Today we’d like to introduce you to Lizzy Maina.
Lizzy, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
It has been an incredible journey in the realm of fashion, fully loaded with lessons and so much goodness. I am an avid style enthusiast, contributing fashion editor, stylist and most recently, a Stylepreneur (entrepreneur in the business of style).
My love for fashion started at a young age. I grew up in a family of girls only and that meant exposure to lots of clothes, shoes, accessories, make-up sessions and you guessed it… EMOTIONS!!! My official introduction to fashion started about eight years ago when I walked into Bank Of America and the Financial Advisor who was assisting me happened to be a fashion designer. I had on a very bold and artsy outfit and he appreciated the creativity. We had a short conversation and I expressed my desire to delve into fashion. A week later, he offered me the opportunity to be his assistant stylist for a grandeur fashion show that he was producing the following weekend. I had no idea what I was signing up for but did not hesitate to say YES and it was AWESOME! “If someone offers you an amazing opportunity and you’re not sure how to do it, say YES and then learn how to do it later.” Sir Richard Branson.
From this opportunity and exposure, I had the privilege to be a contributing editor for a few Fashion and Lifestyle magazines. This was a new skillset that I added on to my resume. I was eager to keep learning and growing. I now had the confidence to reach out to local designers, photographers and stylists and provide my services at no cost or low cost so as to gain as much knowledge as possible. I was able to network and learn from the guru’s. I am still committed to learning something new everyday. It keeps it fresh and fun!
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Nothing comes easy and if it does, then it’s not worth it! There have been a few character building moments that I have experienced along this journey, all of which brought GREAT lessons! The transition between the culture in African fashion (which is where I am originally from) to the Western world was by no means easy. Finding a balance between staying authentic to my roots while still adopting a new culture was something I had to work hard on. It was all so confusing but it was imperative for me to figure it out fast! Learning new terminologies and lingo, how to carry myself in professional settings, how to interact with different people, learning about different sub-cultures was a challenge but I was determined to learn. I studied a lot about the history of fashion and style in America to modern day and that helped. I followed pop culture keenly, read Vogue, Harper’s, Style and Lifestyle magazines. They were my saving grace.
Fast forward, I took a break from the art so as I could learn new skills, grow in different areas of my life, realign and reinvent myself. It was important to disconnect so as to recharge and rewire, go deeper and expand my vision and have a renewed mindset. The lessons have definitely toughened me up and have taught me how to be more of an objective thinker and a risk taker. They also taught me how to be more gentle with anything I do. I am more rooted and fully embrace the concept of being a student of life.
Please tell us about Liz Bob Style.
LIZ BOB STYLE is an e-commerce ladies boutique (WWW.LIZBOBSTYLE.COM) which provides fun, fresh, edgy, stylish and unique options that are wearable. We want you to channel your inner fierce, embrace your uniqueness and celebrate the very things that set you apart from the crowd. Personally, it goes far beyond the clothes and the shoes we offer. It’s the genuine relationships that are formed during the transaction. The organic connections I have with my customer’s all from providing them with a solution or suggestion that will help enhance her life, boost her image and self-confidence or meet her need. You can’t put a price on that! It’s very rewarding. Our company is still in its infancy stage. We opened in April 2020. The vision is to expand our brand and provide more services as we continue to grow. So many great and exciting ideas are brewing, some in the works and we can’t wait to unveil them to you! Follow us on our social media platforms for all updates. Our price points are very affordable and the clothes and shoes are super cute, fun and fresh. Looking fabulous doesn’t have to cost you much and our boutique is proof of that.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
I have so many good memories from childhood but my favorite has to be helping my mom out with her side fashion business. Every weekend, she would buy plain white sheets of fabric, ties and dye. My sisters and I would help her create tie dye headwraps, cover ups all sorts of fun and creative pieces. Ahhh, I vividly remember all the vibrant colors and styles we came up with. She gave us a lot of creative control and that helped bolster our imagination! It was limitless, all the cool stuff we came up with. We bonded a lot during these moments. She taught us the basics of entrepreneurship, how to build rapport with your customer, how to network, how to sell and how to generate extra income. It was very exciting! In those days we would personally deliver the product at the customer’s front door. Business was booming, so we always had new customers which meant new connections and new stories, new kids to play with. Mom was a great teacher and forever will be a great mentor!
Pricing:
- Most apparel – Under $50
- Most shoes – Under $100
- Styling services will be provided in different packages – coming soon
Contact Info:
- Website: WWW.LIZBOBSTYLE.COM
- Email: LIZ@LIZBOBSTYLE.COM
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lizbobstyle
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LIZBOBSTYLE
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/lizbobstyle
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