Today we’d like to introduce you to Stephen Goudeau.
Stephen Goudeau grew up in Shreveport, Louisiana and has always had a creative eye. After completing high school, he wanted to attend a fashion college in New York but his parents encouraged him to get a more specialized education. He decided to attend The University of New Orleans majoring in Mass Communications and Public Relations. One day, Stephen decided to test his skill by bringing one of his sketches to life. He continued to develop his skill set and within five years, he started his own design label.
Studio 6th Sense was formed in 2009 and focused on “lifestyle ready to wear” which catered to the everyday woman. With only three years under his belt, Stephen’s “Eat Cake” Summer 2013 Collection debuted on the runway and received raved reviews. Stephen returned to New York and released “The Eternal Submission” Fall/Winter 2013 Collection and “Religious Paradise” Spring/Summer 2014 collection. He received an influx of requests from celebrity stylists and his clothing was seen on celebrities in various media and editorial outlets.
Stephen gained so much attention after showing in New York Fashion Week, he was pulled in many directions and felt that he lost sight of his business goals. His creative direction had evolved in a very short period of time so in 2014, the label moved forward under his namesake Stephen Goudeau.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It has definitely not been a smooth road. There is always the possibility that the world will not see your vision or agree with your creativity. You think sometimes to yourself “what if no one buys anything”, “what if I lose my creativity or vision.” But then, I quickly come back to myself and realize designing is a God-given talent, just like a singer being blessed with a beautiful voice or a dancer blessed with the ability of rhythm. Not everyone has it and those of us that do, it speaks for itself. I would encourage any woman or man to never give up on your passion. Even if you are the only one that believes in it at one point, that is enough to move mountains. Stay focused, stay determined, and make sure that if you ever fall, you get right back up and keep going. Motivation is acquired greatly through trials and tribulations that make us stronger, not break us.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into your story. Tell us more about the business.
We are a design house who specializes in ready to wear, customs, and wedding couture. We also design garments for any occasion using mostly Couture designed fashions. The brand originally started off tackling more ready to wear designs for your everyday women. In a spin of events, we quickly picked up a niche for designing wedding gowns which have become a large part of our production and sales accountability over the past three-five years. Stephen Goudeau is most proud of the quality of our work and customer service that we give our clients. The garments and gowns that we design can be worn for years to come. We use the finest quality of couture laces and silks to customize the perfect pieces that fit our clients like a glove. We cater to their needs and make sure we are there and available for them every step of the customization process. The quality of our work is where we will continue striving for greatness each and every day.
Looking back on your childhood, what experiences do you feel played an important role in shaping the person you grew up to be?
I have always been blessed with a very supportive family. From my parents to my cousins, who are all a big part of my success. My cousins who are more like my sisters started the business with me years ago and although some of them have gone a different path, I still have a big part of my family who is all a part of the team and we support each other to do better each day to make the brand a bigger success. I always let my team know that this is “not me” but this is “US.” We do this together and we rely on each other. In this industry, it is very hard to know who you can and cannot trust, so to have my family with me on this journey, every day has made it award-winning all within itself. I am very blessed and that is where my riches lies.
Pricing:
- Wedding Consultation Fee $350
- Custom Design Consultation Fees $150
Contact Info:
- Website: www.stephengoudeau.com
- Email: Info@stephengoudeau.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephengoudeau/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thestephengoudeau/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/stephengoudeau
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/stephengoudeau/
Image Credit:
Draeon King, Shonda Robinson and Krystal Hill
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