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The Business of Fashion:
Interview with Erin Nadler, President of Better Styled...
BETTER STYLED
OF INTEREST
Erin Nadler has it all: style, confidence, flair, and an infectious bubbly personality that’s hard to ignore. And now, with Better Styled, she’s hoping to pass on some of her fashion savvy to her customers.
The young Toronto entrepreneur is not only a fashionista with a head for business – some of our readers might recognize her as our very own Dear Shopaholic, dispensing fashion advice and keeping us updated on all the latest trends. Now, Nadler is embarking on her own journey as the head of fashion consulting business Better Styled, which offers busy women on the go an alternative, personalized way to shop.
The brand spankin’ new office for the company, located in the trendy Yonge & Eglinton area, is adorned with timeless touches like chandeliers, plush stark white couches, and sleek footstools. The setting is intimate and elegant, which is exactly what Better Styled is all about.
Conceived almost a year and a half ago, the company is comprised of private fashion consultants that provide a customized shopping experience. Clients can receive consultations and shop directly at the location, which includes a fully stocked, comprehensive warehouse filled to the brim with the latest season’s fashions. They can also request to have a fashion consultation on-site at their home or office.
“I have women who don't have time, whether they don't have time and don't have the patience, or don't have the time and don't know what looks good on them, or just need some guidance. There's a mix of everything,” Nadler says as we sit in her chic office. “And a lot of women don't want to go to Holt Renfrew because they find the prices are too expensive and don't want to spend that kind of money on a suit. These are time-starved women who just hate malls and need help, and want it done quickly and efficiently. In an hour and a half a client is in and out. They have everything they need – it's simple, it's easy, and it's efficient, and that's why they like Better Styled.
“At the first meeting we do a needs analysis, and basically I’ll sit down with the client and ask them a whole lot of questions that give me a feeling for where they work, what they wear on a daily basis, where their needs lie, what they are looking for, where their problem areas lie,” Nadler explains of the typical process involved in a consultation. “You know, all that sort of stuff we just discuss, and in sort of hearing the person talk, you get a really good feeling for what they need, what they want, and what you think will look good on them. Are they adventurous, are they not? And if they're not adventurous, you stick to what they're telling you; if they're wiling to try things and feel comfortable with you then you can try to show them something outside of their comfort zone.”
But the interactive service doesn’t just stop there. After the needs assessment, Nadler will select clothes from the warehouse based on what she thinks the client will like, and even throws in an amazing tailor for items that need altering. With this top-level service, a savvy shopper on the go can have a whole new wardrobe in time for the weekend.
In fact, Better Styled’s motto, per its website, is “better service, better quality, better styled.” And there’s no one that’s more staunchly applied this promise than Nadler herself. With impeccable customer service, a dedication to her business, and a natural flair for fashion, she’s already garnered a loyal client base.
But this didn’t come overnight. A graduate of York University’s business program, Nadler, who had a deep-rooted interest in fashion, was accepted to the Fashion Institute of Technology but decided to forgo another year of school in exchange for real-life experience. “I found that learning on the job was the best way to not only learn the different lines but also learn how to deal with people, sort of learn the sales aspect of the business.”
After a stint at fashion consulting firm Images That Suit, she finally felt it was time to move on. “Because I spent three and a half years cultivating these relationships with my clients, I wanted to do something that included them. So the concept of this service-driven business – the fact that it works by private appointment and that we are not a typical retail store – I really liked, and I really liked that we offer more than a store.”
When asked about the idea behind the name, Nadler recalls the story with a smile. “The name was actually something that my mom came up with. I said I want it to be better, I want it to be different, so she said, ‘Well, what about Better Styled?’ I thought it was a really good sort of way of saying, this is what I’m doing, this is where I’m at now. You leave feeling ‘better styled.’ So that's sort of our catchphrase.”
Nadler confesses that leaving her job at Images That Suit was probably the most difficult thing about starting up her own business, but she hasn’t looked back since. Better Styled had its grand opening in August 2008, and has since flourished with Nadler’s impeccable taste, business sense, and focus on the customer.
When we discuss her position as buyer for the company, which incorporates styles ranging from business to business casual to casual weekend wear, her eyes light up. “I really have gone out to try different, fresh new lines. I buy stuff that I would like because, for the most part, my clients dress similarly to me, but there are also pieces that I wouldn't necessarily wear but I know would suit a certain client or a certain personality. It’s really exciting when the merchandise comes in and you get feedback from your clients saying, ‘Oh my God, I love this and this and this.’”
Buying involves attending a lot of trade shows, which is where Nadler discovered some of her fall finds. “I have a huge Canadian representation. It wasn't something conscious, but once I sort of started, I thought, you know what, this is something really great. People like supporting the Canadian economy, people like supporting Canadian designers, and I like working with Canadians because sometimes they carry more stock so you can get it quicker. And working with smaller designers also allows you the freedom of a closer relationship with the person.” Among her fifteen lines, two-thirds are Canadian, and range from Brave Beltworks to Collection Iris to up-and-coming designer Andy The-Anh.
“The biggest thing for my clients is, they're constantly going to events, they're constantly doing public speaking engagements, they're traveling or going to the office, and I think the worst thing is having them walk in and having somebody else walk in wearing the same suit. So I really try to be different. A lot of these lines aren't everywhere, so I like that aspect of it.”
But Nadler's talent extends to more than just a good eye for form and fit. She’s also expanded her resume to include designer. Her private line, Better Styled, made its debut this fall. “It's a more conservative styling. It’s suits and great separate pencil skirts and shift dresses...really clean, classic items. All of my fabrics are Italian, and everything is designed and manufactured here,” says Nadler. “It's quite conservative but it's got a little flair to it. I really wanted something that was versatile and that would work with other things in the warehouse, but also, if you bought it all together you could wear it all together.”
In addition to office consultations, Better Styled also offers in-home consultations, wardrobe organization, girls’ night out parties (“if somebody wants to bring a group of friend, we can do wine and cheese and have a shopping party at the office”), and seminars on corporate image and dressing for success.
As for Better Styled’s success, Nadler has a few ideas. “I would love to sort of align myself with other Canadian businesses that are small businesses. We could help each other out and do things together, like joint ventures or anything like that. That’s sort of what I’d love to do. The other thing that's mentioned a lot by my clients is going into men's wear and doing the same concept for men – it's definitely something I thought about before I decided to go into women's wear, but I found men's wear boring. Corporate men's suits, for the most part, stay the same and it's sort of harder to push them outside their blocks. I would like to stick with women's wear and see how that goes, but that would definitely be something that I would be interested in doing in the future.”
When I ask Nadler about her future plans, there’s a palpable excitement in the air of what’s to come. “I’d like to see myself with another location; I’d like to have more consultants working here, and everyone here being busy.”
But it’s the next sentence that sums up Nadler’s true passion in a flash: “I just want it in five years to wake up and be excited and still want to do this. It would be nice to be successful but I think more than anything I just want to enjoy it and still be happy doing it.”
It’s clear that this young company, with Nadler at the helm, will only flourish with time. With an enthusiasm for client satisfaction unlike most, Better Styled offers busy women an easy solution to an everyday hardship. Most businesses prosper from clients, but at Better Styled, it’s the clients who prosper from the business. ¤ C.Ho.
IMAGE GALLERY 
Above: Better Styled's chic office space.
