Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Diane Linston
Hi Dr. Diane, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
While a lot of boutiques are closing, Fashion Designer & Business owner Diane Linston, is raising though this tough time. She owns a high-end boutique a woman manufacturing, and a fabric store in Bedford Ohio.
I open my first boutique in Maple Heights Ohio. We started to outgrow the small store.
I moved to Tower City in downtown Cleveland Ohio.
People came into the boutique, and I would share my dreams, with my customers, that I was going to be a fashion designer.
My customers would say to me “Never give up” NGU Collection by Diane Linston, became my clothing label.
I have participated in a lot of fashion shows throughout various states. From New York Fashion Week to fashion shows in Atlanta. I noticed a lot of emerging designers looking for a manufacturing company to help Manufacture their clothing line. I realized this was a Nitch. This is how I started my own clothing Manufacturing company. Most emerging fashion designers could not afford to work with a large Manufacturing company.
I started Cleveland Cut and Sew Manufacturing company. We work with emerging designers. We have a commercial contract. We work with large organizations. To help manufacture their products. She has created a new line of hospital Gowns; these hospital gowns are going to change the way we are wearing in the medical field
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
When you have a business, it is hard. You have to work hard to build your brand. I didn’t have a budget for advertisements.
I participated in a lot of events and handed out a lot of flyers.
I made many mistakes, If I had a dime for every mistake I would be rich alone. I start working with a mentor and coaches., to understand the business, such as learning how to read a profit and loss statement,
When you are a small business, you have to work 3x harder.
I had a hard time finding good people to work for me.
That was one of my biggest challenges. You cannot do it all by yourself.
When I created the hospital gowns.
I attended networking events. I would meet many people in the hospital industry.
They would tell me how much they loved the gowns and would love to talk about placing them in the hospitals. I was advised to call and set up an appointment. I called the next day. I never received a return call back.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Diane Linston is a distinguished fashion designer and entrepreneur based in Cleveland, Ohio, celebrated for her innovative designs and exceptional craftsmanship. She stands out as the only African American female with a clothing manufacturing company in the city. The NGU Collection, by Diane Linston (Never Give Up)
Styles of Imagination is an upscale women’s clothing manufacturing company that caters to provide high-quality fashionable, and affordable clothing for women aged 35-75. We will deliver top-notch fashions to provide excellent quality merchandise.
Her signature line, the N.G.U. Collection—which stands for “Never Give Up”—reflects her personal resilience and determination. This collection has garnered national attention, leading to collaborations with local and national celebrities.
Linston’s designs have been showcased at prestigious events, including New York Fashion Week and Harlem Fashion Week, and have been featured in numerous magazines both nationally and internationally.
Linston’s contributions extend beyond fashion design. She has developed a line of blouses for women undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer, aiming to provide fashionable options during treatment. She also created a new line of hospital gowns to change the face of traditional medical attire. A new sport chemo bra is in the works for women after having surgery which she has partner with and husband & wife team. Beside working on her own clothing line, NGU collection. Her community involvement and entrepreneurial spirit have been recognized with numerous awards, including an Honorary Doctorate in Humanities from Global Alliance International and the Lifetime Achievement Award signed by President Joe Biden in 2022.
When the pandemic hit. I received a phone call from Cleveland Hopkins Airport to open a kiosk. We were selling more then 200 mask a week. It was crazy, and a blessing.
My company caters to women of all different shapes and size. We have contracts from over the United States.
Making doggie bags to curtains for major corporations.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
• Consistent sales growth and profitability
• Building a strong, memorable brand identity
• Creating a positive impact, such as ethical fashion or sustainable practices.
• Maintaining a sustainable, long-term presence in the industry.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://WWW.THENGUCOLLECTION.COM
- Instagram: STYLES_OF_IMAGINATION
- Facebook: Styles of Imagination Fashions
- Other: Tic Tok @stylesofimagination.com
