Today we’d like to introduce you to Elizabeth Smith.
Hi Elizabeth, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
I launched Lesetta in October of 2018, after curating the collection for about a year and a half. I had been retired from the paying workforce for 12 years, to stay home with my children, and decided to fulfill my dream of taking on an entrepreneurial venture. My husband is a teacher, and once my kids were old enough to travel easily, we started leaving in the Summers. My husband and I had lived in Italy, years ago, so we started there and continued to visit Europe and South America on extended trips for the following years. With family in tow, I’d meet small, independent, local designers that were creating collections made by the finest craftsman and with the highest quality materials. My goal was to introduce these works from these makers to the American public through my website and pop-ups. They are all handmade and therefore small production, so it was an opportunity to offer women fashion that allowed them to express a personal style, through pieces that very few people could have. No more walking down the street and seeing two-three people with the same bag. In this world of so much stuff and so much access – with six season of new collections, fast fashion, and mass production. I wanted to bring works that are special and made the way they were always supposed to be made.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It started off really strong. It was well-received in Charleston and really everywhere I popped up. I was able to easily grow my base of designers, and could not believe how many cool makers there are in the world creating amazing fashion that is not only beautiful but sustainable. Like everyone else, the pandemic certainly stalled some of my plans. My very robust pop-up schedule was certainly limited. Having an E-commerce based brand was helpful, though. I do not have the overhead of a brick-and-mortar store and retail employees. I have certainly had to adjust my growth plan, but there are some cool things on the horizon that I think will help recover from the setbacks of the pandemic. I am leaning a lot more into creating content around the designers’ stories and now my travels, that has always been a part of the plan.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Lesetta is a platform that showcases independent luxury designers from around the world that are creating amazing accessories. We offer handmade, small production hats, handbags, scarves, jewelry, belts, sunglasses, etc. I think Lesetta is most known for offering cool, fashion-forward pieces that are truly luxury and truly Slow Fashion. I am most proud that the designers have trusted me with their work, and that my clients see the value in the materials, craftsmanship, and style of what Lesetta offers. These pieces are created by designers and makers of the highest skillset. They refuse to compromise on quality, they strive to preserve the original techniques, yet they make utterly wearable pieces for the modern stylish woman.
What does success mean to you?
I’d like to think that I am educating women on the fact that luxury fashion is not just a few well-known brands that are part of larger conglomerates. Luxury fashion is truly in the skill of the craftsmen/women, the details and the finest material used. When we offer a Made in Italy bag, it is absolutely made in Italy. Not just enough parts assembled there to claim it is Italian made.
I ultimately define success as being fulfilled by my work and making money from it. I don’t think there is a level of how much money to be considered, but it needs to sustain itself and offer good salaries to those involved. In this world of retail where the pandemic shook out many players, that I think many thought were successful, I want Lesetta to be able to make a profit while sticking to the mission.
Pricing:
- Luxury and high-end contemporary
- Minimum pricing is @ $100.
- Maximum pricing @ $5000.
Contact Info:
- Email: Elizabeth@Lesetta.com
- Website: www.Lesetta.com
- Instagram: @FoundByLesetta
- Facebook: @FoundByLesetta
Image Credits
Lindsay Shorter (main photo)
Kirk Chambers (the rest of the photos except the last)
