Today we’d like to introduce you to Christina Fitzpatrick.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Christina. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Fit is the #1 issue within the fashion industry and the #1 reason for returns. For decades, the industry has used a traditional size scale that has hardly been updated. There are so many different shapes and sizes of people… why has this issue not been solved? We worked long and hard to come up with a solution! We utilize 3D body scanning technology to capture 150 measurements of a consumer (initially women) in 3 seconds. Her measurement profile is then stored on our cloud platform and any garment she orders from our wide variety of high quality designers listed on our marketplace is custom-made according to her exact measurements. We aim to pioneer the retail of the future, by bringing an exciting experience to the brick and mortar space. as well as providing all women with apparel they can trust will fit them. You are able to order online thereafter and your custom-made garment will be drop shipped directly to your house.
We are partnering with many independent designers to have them featured on our website, where they can utilize our technology, and we work together to provide our customers with impeccable fit.
We want to instill a different mindset around shopping and around being yourself – that you don’t have to conform to society’s standards and that you can find beautiful clothing that fits your unique body to a T.
Has it been a smooth road?
Starting any business comes with its ups and downs! There are many instances that are unforeseen and things that you don’t even think about until you are actually in those situations! It really helps me to take it one day at a time and do my absolute best each day. If you try to plan or control things too much, you will end up being frustrated. It’s just the nature of being in a start-up: you have to be very flexible and willing to pivot when needed. Learn from every single situation you are in – there is such a world of knowledge that comes with starting a company that you cannot find in a typical corporate job – take advantage! And lastly, stay true to yourself. There will be times when you feel like you want to give up. Take a few steps back, breath, and remember why you began on your journey. Always keep that passion, positivity, and vision at the forefront!
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into Graupel story. Tell us more about the business.
At Graupel, we stand on 3 main pillars of our business:
1: Fit Science – we are relentless about precision and know we have the most accurate body scanning technology on the market. We take pride in providing our designers with clear, concise, convenient data that is within sub-centimeter precision. We strive to constantly innovate within the tech sector.
2: Designer Discovery – we are relentless about curation. Not only do we feature incredible custom-wear designers from all over the world, but we also curate the collections and relationships we have with them. It’s very important for us to do everything we can to present them and support them in the highest ways possible.
3: Consumer-Driven Experience: we are relentless about transparency. Customer experience is always top of mind for us, from in-store to following up to website UX, we want to cater to our customer and keep them first in every way possible.
Looking back on your childhood, what experiences do you feel played an important role in shaping the person you grew up to be?
For me personally, a lot had to do with my parents. They have always been so supportive of any dream I’ve had, encouraging me, pushing me, and believing in me to achieve my goals. They are both extremely hard workers, very caring, and have shown me first-hand the most valuable traits and characteristics by example. Having 6 children together is no easy feat, but that was my mother’s dream and boy did she do it right! And not one day went by where my father ceased to provide for us. Growing up side by side with them really instilled those great values in me. They are my rock and I know I wouldn’t be here today if I didn’t have them as my role models.
Contact Info:
- Website: graupel.com
- Phone: 713-569-1080
- Email: christina@graupel.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/graupelfitted/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GraupelFitted/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/graupelfitted?lang=en
Image Credit:
Graupel Inc.
Getting in touch: VoyageMIA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
