Your Style, Your Story: Embrace Authenticity Inside and Out! | MDIDS2EP30

Welcome, welcome welcome. This is Paul Finck The Maverick Millionaire and this is Mavericks Do It Different podcast. And today like all others, we talk about how to do things different, create a different world different way of thinking different way of being. And today we're going to be talking about how to design the outside to fit with the inside and all that is with who you are and your fashion sense, because I've got a special guest here today. Sondra Falk Couture is in Southern Nevada based fashion women's apparel in Las Vegas, Nevada. She attended the Art Institute of Chicago graduate from the steamed re Vogue College of Fashion Design in Chicago, experienced fashion designer, she's owned and operated her own custom apparel design studio for the last guest this 27 years now, where she consistently produces her classically styled and elegant formal evening bridal apparel to the highest industry standards. And I've seen this material I've seen her designs, I've watched her develop these things in person, the some of the greatest things you would want to ever see. And wear and be Sondra, so happy to have you here. It's such a pleasure. Let's talk about fashion. Let's talk about what you do. Thank you so much for being here.

Thank you, Paul, thank you so much for having me on your show.

So with your journey with how did you get started? What How did you get into this?

So my journey, my fashion journey started when I was really really young. I went to a private Catholic school, everybody had to wear a uniform. And I have always just walked to my own beat when it comes to how I my appearance and how I dress myself. And you know, I, I begged my mom one time, if she could find me a sewing machine. Well, you know, back in the day, we couldn't afford that. So we went to a lawn sale. And we actually found a singer for like $10 There was no you know, manuals or anything for it. So I basically, you know, took like years and years and taught myself how to sew on this thing was probably about nine years old then. And then in 1975, I saw the movie mahogany. And that just changed my world because Tracy the designer, she was in Chicago, and she was designing all these beautiful clothes. But you know, she worked in the fashion industry as a model. But then she really just had this inner desire to just show her art to the world. And I told myself one day, I am absolutely going to do that. So I just continued on teaching myself how to sew, I took sewing, all through high school, I drove my high school teacher insane because I could literally look at something that somebody was wearing. And I could take it back to my house for school and find out a way to make the pattern and come up with that same kind of idea. So pattern making to me at that point in my life was like a puzzle that I could just put together. Yeah, so I went to college after that drove my other sewing teachers crazy. But they they did school me a lot. So yeah, good.

Right out of college, you opened up this this shop or was there some time in between?

Well, it really wasn't that long was probably a year after I graduated from college, I came to Vegas on a vacation, you know, went to the shows, you know back during that time Vegas, there was only about 500,000 people that lived here. So it's relatively small. And you could literally in a weekend see almost every show on the strip. And so I just was fascinated with the costuming and the uniforms that the cocktail waitresses were wearing the hostesses and the fancy restaurants and I thought to myself, You know what? I could really I love the area and the climate is and I can I can move here I can I can be a designer here like I could I could do that. So a year later I moved here today Wow. Yes.

Yeah, that's so neat. But what drives your your what inspires you? What's your passion? What drives you every day with with what you do? Because you've got to keep that creative energy and thought pattern. what's your what's your inspiration?

Okay, this is true. And one thing I learned when I was in college, from a master seamstress my sewing instructor was probably the best person I know in the world for making clothes and she instilled in me that when you make clothes for somebody, just because it looks good on the outside, it's feel good on the inside. And I didn't really understand that until I moved to Vegas. And I started making clothes for people, you know, your linings are finishing how things are constructed on the inside, when you can give a client, a feeling and a sensation that they're walking light in their feet, and they feel really good. And they're, they're in their element, and they're confident. That's the pinnacle of what it is and how I designed my clothes, I want to give that to every client every time I make something for them. And so for me, you know, when you people talk about finding your niche market, or whatever my niche market is my clients, that's who I service I, everything that I do, in my own business I give to my clients, and each garment that I made for them. So my clients truly, truly inspire me to, to do better and better and better every single time I make something for them. And it's, it's the most rewarding feeling in the whole entire world. Yeah,

The creative process is so neat, and you truly, I know your heart, and you put your heart and soul into every design that you do getting a feel for who the people are. And I think that's such a special place for a designer like you to to be there for their clients to actually feel who they are. And to build something for them.

Exactly, I, you know, a lot of clients will, they're very hesitant to walk in the door, it's we have a beautiful studio, and they see all these pretty things in here. And they'll walk in a little hunched over and unsure of themselves, Well, I know that you probably can't make anything for my size. And I tell them I said Well, that isn't true, because I'm an excellent pattern maker. So an excellent pattern maker that calls themselves a designer should be able to make clothes for every person in their selective, you know, size, whether it's men or women, they should be able to make clothes for people of every shape. And every size. If you go to retailers, they're wonderful. However, the garment is still going to have to be tailored to fit your body because everyone's body is different. You know, some heifers, some have don't sometimes bus, some don't, some have more button, whatever. And so, you know, as a designer, I take all of those things to heart when I'm creating clothes for people. And I want to make sure that I you know, give them that wonderful feeling in the parts of their body that they're very fond of. And we cover the things that they don't want people to see.

