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Tell us about your company & what 442 McAdam represents.
442 McAdam launched in Calgary in October 2008, and has since moved to Toronto. The line is now available in stores across Canada. 442 McAdam bags are for those who are looking to invest in an original purse that is both elegant and practical. This investment should prove more timeless then trendy. In this economy longevity is important, as is a moderate price point. Our bags are made of genuine cowhide leather and brass hardware. The line includes oversized bags, travel bags, as well as clutches and unisex messenger bags. Colors and textures are rich, infusing these bohemian silhouettes with luxury and elegance.
How did you get started in the business?
I actually resisted my temptation to be in fashion – my first degree was in Biology. My parents were very supportive when I broke the news that instead of going to med school, I wanted to pursue fashion design. I attended Parsons in New York City – I fell in love with the city. While I was in school I interned for several fashion houses, including Catherine Malandrino, Yigal Azrouel, Jeffrey Chow. I worked at Club Monaco in mens’ design, followed by an internship in buying at Gucci North America. Gucci and Club Monaco taught me a lot about taking a more scientific approach to fashion – we needed to understand and respect the customer, in all areas, including comfort, price, service, and we needed to listen to them – we could not go on our creative intuition, it had to be a fine line between creativity and science. I moved back to Canada not really sure what I wanted to do with my background – I examined many areas of fashion and non-fashion related careers… I even worked in Insurance for a while. I did everything from covering Fashion Week for the Calgary Sun and writing commentary pieces on fashion for local magazines, to starting an active-wear company with my brother. A very random occurrence led to the founding of 442 McAdam – I accepted a freelance research assignment from a management consulting firm – the research was on leather straps of all sorts. Belts, guitar straps, and rifle slings. I came upon these beautiful leather slings and got inspired to use them in a medium in which the intricacy of their design would be appreciated. I made my mom a leather bag using the sling as the strap. I made myself a leather bag doing the same. A store owner complimented my bag when I was writing a story on her store. She ordered a few. Fashion Magazine noticed and they wrote a piece on the bags. It was still a hobby to me at this point. I then worked at the Forzani Group as a purchasing analyst in sports accessories. During this time the bags were growing in popularity to the extent that I was no longer able to juggle my day job and what turned in to a fashion line. Working at Forzani allowed me to save up enough to inevitably dedicate myself full-time to growing 442 McAdam. So while I’ve always loved fashion and dreamed of my own line, this was definitely not the route I imaged – it was very random, it has taken on its own personality and I feel like I’m just along for the ride. I’m definitely enjoying the ride though.
Who or what inspires you?
My customer. I want her to be comfortable and proud. Her purse is the largest accessory she will wear, and one that she never leaves home without. This inspires me to create a product she has confidence in, and that will add a level of class to any outfit she wears. Prior to designing the Spring/Summer collection, I took a trip to eastern Europe. Everywhere I went bicycles seemed to dominate the sidewalks. I thought this was wonderful. What I appreciated even more were the beautiful girls dressed up with this heir of simplicity, riding their bikes with their very individual bag hanging low off their shoulder. It was really just the concept of the simple drape, feminine, but very practical in her busy day.
How is business? Did the economy smack you around this year? How are you feeling going into next season?
442 McAdam turned a year old in early October. I believe I launched this line the day the economy officially crashed. So I don’t know anything other then this economy. It is very common, especially this time of the year, to hear how slow sales are. Stores are very quiet right now, but it really feels like the calm before the storm as Christmas approaches. 442 McAdam has shown a steady growth, so given that the economy has been so weak since our creation, I get very excited about what this can mean for us if we do climb our way out of our economy’s slump.
How does your company stay in contact with suppliers/buyers?
Keeping good relationships with our buyers and suppliers is very important to us. We contact our stores frequently to get updates on which styles and colors are moving, to hear comments from the customers and thoughts from the buyers – this is the most valuable source of information that a company has, the most important thing is to listen and analyze these comments as they are crucial to better understanding what the customer wants, what needs may not be met and where we can improve. Phone calls are the best way to really discuss all of this, emails are good too. Most of my retailers follow the line on Facebook and are on my email list, so I am able to update them on news and information as well – this is valuable for them to pass on to their customers.
How do you market your business? Are you involved in online social networking? If so, what community groups do you belong too?
Yes, Twitter and Facebook. We participate in Alberta Fashion Week, which is a great venue, and we are often featured in magazines which is a great way to get the word out about a product. We have ads posted on retailcommon.com. Attending fashion and celebrity events is another way to market ourselves, getting our face out and meeting people is a good way to make our presence known.
Does your company have an online presence? If so, what’s your web address?
www.442McAdam.com - we also have a blog on this site. We have an account on twitter – 442mcadam, and a fan page on Facebook under 442 McAdam.
Does your site have ecommerce capability? If so, tell us what it’s like running an ecommerce site.
No- we refer our online customers to etsy.com – in the future we hope to refer them to retailcommon.com. We will be implementing ecomm on our site during the Spring/Summer 2010 season.
What’s the biggest lesson you've learned in business?
Listen to your customer, talk to others in the industry, and keep an open mind. One of the hardest lessons to learn is to not take rejection personally – this industry is so full of obstacles, it is extremely trying on one’s patience and emotion – once you learn to remove your sensitivity from the mix, you will be a lot more capable to deal with tough clients and situations. It takes strength to not take the industry personally. |
