Today we’d like to introduce you to Paula Mendez.
Paula, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
After exploring kids’ fashion in Spain, London and now California, I was very inspired and determined to create my own kid’s label. I had a very clear idea on my mind of what I wanted and what was missing in the market. With passion and a lot of work Summer in May was born with a slow fashion philosophy. We strive to be as gender-neutral as possible in the coziest designs.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I wish I could say it was smooth. It was very hard in the beginning. It took me a long time to find a good manufacturer that I could trust and that understood what I wanted. I was self-taught, so learned the hard way from my mistakes. To someone that is starting now, I will say don’t give up, and when you struggle and feel frustrated think that you are just in the middle of a learning curve, and next time it happens you will know what to do. Just believe you can do it and you will!
Please tell us about Summer In May.
I do a bit of everything. The part I enjoy the most is designing, choosing the color pallets and illustrating the artworks. I’m proud of being in the slow fashion movement, and that we soon will be working exclusively with a sustainable manufacturer that is all about fair trade and earth-friendly fabrics. I would say that we are known for our Nordic unisex fusion that is characterized by simplicity, minimalism and functionality.
There’s a wealth of academic research that suggests that lack of mentors and networking opportunities for women has materially affected the number of women in leadership roles. Smart organizations and industry leaders are working to change this, but in the meantime, do you have any advice for finding a mentor and building a network?
Try to reach out to similar businesses as yours. Understand your weaknesses and you will see that most of the time other businesses had the same challenges, and hopefully they can share some pearls of wisdom.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.summerinmay.com
- Email: info@summerinmay.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/summer_n_may/
Image Credit:
Summer in May
Suggest a story: SDVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