Perfect, I will tell you, I years and years and years ago, I got introduced to custom clothing. And a lot of people don't know that that's a thing that they start. It's only after they're in business for a while they start getting some success. And they're like, Oh, let me go get an outfit that's customized, not recognizing that they could be doing this so much earlier in their career, it is not actually more expensive than buying off the rack and adjusting it and getting it fitted. What I found is my clothing because of the quality of the material that you use, the quality of what it how it's put together, lasts me so much longer, that it actually ends up being cheaper for me to to buy custom clothing, especially my students in my my specialty outfits, if you will, then than it ever would be to go to buy it off the rack where it doesn't fit me and doesn't serve me if you will.

You're exactly correct about that. I mean, I was taught in school that clothing is an app is an actual investment in yourself in your future and in your state of mind. And I've had a lot of clients that, you know, though, buy something on sale, and then Oh man, I'm really wish I wouldn't have done that I said, you know, for the price that you just spent on that one suit, it's going to take you cost you another two or $300 to have an altered and tailor to fit your body where you put that investment together you come in, you could probably get four or five pieces for that amount of money that's going to fit your body no matter what. And then everything that I make for clients, I try to when you're talking to a client, you can get more information out of them about what their life is lifestyle and things that they love in their wardrobe. So I keep that in mind when I'm designing clothes for people because I want them the pieces that I designed for them. I want them to be able to pull back to some of the pieces that they already have in their existing wardrobe. So you're getting double the amount of styles versus just buying one or two pieces that you can just interject into what you already have. Yeah.

Yeah. So so the first lesson here is Absolutely considered getting designer clothing for all your occasions. Only what is what do you specialize in? Is there specific niches or people that you work with that you really enjoy and want to work with more?

Well, I, I am a truly extraordinary dressmaker, I absolutely love to make dresses, every type of dress evening gowns, cocktail dresses, anything with bells and whistles, is what I call it, because I just, I love it, there's so there's so much more that you can do with the dress. However we eat beautiful, exquisite suits, we make leather pants, we make skirts, we make scores, we make shorts, it all depends on what the client really, really wants. I mean, like I said before, if you're a good pattern maker, you can make anything and I'm passionate about the fit of my garments to my clients. Because if something you can have something very, very inexpensive. And if it fits you beautifully, it'll come off as a very expensive item. Right?

Yeah, so I know you absolutely cater and take care of wedding dresses and all the everything that someone would need for a wedding and reception and all those components only the the rest of the story is you can literally have someone walk in and build them a wardrobe. Yes, which is something that so many people, you know, especially in the professional world they need, but they don't recognize that they need it early on. And all of a sudden, it's two weeks before one particular occasion and they rush in, they're going, Hey, I need something now, versus considering doing a whole wardrobe, if you will, and from what you're talking about. Being able to mix and match and create a wardrobe in its entirety, or even over time with a client is some of the things that you have specialized in and do from your clients.

Exactly, I you know, client will call or make an appointment to come in and talk about what their needs are, I have a lot of professional ladies that come in. And since you know, post COVID You know, they put on COVID Wade and all this other stuff. And so the closing that they have before doesn't fit. And so you know, it's time to just like clean out because you have to I tell people, yes, you can lose weight, you can always make something smaller, but you know, you need to dress for your body. Now you want that confidence. Now you want to wait four or five months to lose five or 10 pounds. And they'll come in and we'll create what's called a capsule collection. It's like, you know, five or six basic pieces of basic jacket pants skirt dress, you know a couple of blouses, you pick out a really good color, I try to steer away from black because everyone has this illusion that black just makes you look thinner that really isn't the case Black is just a color. And I try to find you know, colors that make them feel happy is what's your favorite color. So if you know purple is your jam, we're going to make sure that we have accessorize blouses that have that purple color in there and then maybe your navy suits, brown suits, whatever it is, we can do five or six pieces and then I help the customer style themselves so they know which pieces to put together. Oh and then she'll think oh wow, I have this great blouse. Back in my closet I'll probably just blend right in and so now she's got you know nine or 10 different style of outfits are looks based on the pieces that we just created for her. And then other pieces that she can use into her class and then they they start to purge out all the stuff that really truly doesn't fit so it's really a great process and it's a lot of fun and for them to see themselves standing in the mirror from the muslin to the fabric and then the final product I mean you I mean the it's really captivating to just watch the transition of the purse of the client it's it's amazing.

