I met Min last year in June 2017. She was launching her first collection. I was pregnant and forced to stay at home. So she had come to visit me at my home to introduce me to her brand and her collection. Since then, Emzie Paris (ex: Mz Made for Petite) has been the talk of the town, with a string of publications: FashionNetwork, Chausser Magazine. There was also a recent report on France 3.
Min has just released her third collection. She tells us more about it in the interview.
Of course it's not easy being on your own. Especially when it comes to running a company. No one can work alone; everyone needs a different vision to move forward.
Min, can you tell us about the early days of the brand?
I'm a size 34 and I've always had trouble with my shoes.
You can find a few models on the Internet, but they don't suit me in terms of style. I like shoes that are modern, urban and, above all, comfortable.
Some Italian luxury brands offer size 34, but they usually cut a little larger. I've bought them before when I found a model I liked, but they're not shoes you can wear every day.
Otherwise, the last choice is the children's department. But I've always refused.
So I did a market study in France. And I realized that there was no brand specialized in petite shoes (there are distributors but no brand). So I decided to take the plunge and create a brand with its own identity. I started preparing the collection in the summer of 2016, and then the e-shop saw the light of day in October 2017.
What did you do before creating Emzie?
I was a purchasing and retail management controller (business analyst) in the fashion industry.
How did you get started? Did it take time? Or was it a no-brainer?
Being an entrepreneur was never an obvious choice for me. I've always worked in large, well-structured companies (it was logical for me to continue along this path).
But once the market study proved my idea was a good one, my desire to share my tastes and ideas, and to help women with small feet (like me) convinced me to launch the Emzie brand.
And as my husband has much more of an entrepreneurial profile, he also gave me a lot of encouragement in this decision. At the same time, I think I've always had an entrepreneurial streak in me that pushed me to take the plunge.
And now, almost a year after the launch, I can say that I don't regret it and that I'm much more fulfilled.
You don't have a partner, so it's not too difficult to work alone?
Of course it's not easy being on your own. Especially when it comes to running a company. No one can work alone; everyone needs a different vision to move forward.
And motivation isn't always the same. There are good days, like when you receive a lovely message from a customer. And then there are the days when nothing goes your way. When that happens, the most important thing is to believe in yourself, in your project, and to have the support of your family. My husband knows me well enough to know when it's time to push myself and when it's time to stop because I'm going crazy or can't cut!
How do you juggle your career as an entrepreneur with your family life?
I don't juggle anything... (laughs)
I work a lot, it's very difficult but so challenging and I like the challenge. I find it hard to switch off, it's part of my personality. I must admit that I'm finding it hard to juggle my career as an entrepreneur with my family life at the moment. Fortunately, my family is there for me!
The new Fall/Winter 2018-2019 collection has just been released. Can you tell us a little more about it?
I always try to offer as much choice as possible. Because specialized models in petites sizes are extremely limited.
For this collection, there's a wide selection of pumps (the hardest thing to find when you have small feet). I chose a lot of patent models and very festive colors for the Christmas period. Booties are always very comfortable. The shoes are made in Spain and Italy. The Spanish models have a flexi sole and the Italian models a little cushion. That's what makes them so comfortable. There's a selection of sneakers again, with the return of our best-seller: the Nauc sneaker.
There are a lot of new items. It's really with this collection that I start to show the style and personality of Mz Made for Petite; an increasingly modern, feminine style punctuated by a touch of retro.
Because the models released previously didn't represent your style?
Yes, they represented my style, but not my character or personality. In the early days, I wanted to show off the shoe. Today, I want to show shoes worn as part of an outfit. I want to give my customers ideas, and show them how to combine different models within an outfit. That's why I'm starting to offer lookbooks.
Let's talk fashion. What's your style?
My style is simple, classic but always with a feminine or vintage touch or detail.
Can you describe what you wear most often?
Jeans! I love jeans! With a very simple top: a white tee-shirt or a sailor suit. And of course, with a pair of feminine shoes. I'm not much for accessories, but I always wear a piece of jewelry: earrings or a necklace. In fact, it's the shoe that dresses up my outfit.
If you had to choose just one pair of shoes, which model would it be?
Woven derbies for summer and block heels for winter.
What are your favourite clothing brands?
I prefer the chic, petite brands Maje, the KoopThe and J. Crew. I also really like the style of Stella McCartney, the cuts of Victoria Beckham's collections and the fluidity of Chloé.
What fashion advice would you give to petites?
Just a word of advice: "Be Yourself".
What do you think is the must-have piece for a petite?
Well-tailored pants (high-waisted or flare) that will lengthen your legs.
Many thanks Min! To discover Min's collection, click here.
Photo credit: Min
See you next time! Xxx