Today we’d like to introduce you to Anna Marie Magnan.
Hi Anna Marie, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I have been sewing and designing since I was ten years old, always mesmerized by the whir of my mom’s sewing machine and the scraps of fabric she left behind. I started off by designing my own homecoming and prom dresses and by putting my friends in my newest dresses, but I was always thinking ahead, dying to bring my pieces to a wider audience. My father is a professor at FSU, and when I was 12, I had a booth at the university artisan market where I sold purses I sewed out of denim and hand-embellished beaded designs. This was my first experience with entrepreneurship, and I was quickly addicted!
Starting my own line, Ola Moon has always been my end goal, but I struggled with how to even initiate this dream. I think the beginning is the first obstacle an artist has to overcome. To start and commit to that first stroke of the pencil, that first stitch, that first path of the scissors. But also, to be gentle on yourself and allow inspiration to pause and start back again. I began this several times over the last few years but never allotted the time it really needed to develop.
When the pandemic happened, quarantine actually gave me the time to define and focus on my true passion and get my business moving. Today I am selling my pieces online and at local Pop Up Shops. I have plans to expand and grow the business and am so excited to see where this takes me!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Starting a brand and your own business is absolutely a struggle! LOL Currently, Ola Moon is my second job. I am the Senior Manager at R+Co, a luxury hair brand, and have been here for over six years! There are times when it is very difficult to come home after work and sit in front of the sewing machine. But, I realized that I will never be content without giving this a true shot! I’ve stayed up night after night designing, sewing, learning Instagram and Facebook Ads, and how to use Shopify and set-up pixels, and, steadily and surely, I have seen great results for the energy I am putting in. I am a one woman show, but recently have been hiring interns, so slowly but surely expanding and it feels so good!
Mistakes, feeling of defeat, and lack of inspo have certainly occurred, but I encourage all artistic entrepreneurs to forge ahead bravely, assign daily, small tasks to yourself that can help you feel consistently productive, and believe in the beauty that you must bring to your clients!
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I design and create handmade women’s resort wear. I think what sets me apart as a creator is the life and confidence that my designs bring to the wearer. The woman who wears Ola Moon is transported to a lavish vacation where she stars as the goddess – stunning, confident, strong, and sexy. I have been drawn to bright colors, bold prints, and tropical fashions for as long as I can remember. I have a love affair with the sun and ocean, so I am definitely moved by easy and flowy silhouettes, a peek (or maybe more) of skin, but always keeping it feminine. Ola Moon strives to incorporate all of these energies and aesthetics, blending womanliness and earthiness and ease. When you wear my designs, you are sure to turn heads!
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
At Ola Moon, we believe in quality over quantity. We make made-to-order fashions to avoid costly and wasteful inventory. We believe that this slower, more considered approach to luxury apparel is a stepping stone towards stopping this abuse to our environment. We use deadstock fabrics to avoid them being dumped and specialize in natural, biodegradable, environment friendly fabrics.
What you can do as a consumer is shop with sustainable, environmentally aware small businesses, and recycle always! Shop smarter, and pay attention to the impact you have on this beautiful planet we live on.
Contact Info:
- Email: annamarie@shopolamoon.com
- Website: www.shopolamoon.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shopolamoon
Image Credits
Guillermo Ley Chris Diaz