So someone get getting going through that and getting to that phase where they're wearing all the clothes that they help to, to even give you inspiration for and say hey yeah, that's what I want. And absolutely, as you get to know Sondra, everybody that's listening here. You'll know it is all about making it a fun experience without a doubt. And just amazing. My daughter actually tried out a whole lot. Caterina tried on a whole lot of outfits in your in your studio one night and one looked better than the next and just amazing for all that you have experienced than done. Couple things and we want to pick your brain on fashion design, if you will. For four you mentioned color and so you know black is an old lusion it's it's, we want to add some style and color to our wardrobe, any thumbnail thoughts as to what they should be wearing? What kind of coloring? Or is is, is that something that you would say, Oh, this is what you want?

Yeah, here's the thing. I, I'm a designer that doesn't follow fashion trends, I follow the color trend. So I follow the Pantone color systems, because just because something might resonate with the certain age group or whatever, it may not apply to someone else. And so a lot of people have their own innate sense of style, but they need someone to help them find exactly what it is. So in for me, with my clients, it's about their lifestyle, the things that they like, what's comfortable, comfortable to them what their favorite colors are. And I know every woman in the world has a favorite go to dress for jacket in her closet that no matter what she wears, she puts it on, it's her jam, and she can feel really, really good. So once you start with a client, you you find out the things that they like, and then you're able to help them style themselves and they will come up with their, their own style.

Yeah, so having your own style is important. And you'd recommend that. And you kind of alluded to being a counter to the current trends, if you will, are there specific trends that we should be following? Or versus your own style? And what are they? How do we sort this out?

Well, fashion is very, what's the word that I want to see if there's a word that I that I that I want to use, and I just can't think of it at all. It's very opinionated, basically. Fashion is very opinionated. So what you see someone could like see something from Vogue magazine, and oh, I'm gonna copy that they go, they buy all the pieces, they styled themselves up. But when they look at the magazine versus how they put themselves together, it doesn't quite marry well maybe because those high waisted pants are too high for you. And you need a mid rise pant or the sweater is too chunky for you. And you need something that's a little bit more slimming. So, you know, fashion is it's very subjective. So and I would just tell people, when you're out there buying clothes, buy what makes you feel comfortable?

Yes. So so comfortable, comfortable, yet stylish design that that it fits great on the inside, as well as looks great on the outside.

Exactly. That's been you know, it's an investment in yourself.

And, and for all the people that are in the audience, the people that listen to this podcast across the country and around the world. I know so many of them are business owners, they're entrepreneurs. They're in the business world one way or the other in, in networking and connecting. And their brand. Which ties right in, like how much of of what you do for them is really talking about what do they want to project? What's their branding? Do you go into that with with designing their style?

Well, I do because what I tell some of my specially some of my younger clients is that you may have a wonderful personality and all these great things but that's not the first thing that someone sees. Whether they say oh, you know, that isn't true. We are very, very judgmental, when we look at someone and how you present yourself to the world and to other people. You know, people take light to that. So if you want to project a certain kind of image, then you need it needs to go all the way through your hair, your makeup, your clothing, your dress, and even down to your handbag and your shoes.

You're here. Yeah, so So accessories, and accessorizing everything and putting it all together, just all of which that you help them with step by step. You know, some people that are listening in they're talking about we're talking to you're a designer, you have your your studio in Las Vegas, right, however, so do you have clients that are around the country?

I do. I have clients from all over I have clients from New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, California, Chicago, Illinois. Yeah, they just fight they fly in to see me.

Yeah, and it's so important. And I've done that with, with my wardrobe and my suits and, and flown in to see the person that that can really help me and design it out and create the look and create the design. And for anyone that wants that professional look, it is something I would highly recommend. Because it can make such a difference in your in how you present yourself.

It really it really does. I love fashion, I've loved fashion my whole entire life. And once I found that I could actually help and change people's lives. Because of how I make clothes for them. It's the most rewarding thing in that I've ever done. Really, I really don't feel like I work. I mean, I know that I do. And my body tells me that I do my feet told me that I do and my hands tell me that I do. But for me it's it's it's the best thing ever to just see the transition of a person when they first come in from the muslin wall from the sketch that goes into the pattern to the final product. It's it's really an overwhelming kind of wonderful feeling.

I know and you've mentioned things to me before about where you've gotten your fabrics and the research that you do. Can you expand a little for our audience talks about some of the process that you go through in picking out and designing the the wardrobe for your clients.

