Tailoring A Personal Client and Supply Chain Experience with Lauren Linnane of Parla
From How Fitting: design a slow fashion business that fits · 1:04:54
Show by Alison Hoenes | fit expert & patternmaker
After moving to Italy to start her brand in 2019 and getting samples made of her first designs, Lauren realized that the price point was too high for the quality of the product and the customer she was targeting. Most of us in this situation would respond by trying to lower costs. Lauren did the opposite. After running the numbers, she pivoted Parla’s business model, redesigned her product, and created a client experience women are happy to pay a high price for. Going bespoke allowed Lauren to offer a truly personal experience that not only fits each client, but fits the relationships-based supply chain she’s developed over the years. In episode 140, hear how the finances, factory friendships, and a few frantic foreign-language phone calls resulted in Parla’s fashion-forward three-piece suit. After working for over a decade in corporate finance in Boston, Lauren grew frustrated with how traditional, off-the-rack mass-market suiting failed to fit or evolve alongside women's bodies and executive roles. Lauren set out to start PARLA in 2019 with the intention of designing women's work attire. Due to the pandemic Lauren had a number of pivots and challenges and finally in 2023, Lauren moved to Milan to immerse herself directly in the world of Italian pattern making and heritage craftsmanship. Today, PARLA is a luxury bespoke and custom label built entirely around hyper-personalized fit, utilizing heritage Italian mills and master tailors to design tailored garments that serve a woman’s exact proportions. PARLA's pieces are Made in Italy and designed by a woman, made by women, for women. What we learn about fit in this episode: Fitting the people How Lauren created a tailoring experience specifically for women How Parla’s target customer changed when Lauren shifted to a bespoke model What Lauren asks in initial intake meetings that both helps create a well-fitting garment, but also creates a kinder process for the client Fitting the performance How Lauren designs tailored clothes to be flexible for decades of a changing body The difference between jackets and “standing jackets” Fitting the purpose How Lauren knows when the bespoke fit is perfect Why Lauren moved to Milan, Italy when she started her brand Fitting the production Why Lauren ultimately chose a bespoke production model Why Lauren chose to raise the price point when she realized the original price point was too high for the product quality and customer Lauren’s plans to scale Parla without sacrificing the personalized client and production experience People and resources mentioned in this episode: Parla website Parla Instagram Parla LinkedIn Parla email Do you want daily advice and explorations on creating clothes that fit your customers and your business sent straight to your inbox? Sign up for the How Fitting newsletter to receive new podcast episodes and more.
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