Hi everyone! It's me, Madison.
After the first drop I thought it would be nice to share with you all this journey. I once was posting about this on our Instagram, but this feels more practical.
First and foremost, I want to thank everyone who supported me on launch day and who have continued to support this business since. The second the launch started at midnight on Black Friday, I was getting orders after orders. My phone didn't stop going off that entire day! I was so humbled and in awe of how many of you that made my first day of launching, the best.
Going forward, I want to keep it raw and real on here. Starting this business (and if you have started a business before, you understand) has had its most stressful, most time consuming, exciting and most highly-strung moments. Not knowing that I would be launching a whole clothing line in the middle of moving for the military, I felt like this was meant to happen at the time that it did. Crazy, I know.
Between meeting with manufacturers in the middle of packing up my house into boxes, to putting together designs while I go down a rabbit hole of searching for new places to live at my next duty station, this has been a wild ride. But let me tell you guys, I wouldn't have changed the way any of it worked out.
If you guys have already read the About Us page, you guys would see I explained what Avidity means and why this business was names as such. In simple terms, Avidity means to be passionate about something; to be extremely eager and full of enthusiasm. (Fun fact: if you think you haven't heard of the word before, you have. Think back to your times of grocery shopping and an attendant says over the loudspeaker "ATTENTION AVID SHOPPERS"...). I don't think anything could describe me better than that. I love to work, I love the hustle, I thrive off the chaos and putting too much on my plate, and once I'm feverish about something, there's no getting me to cool down.
I started off with so many different manufacturers, so many designs, so many color cards and fabric research, I felt like my brain could have exploded. I stayed up for hours on end just thinking about one idea after another, and I would be lying if I said I don't do that anymore (as I'm currently typing this blog at 2 a.m.). This business has been something I have wanted to do all my life, even before joining the military. I continue to learn every day on how to be a (better) business owner (because trust me I am by far from an expert...yet) and I have made so many connections with other Entrepreneurs that have helped me along the way.
Overall, if it was not for the chaos, the all-nighters and waking up cuddling with fabric cards, the stress, the nerves of thinking none of this would work out... this business would not be what it is today. And for that I am thankful.
Now, the collection drop...
I can proudly say I chose right by my brand when picking my designs, specifically the fabric. Have you ever ordered clothes, received them, were so excited to try them on just to have it be some cheap mix of polyester and cotton and even when it feels cheap, it looks cheap? Trust me, I'm not hating on cheap! I'm an avid shopper on SHEIN, love a good deals and discount moment, and if I ever go missing, you guys will probably find me in the closest TJ Maxx... but for MY clothing line, I wanted the best fabric that I found fit. While doing research, I came across a woman on ETSY (yup, ETSY) who was very familiar with French-Terry fabric. It's a cotton-based fabric whose history traces back to the 19th century in France, but now you can get it pretty much anywhere. Specifically, from her, she imported the fabric from Turkey. I ordered over $200 worth of French-Terry from her and started my prototypes here in Florida with the help of Mary; a local Columbian woman who I found off a local Facebook group. She had the skills and knowledge of sewing whatever I asked of her, despite having to use Google Translate every time I chatted with her. (Bless her heart. I know I didn't make sense half the time) BUT she really did the damn thing and perfected everything I requested.
Once the prototypes were made, I reached out to bigger manufacturing companies that were able to make my prototypes in bulk when it was time for launch, hence why I did mostly pre-orders and I will probably continue to do so. The reason for doing this is so 1. I'm not hauling large amounts of products in my soon-to-be small apartment, 2. So the items are made specifically for you, and 3. You guys know that no one else has had, tried on, exchanged these items before.
**These requests to my manufacturers are made directly FOR YOU once you guys place your orders on the website. I feel like this makes your items more personal**
Since we sold out so quickly, I went ahead and ordered more of your guys' favorites while in the meantime, I worked on the men's collection and more other unique ideas that will be dropping in a couple of weeks. Once the next drop starts, old items will be put on sale - you choose; get them sooner rather than later, or cheaper when the time comes! (Like I said, I love a good deals and discount moment) and that's why I'm being so open about this business and how it works. I want to be real and personal with you all. I want this business to create a community, and I don't want it to feel like it's just another clothing brand. I want this all to mean something to you like it does to me.
Without further a due, it's now 2:30 and I'm getting tired finally. I have to be up early for my squadron going away (que the tears). So, with all of this being said...thank you to all of you for your continued love and support. Thank you for enjoying all of this just as much as I do and thank you for helping me create such a newly successful business.
Goodnight!