Today we’d like to introduce you to Julia Livingston.
Hi Julia, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
As a lifelong fashionista and multi-sport athlete, I’ve always believed in the adage “look good, feel good,” and in 2019 when I was inspired to begin riding horses as an adult, this could not have been more true.
I had never ridden a horse before, but I knew that looking the part was the first step I could take to help myself feel even the smallest amount of confidence atop a 1,200lb animal. Much to my surprise, a sport so commonly associated with timeless fashionable attire seemed to have a huge gap in its market: it was almost impossible to find chic and quality athletic wear, and, most importantly, at an affordable price.
Less than two months later, this struggle inspired me to create my own clothing line. My childhood dream was to work in fashion, though I could never quite figure out which path I wanted to take. And while it sounds incredibly cliché, the idea for Clovis truly came to fruition in the very same form: a dream.
I went to bed one night in October 2019 thinking about if I could really start my own clothing line, knowing almost no one in the equestrian world, or how I could pull this off. I woke suddenly in the middle of the night with an idea for a logo – the fleur-de-lis intersected with a horse bit – and, via an internet deep-dive, discovered the first known origin of the fleur-de-lis, (in my eyes, the ultimate totem of regality) was at the coronation of King Clovis I – the first king of what is now modern-day France.
Five hours later, while on a flight to Houston, I drew the logo out on a piece of paper borrowed from the stranger sitting next to me, purchased the domain, and started researching manufacturers and how to begin designing. There was absolutely no looking back, and I still have the piece of paper, framed in my office.
Clovis officially opened for sales in January of 2020 and is now designed not only for equestrians, but for golfers, tennis players, skiers, and more. We proudly carry inclusive women’s sizing from XS-3XL and also have a collection of entirely unisex items meant for all to enjoy.
While Clovis is based in Boston, MA, we have an astronomical following in the southeast United States, notably Savannah, Charleston, Charlotte, and all of Florida, and has touched every continent except Antarctica.
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?
I’m a firm believer that anything worth doing won’t be easy; bumps in the road are to be expected. Clovis is absolutely not the exception.
I began selling in January 2020 on the brink of the pandemic, with no established following, and many products manufactured overseas. The excitement I first felt was very quickly replaced with, “ok, now what?!” and forcing myself to be malleable and pivot as, quite literally, everything changed.
And while things have certainly not returned to normal, now any bumps in the road – lost shipments, damaged products, supply-chain issues – seem to pale in comparison. The dream is now big enough that nothing, not even a global pandemic, can stop me.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
One of the things I am most proud of with my clothing line is that I personally design each one of the items Clovis has to offer (with the exception of our t-shirts which are USA-made and printed).
At a time when many brands are built on drop shipping, or simply branding apparel from other vendors, I believe it’s more crucial than ever to have a hand in all of the elements of each item I sell.
I am also immensely proud of the inclusivity we have achieved with Clovis. Though our popularity has grown immensely, each item is stored and hand-packed by my small team in an artist studio in Boston.
Despite this, we still place the utmost importance on making sure our range includes as many sizes as possible (from XS-3XL!), and that we offer a huge variety of unisex items.
Lastly, I believe in doing my part to be environmentally friendly, and many Clovis products are constructed using recycled and organic materials, and we intend to integrate these sustainable materials as often as possible going forward.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
First and foremost, the success of Clovis is dependent on my determination to never give up, and the willingness to adapt and shift and respond to the ever-changing market.
And while it is essential to the success of any company to stay current on trends, it’s also imperative that you don’t lose sight of yourself and your reason for starting. I am lucky to have formed amazing relationships with my customers who I communicate daily through social media, and those close relationships are a reminder of my way every day.
I think it’s also worth mentioning that I promised myself when I started Clovis that I would be true to who I am. A large part of my internet presence is being honest with my followers about who I am and my life, including my struggles. I really believe transparency has helped Clovis become synonymous with integrity.
Pricing:
- Unisex Athletic & Athleisure wear ranging from $15-$100
Contact Info:
- Website: www.shop-clovis.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shopclovis/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shopclovis
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/shop_clovis?lang=bg
Image Credits:
Haley Abram
