Today we’d like to introduce you to Lindsay Fork.
Hi Lindsay, 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 backstories with our readers.
I’ve always loved anything related to bridal fashion, ever since I was a little girl. I started my journey in the bridal industry at the tender age of 19 and have been an owner for 15 years this summer. I purchased La Jeune Mariee from the previous owners in 2008. In the beginning, I don’t recall having specific goals around growing the business. I was 28 and simply excited to be living out my dream – not only working in bridal, but owning a store.
Luxe Redux Bridal came 3 years later out of a desperate need for more room. I was operating La Jeune Mariee in an 800-square-foot space, and our industry is fairly strict on meeting seasonal minimums on new inventory. My old inventory was piling up; there was a space available above my shop, and since problem-solving is an instinct I have, Luxe Redux Bridal – a designer sample boutique – was born!
In the beginning of Luxe Redux Bridal, again, I never thought, “I want to have a lot of stores someday,” but the opportunity to keep expanding presented itself, and having the entrepreneurial bug, it became very much a career goal to scale versus keeping it a lifestyle business.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It definitely has not been a smooth road the entire time, but what lessons would we learn if it was? I learned years ago that being down in the weeds when I have a great team around me is not good for anyone. Embracing my visionary and growth-minded skillset is what has enabled me to grow the company. I am admittedly not a wonderful “manager,” but I am great with people when we are collaborating and working towards a common goal. At my core, I am a cheerleader for the company and my employees.
Keeping me in my zone of genius results in the best outcomes.
As we have expanded our brick-and-mortar, real estate has been a difficult landscape to navigate. Figuring out your retail footprint early on is very important. My go-to is to immediately think, ‘bigger is better,’ but it’s also more money, and you have to really lay down financials, data, and analytics on what you need, not necessarily what you want.
We have a theme nearly every year when annual planning of ‘what got us here, won’t get us there’ so it’s always difficult to be consistently pushing the envelope on new ways to do things, better efficiencies, and growth, but that’s truly what makes our company who we are. We’re doing things in the disruptor arena, so it will never be easy.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Luxe Bridal LLC?
I have 2 divisions of bridal at Luxe Bridal, LLC. La Jeune Mariee is a designer bridal boutique where we order in the more traditional sense. This means that when a bride says yes, we order her gown brand new and it takes approximately 6 months to arrive. Fittings occur soon thereafter. We have 1 location in Columbus, Ohio, and we offer inclusive luxury to all brides. We strive to hit a wide price point of $1,500 to over $15,000 and aim to carry sizes outside of the typical bridal size 12 samples our industry is known for.
This means we have a growing selection in the plus size category which is difficult to find in bridal.
At Luxe Redux Bridal, we partner with boutiques (like La Jeune Mariee) all over the country to find the best gowns to sell off-the-rack the day you say yes, for a discounted price. It’s a win-win for everyone. I love the fact that we are serving B2B with other small business owners and allowing them to recoup money on underperforming inventory for their store. We are also offering brides high-quality gowns for less than possibly their original budgets, all while being sustainable. In the world of fast fashion, Luxe Redux is doing it right!
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
Hands down, when I joined my local Entrepreneur Organization Chapter here in Columbus, my world opened up to new ideas and opportunities. I would not be where I am today without my small group forum experiences, connections, and the mentorship program they provide. I have met so many people, and most of them have become lifelong friends. It really is amazing what a community can do.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://luxereduxbridal.com/ https://lajeunemariee.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lindsayfork/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsay-fork-85157846/
Image Credits
@starling_studio
