Today we’d like to introduce you to Erika King.
Hi Erika, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I was originally born and raised in Houston, moved to California and have been in the Austin area for the past 15 years. I began my career in fashion after getting my BA in Fashion Merchandising from Sam Houston State. After working in Retail Management for stores like Macy’s and Neiman Marcus for ten years, I switched to education and taught High School Fashion Design for 12 years. I never really set out to be an educator and I wanted to be able to combine my love of fashion and helping women kept tugging at me. Also as a wife and mom, I saw how life had brought about so many changes personally and throughout those times, my love of fashion, style and being able to express myself through my clothes always brought me joy. So I started my styling business with the purpose of helping women navigate life and find a sense of joy and purpose through their wardrobe. Aiming to create a stress-free way to get dressed, while balancing the demands of life and looking good doing it.
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?
Some of the struggles along the way have been:
– Self-doubt
– Imposter Syndrome
– Lack of Confidence
While I still have those challenges, I surround myself with a support system that helps me keep it all in perspective.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
The Modernist Closet specializes in helping corporate and tech executives build a wardrobe for fit, function, flexibility and fun. With life being more hectic than ever professionals don’t have time to worry about what to wear. In addition, there has been a recent shift in what attire corporate looks like, so we offer a simple 3 step Modern Closet Style process that simplifies the process of getting dressed and helps them navigate this new normal. We do a deep dive to into our client’s lifestyles, habits, activities to really get to know their wants, needs, likes and dislikes. One thing that sets us apart is we also focus a bit on their current mindset and the psychology of fashion to see how it is affecting their wardrobe choices. Then we look at one of our three packages to see what fits their needs and budget. While some people just need style direction and clarity for the upcoming season, others may need a full wardrobe overhaul or concierge service for those who need a personal stylist all year. In addition, we do fashion and photography styling as well.
As a personal stylist, I am most proud of being able to change lives in a way that people may not have realized can make a huge difference in the start of their day and how they are perceived and present themselves to the world.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
I think I am generally a risk taker but I usually don’t have a plan in place. I think my past risks have failed because I did not have a plan. I just felt like things would just somehow work out. So I actually took a risk and started my styling business ten years ago and quit my job in retail management and thought this is it! But it wasn’t! I had no plan, no experience, and did not do any research. So the end result was me back at work and miserable. Not because I took a risk, but I took a risk without a plan.
Contact Info:
- Email: eking@themodernistcloset.com
- Website: www.modernistcloset.com
- Instagram: @_themodernistcloset
- Facebook: @modernistcloset
Image Credits
Photographer: @Ophelia.Portraits Lighting: @josephmcmillianphoto makeup: @jaybrans Photographer: miramira.com