So I have this Sondra thing, where I go to textile shows in New York, I was at one in in France this past February, and Los Angeles, I haven't been to one in Chicago yet. But I have a lot of vendors from all over the world. And I have a unique kind of taste. And I call it finding like the ugly fabric. It's like something that I think no one else is going to buy. And it's got bells and whistles and like all this stuff. And for me visually, I can see beauty and all of that, and oh, maybe it'll make a great jacket. Or maybe it'll make a great skirt, or, you know, whatever it is. And so I always keep that in mind when I'm designing for my clients because I want to when you come to someone like me to have something made, I want to make sure that you get something that nobody else has. And that comes from going to Catholic school and having to wear a uniform and being dressed like everybody else. And I don't want to look like anybody else. I want to have something that's unusual, but it's a statement piece. And then I mean, have you ever gone to an a party or a black tie event and you think that you have like this most amazing dress you went to a high end store, you purchased it and you come out of the bathroom and there's three other ladies wearing the same exact dress. Every time I've gone to an a black tie event no one has anything that I have. So that's what I want to bring to my customers. So yeah, it's a lot of fun textile shows are so inspiring. I love find woolens and everything proud of probably everything that I make is has silk in it. Yeah, because it just feels good.

Of course. Of course. Yeah. It's so neat were in talking to you because getting into your brain on the creative side and your creative process and finding fabric and dyes she looks at fabric all around the world and bringing the most unusual fabrics to the doorstep. To her designs and even more important is the combination of fabrics into the design that that really make the difference and make it unique. Make it special make it yours. And for all the all the women that are listening to this pay attention to what it can be doing for your career for your business for your own joy and excitement for everything that you do. Because this is what what it can really be all about. And so many people in building their their business they forget to to add this component to it and have fun with it. And that's so much of our focus every day is let's build this business let's create this let's make this happen. And yet having having the uniform that is you and that brand and that excitement with it is a great piece. And it's what I know you are one of the experts in helping people create. So cool.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!

With with all the people listening to this and all the women out there that might be interested where's the world? How do they get in touch with you? What's the next steps in in grabbing hold of your picking your brain and engaging with you?

I love to talk to people. So we have a website, it's www.sondrafalkcouture.com. You can contact us through our website, our phone number is 702-847-6380 you can always call I love to talk to people. And yeah, you can just call make an appointment we can set up a consultation talk about you know, things that you like. And if you're looking to just add a piece to your wardrobe, you want to build a new wardrobe you need wardrobe styling, we do all that and we we have a beautiful showroom we have a really comfy couch with furry fuzzy, you know, curly lamb pillows and we just have a really good time getting to know you and trying to to fulfill the need that you're looking for. Someone is

Considering this what kind of lead time for something in getting their next piece of wardrobe or their dress. What kind of lead time is there usually in something like this?

Right now we're ride about six to eight weeks. Not bad. Not bad. Too bad for a custom piece, you know, depending on where the fabric has to come from to but it's totally worth it.

Yeah, it's really amazing. And I gotta tell you that you'll be pleasantly surprised with pricing and what it means in in, in value. This is some of the best I've ever seen. Love all your stuff, love all your your outfits and what you designed and man, even watching my daughter go through that process was inspiring. And I see it over and over again. People in our community are starting to wake up and pay attention to all that you're offering. And it's it's great. And for all you that are recognized that I'm a maverick well, Sondra is absolutely a Maverick and creates outfits that are the unique do a different style of hey, this is who I am and my branding shows up in my wardrobe. And that's her mantra without a doubt. Any last words with all the people that are listening on advice on fashion on you pick up some great tidbits.

Great tidbits is number one. Fashion. Like I said before, it's very subjective. Don't take it too seriously, you have an amazing personality. And that should reflect in your clothes. If you're a fun loving person you want to have color, don't be afraid to add color to your wardrobe color is is amazing. And you know, the most important thing I talked about is fit. If you have an ill fitting jacket, it's going to look like an ill fitting jacket. Go get it tailored to fit your body. And, you know, that's what we we really pride ourselves on our fit and the finishes of our garments. So you know, go out there, have fun, get some color, come see me.

Absolutely. And one more time your website,

www.sondrafalkcouture.com.

Beautiful. And for all of you that the advice is whether it's Sondra or anyone else, absolutely consider getting custom wear I gotta tell you that it will change how you present and how you engage with the world on on a social level on a business level, really building your brand and building who you are in the community and in the universe. This is a place and a component. I don't talk it off it talks about it often enough only I've been living within that space for a long time. And it absolutely is an important part and especially for the women. I gotta tell you, my wife over the years has had a hard, hard hard time finding someone who has the capability to design effectively and to be accustomed custom designer for her. And so often the the there are certain people out there that think oh yeah, they'll do both for men and women. And there's a distinct difference. And what you do distinctly you'll you'll do some things for some men or a man, the focus of what you do for women is over the top. And just great stuff.

Thank you.

It's such a pleasure to have you here. Sondra, thank you so much for being a part of our podcast today and talking to us about fashion and all that you do. Thank you so much.

Thank you so much, Paul. It's truly truly been a pleasure. And like I said If you want to have a good time, you want to learn a little bit more about your fashion sense. Come on down our way. We'll have a great time, I promise.