Meet The Founder
Q&A with STL Founder
Sydney Simone
O.M. : I'm so excited to speak with you and hear more about your story! Tell me a little bit about yourself, your name, where you're from...
S.S. : I'd love to! I'm happy to finally connect with the STL fam and give some more background about myself and the brand! My name is Sydney Simone, I'm from New York, I grew up right outside the city in White Plains. A lot of my design and curation inspiration definitely comes from growing up immersed in New York fashion. Eventually, I moved out to Los Angeles because I wanted a change and the west coast has a completely different vibe but I love it, especially the weather!
O.M. What motivated you to step outside of the conventional workforce and begin your own path as an entrepreneur to start Simone the label?
S.S. I’ve always been passionate about art, fashion, and jewelry. I’ve also been in love with photography and design for as long as I can remember, with STL I’ve been able to mix all of my creative loves and bring the brand to life. After working as an event producer for corporate and social events in entertainment, beauty, and fashion etc, I saw how many young people were pursuing their dreams and building their brands. I was inspired to finally take the leap and start my own business, bringing back old passions from middle school and high school I decided to begin with jewelry. I noticed a gap in the jewelry market, there were so many companies with beautiful designs and branding but none that focus on bringing together and highlighting talented creatives. Starting Simone the Label has been all about community, purpose, and fun!
O.M. : What have you been doing for fun during the pandemic and what do you look forward to doing afterward?
S.S. I love to be outside, hiking, swimming, and running! I’m so glad we’re starting to safely be outdoors again. During quarantine, I took up a new liking for cooking. I’ve always loved to bake but, not being on the move nearly as much as I was before, I’ve been cooking a ton and really enjoying learning new dishes and techniques. I’m not going to lie, I love to shop! For clothes, for groceries, books, anything, that’s probably bad but I love it. Traveling is something I also really enjoy, like a good road trip, I’m itching for a road trip! I’m also excited to experience more places and cultures now that everything's starting to open up again. I finally renewed my passport and I feel so ready to take on the world!
O.M. Who is Simone and what does that name mean to you?
S.S. Simone is the Sasha fierce to my Beyonce! I’ve enjoyed building the brand around Simone because it allows me to remove myself but still be true to who I am and who I/the brand is becoming. I recently learned that Simone means He has heard, and I love that because when I’m creating anything for the brand whether it be pieces or content, working with talent etc, I have this mission and vision to translate a message. Meaning, I want to share what I’m hearing and seeing in my world and also create and support what I’m hearing from the STL community. I think the brand comes full circle in so many unexpected ways, which lets me know not only am I on the right path but it’s bound to be something really special.
O.M. Was starting STL a straight path or did you encounter any challenges? What advice would you give to others who are looking to start their own business?
S.S. It hasn’t been a straight path to where I am now with the brand, but knowing that “mistakes" and “failures” are blessings in disguise has allowed me to take strong steps forward in building my business. I’ve learned to take my time, and not rush into decisions out of excitement or fear, but to really think long-term and also keep in mind that I don’t have to have all the answers right away. Things will always unfold as they should as long as I’m putting the work in, to the best of my ability. My advice is, as long as you truly believe in what you're doing others will stand with you and your vision. If you believe in it, you’re already successful. Everyone who buys a piece is getting behind what STL stands for and receiving the dream and the vision along with their jewelry. I hope that my customers are able to see from an early stage all that we're creating and that whatever it is they want to pursue they can as well!
O.M. What is your go-to piece of STL jewelry?
S.S. I can’t favorite one, there are so many! I’m obsessed with the Flavor hoop, this has become a staple of the STL brand, I love how bold they are but also that I can throw them on with any outfit. The Diamond pendant is a new favorite, it’s so simple and dainty and I love to switch my look up with it! The Gatsby stud is also an absolute top 3. I wish I had more places to go and wear them besides my living room, but I’ve been finding any excuse to throw them on!
Shop Syd's Picks
O.M. What’s on the horizon for Simone The Label?
S.S. Right now all I can say is summer, summer, summer! I have a new collection dropping May 14th that I’ve been working on with an amazing team and I’m really excited for it to launch. It’s about 7 pieces and they’re just all so beautiful. Beyond the summer launch, we’re excited to have partnerships with retailers in the pipeline so the STL fam can shop in-store, throughout the country, and eventually internationally. Right now a portion of the collection can be found in Coffee for Sasquatch on Melrose Ave as well as our pop-up locations which we announce on Instagram @simonethelabel. We’re excited to be featured in a few digital publications and are looking forward to expanding from there. Finally and most importantly STL will be launching a grant to fund young entrepreneurs and creatives in their endeavors which I can’t wait to get off the ground! I guess what I can say is stay tuned and keep growing with me!
"Wish I bought this sooner!
"I literally have worn this every day since I bought it. It's the perfect piece for casual day-to-day, or to dress up a look. Quality is amazing, sizing is perfect I can't recommend it enough!"
-Dakota W.
1 comment
I absolutely love this! Feeling motivated. When I bought my first pieces a couple weekends ago- I definitely felt that fiery passion behind the creative process & that definitely propelled me to get back to my own business and building my brand. I agree completely, we can pursue what we want so thank you for that reminder. Cheers from my living room to STL, as I sit here with my Ryan hoops & glass of wine- working on my website.
I am looking forward to the growth and new collections of course!
Xoxo
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