said. They make the world go around. I think of boutique owners as fashion on Main Street Street.

Right.

The most accessible type of fashion, but also not just fashion, but life changers. Like, they have such an ability to change people's lives.

I agree. I agree. And you, some of you are just the most amazing. Well, all of you are just the most amazing humans. And I really commend, like, what you do. And a lot of you go home and your moms and your wives and I just think your passion for the industry is just really amazing. And I look up to you.

Awesome. Well, Kelly, thank you so much for being on the podcast. I'm so excited that we finally got to do this and thank you for your support of the Boutique Hub and our opportunities to collaborate again. The Boutique Boss Cocktail party, which we do both shows both August and February, and all of our community can come and meet you in person because you're going to be speaking there this year.

I cannot wait. Thank you so much for having me. I can't wait to do more with all of you, and I look forward to hopefully meeting you all in October. Guest at the show.

All right, guys, I hope you're as excited as I am if you're going to be attending all the shows in Las Vegas this month. It's going to be an awesome time. And I know this episode was helpful for me. I'm sure it was for you, too, hearing about what's new, what's happening in Vegas. But most of all for the trend analysis, to hear what's going to be coming to so many of your stores and to the vendors that you work work with this next season. So, guys, if you're going to be joining us in Vegas, remember, Tuesday, August 14th, we're having our Boutique Hub cocktail party, our Boutique Boss cocktail party in collaboration with Magic and UBM. This is going to be in Club 34 from 4 to 6pm that's right across the hall from Magic in the Las Vegas Convention Center. And you can come and mingle with the Boutique Hub team that's going to be there. Meet, meet all of your fellow Boutique bosses who I know you guys love getting together with in person, plus hearing tips from our Boutique Boss panel and of course Kelly herself talking about trend analysis and what's coming in terms of fashion. Plus, UBM and Magic are going to be providing us a VIP bus for all Boutique Hub members to go from the Boutique Boss cocktail party over to Mandalay Bay and the pool party that they're hosting the same night. So you're going to get to double Dip and attend both great events events. Guys, thanks so much for listening to this episode and every episode of Boutique Chat. I love it that you're here. And for those of you who are members of the Boutique Hub, I can't wait to see you inside. We've got some very special giveaways and exciting events happening this week as we celebrate five years in business. Guys, thanks for being along for the journey and seeing the value of community over competition. I cannot wait to see what's next in the future of retail with you.

You guys.

Hey guys, thank you so much for listening to this episode. We hope that you loved it. Don't forget to hit subscribe and leave a rating and review down below for a chance to be one of our featured listeners each and every week. For more information on our spirit of community over competition and how to access complete show notes and bonus downloads from our guests, head on over to the boutiquehub.com and and join the community.

We'll see you next week.