FASHION CONSULTING INSIGHTS: MSHOP NYC
M Shop, founded in 1998 as a brick-and-mortar NYC boutique, started out selling fierce emerging designers, before morphing into a full-service fashion firm in 2004. Michelle Alleyne, owner of M Shop NYC, and her team of seasoned experts provide to budding fashion entrepreneurs their valuable knowledge, insider tips and professional know-how – from concept, sourcing, manufacturing, sales and product development to marketing, branding and PR, to name a few – on starting and pushing a business forward through workshops, consultations and industry events. Alleyne has undertaken various roles within the industry – from design and production, to styling and marketing – for a variety of major fashion companies during her over 25 years of experience, and is currently a Professor at Parsons School of Design. We sat down with her to discuss M Shop and the range of services they provide, her current job at Parsons and future goals for her business.
What is your background, and what led you to ultimately start M Shop?
The company is actually now called M Shop NYC – and it began as M Shop, a hip brick & mortar boutique in downtown NYC featuring avant garde emerging designers. It was opened for five and a half years, and when I was shifting to an online boutique, my customers seemed to need more help with starting fashion companies than shopping, so I revised my business strategy and became M Shop NYC, a full fashion consulting firm whose mission is to help fashion entrepreneurs start and grow their businesses.
My background in the fashion industry spans beyond 25 years. I’ve worked in every capacity from design, to merchandising, product development, production, logistics, event planning, I’ve even been a stylist for music videos & TV commercials. Which is why M Shop NYC provides expertise in EVERY aspect of a fashion business.
How did you build/are you building your expertise and making a name for yourself in your field? How hard was/is it doing so in New York?
By working in the Garment Center at various fashion companies and learning from the bottom up. I must say breaking in was difficult, but then once I got my first job in children’s wear, it was up from there. I just kept at it, and worked my way up to better and bigger positions. And then I opened my boutique.
Out of all the areas M Shop NYC offers consulting which has run the longest? How did you decide on the services to include?
“How To Start Your Fashion Company (Clothing + Accessories Lines)” is the longest running workshop (13 years) and also consulting topic. As I mentioned previously, my customers just really started asking for help in this area, and I went with it. I always follow the demand of my customers. When they ask for a service I don’t currently have, I add it.
Going through your resume, I was impressed by the variety of roles you have undertaken within the industry. How important is diverse experience for budding professionals of the industry? Do you believe in specialization at a particular field rather than broad skills?
Thank you! Actually, I’m creative and business-minded equally so that lends itself to the need to focus on more than one area of expertise at a time. In the beginning, people thought I was nuts when I’d say all the areas of fashion I wanted to work in, but now it makes sense with all that M Shop NYC offers. However, I would most definitely say pick a focus so people take you seriously, and if your game plan is to master the entire field, then you keep arming yourself with knowledge in all the areas, so you can claim your expertise in more than one area later.
I can’t help but ask you: where do you stand on designers – perhaps this should not be limited to designers only – starting their businesses straight after school?
It’s a tossup. Of course it may help minimize error, if the designer gets some work experience in a company first, before starting their line so they better understand how the process works. But some of our most successful and talented designers started their companies right out of school, so I’d say if they can put together the right team and are capitalized appropriately after graduation, go for it. And they can contact us for help along the way if they need.
I read your recent on Fashion Manuscript about “Makerfacturing,” which discussed some very interesting points! Could you please discuss briefly your opinion for our readers?
“Makerfacturing” to me is about moving the industry forward. Fashion is one of our most trendsetting fields, except when it comes to manufacturing. We are still using process from the late 1850’s early 1900’s. So I suggest that we change the name to “Makerfacturing,” and innovate they way we produce goods, and become more ethical (sustainable & transparent) in the way we run our businesses.
You have also incorporated a boutique into your business. Where did you see it fit within your company and the range of services you provide?
As I mentioned, we actually began as a boutique, so it’s a bit nostalgic to incorporate that entity. We use it to showcase clients. Currently, it features an amazing handcrafted shoe collection, Lincoln’s NY.
You are also Professor at Parsons, where many of today’s fashion design stars have graduated from. Do you, and the other members of the faculty, feel the pressure of training tomorrow’s professionals to these standards?
I LOVE the challenge of teaching the future fashion leaders. It keeps me on my toes.
What are your future goals for your business?
To expand my brand internationally with a focus on Expert panels, consulting and lecturing at art/design/fashion institutions globally, and completing my book on “Makerfacturing”. I also have a plan in the works for a new division of M Shop NYC that will completely revolutionize the sourcing process.
Furthermore, there is an absolute need to cultivate the next great minds that will be shaping the fashion industry on a global level, therefore I am constantly evolving, and elevating myself. I will most likely pursue another master’s degree or PHD very soon to further establish the expertise of M Shop NYC.
www.mshopnyc.com
Images © Sheena Trivedi, Alix, Kahri by Kahrienne Kehr
