Is Charlotte fashion’s biggest untapped market? Dallas has long gained attention for its fashion power as the top market outside of LA & NY and more recently Nashville and Austin have gained attention with high profile retail openings including Hermes.
At In-Seam, Charlotte was our biggest Southeast market and we drew a strong following of private client stylists, each with substantial businesses. My take on the Charlotte market is that luxury fashion demand exceeds the supply there and private client stylists are in demand to feed the needs and significant appetite by bringing in product from across the country.
Kristin Heinrich is one of Charlotte’s in-demand curators. Her approach demonstrates a commitment to supporting local boutiques first (Capitol, Poole Shop, Sloan and Vermillion a few hours away in Raleigh) while sourcing from across the country’s top stores and e-comms to ensure her clients are fully outfitted and have unique pieces their friends won’t have. Showing up to an event in the same dress is not uncommon without the guidance of a stylist in this market.
How do you professionally identify?
Personal shopper, wardrobe stylist to private clients and image consultant
How do you work / what services do you offer?
Closet Edit, personal shopping for seasonal updates, special event styling, vacation outfit sourcing and packing
How long have you been doing this work?
I started my business in 2008.
How did you start?
Funny- it started in NASCAR! I live in Charlotte and had the fun opportunity to serve as personal assistant to NASCAR legend, Jeff Gordon. Part of my job entailed dressing him for day-to-day life as well as media tours, red carpet events and TV appearances. That ignited my passion for styling and to start my own business.
Are you currently taking new clients or booked & busy? Do you have a waitlist?
I never say no to new clients. If there’s a will, there’s a way. I will always find a way to work someone in.
Do you work mostly in-person or primarily remote/digital? If IRL, what geographic area do you service?
I would say most of my clients are based in and around Charlotte, NC where I live. However, I have clients from coast to coast and I travel to do closet edits, shopping trips to NYC and other cities regularly. I also do a loads of online shopping and directly through brand partnerships which allows me to shop for anyone, anywhere.
What’s your business model?
I charge by the hour plus a professional fee on the sale. I currently do not do packages or retainers because I want clients to be able to call on me for small or large projects whenever they need.
How do you think about revenue overall? What other revenue streams do you rely on?
Partnerships with brands and stores who value the business I bring has definitely been a smart revenue strategy. It’s nice when brands and stores are in it with me- to bring the best level of service to my clients through making the process easy and rewarding for all.
When it comes to sourcing for your client - what factors drive your decision on where to go?
I source from all over - directly through brands, online and curated boutiques across the country. I tend to rely most and shop frequently with the ones who make the process fun and seamless. At the end of the day, I like to work with providers who love the process as much as I do and get just as excited about finding the perfect things for my clients. There’s a real joy in the teamwork!
How important are commissions to you?
At the end of the day, as a stylist, my clients hire me to shop for them. They trust me and take my advice on what to purchase. Where I shop and what I buy is ultimately up to me. Therefore, I choose where to spend my client’s dollars. The stores and brands that I spend with the most recognize and appreciate the business I bring.
As a small business owner, I have figured out ways to generate more revenue over the years on my sales without gauging my clients. I provide a service and want my pricing to be fair. Commissions from brand partners are appreciated but never the driving force when I’m sourcing something for a client.
How has ShopMy changed how you approach your work and/or revenue?
I currently don’t use ShopMy, but I plan to start! It’s a great way to generate revenue from a larger demographic and reach a broader audience. As I work to grow my brand, this is definitely at the top of my list.
What’s a typical profile of your clients?
I don’t have a “typical” client profile. My clients include: busy stay-at-home moms, hedge fund men and women in CA, race car drivers, banking execs, lawyers, mortgage CEOs, Uber and other billion dollar company top execs, real estate brokers and developers, college bound kids and new college grads.
What’s your craziest / proudest client moment / win? (photo?)
One of the things I’m proud of is that, even now, 20 years since I left the sport of NASCAR, I still get the call to style the winner of the Daytona 500 for their NYC media tour. I’m proud of the fact that I made a name for myself and that teams and drivers continue to reach out to me.
What was your most dramatic client success?
Having a high profile couple call VERY last minute to have me style them for TV appearances in NYC was exciting. However, I was in NC and had to navigate how to pull all of their looks from several sources from afar. From facetimes and calls to couriers and sales people literally running blocks with garment bags to meet the deadlines, I got it done! The clients never saw the chaos behind the perfectly curated looks I delivered.
What brand or item are your clients loving right now?
What brand are you loving right now that you’re hoping your clients will get into as well?
Depending on a client’s age, budget, lifestyle, I’m shopping hundreds of different brands per day for clothing.
When it comes to jewelry, I always introduce to my clients to, The Jen Collection
I have been their Brand Ambassador for 10 years. It’s a curated line of fine jewelry based in Houston, Texas specializing in hand beaded precious and semi-precious one-of-a-kind pieces, as well as an amazing collection of 14k-18k diamond and gold jewelry. During closet edits I try to encourage clients to eliminate loads of costume jewelry that’s just taking up space and upgrade and invest in a signature stack of layered necklaces, bracelets and rings.
What could brands and retailers be doing better to attract you + your client’s business?
I’ve appreciated brands and stores who have created shared photo albums for me to have at my fingertips. This is how I work with my clients and this makes it so easy for me to have access to all types of clothing, shoes, bags, accessories. It keeps me up to date on what’s new as its coming in so I can easily share to my client albums. Anyone who has worked with me knows, you won’t have to wait long for me to get options to you! I’m on it!
What are you manifesting this year?
This is a BIG year for me. My wonderful and amazing twins, Alex and Seinna, are graduating from High School in June. Both are heading off to college in the fall. As they have grown, I have had the privilege of being present while also maintaining the business that I love. Now, with more time on my hands, I can’t wait to take my business to the next level and be able to take on more projects. Traveling more will not only be inspiring but also be a catalyst to gain more clients from coast to coast while also being able to do more shopping trips with clients in other cities.
What tools can you not live without to run your business?
My phone is #1 as I do most of my work and sourcing on the go. Quickbooks for all of my invoicing and the money side of things. My brand and store partners and online sources. The relationships I build with every single client is what keeps me going. That is truly the BEST part!
Is there anything else you want people to know about you or your work?
It’s true what they say: find what you love and you will never feel like you are “working” a day in your life. I can honestly say that I still wake up excited to do what I do and feel so lucky people continue to trust me to help them put their best foot forward through what they are wearing! Also, I’m very efficient. I pride myself on jumping on something as soon as it hits my plate. When a client makes a request, for let’s say a wardrobe to take on a summer trip to Greece, it’s likely they will have a look book within 24 hours.
Where can people find you?
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I’m Ann!
Commercial operator w/ 20 yrs experience building businesses and tech products
Award winning ecommerce marketplace founder - created a new distribution ecosystem
Raised millions in venture capital
I work with founders, consumer tech platforms, marketplaces, and luxury brands at the intersection of product, customer, and growth. My recent projects include:
Omnichannel customer acquisition and LTV growth for brands & retailers
Customer discovery & business model validation
GTM & growth strategy and execution