"Are You a CEO, Director, or Founder interested in a Feature Interview?"
All Interviews are 100% FREE of Charge
In this Side Hustle Spotlight Q&A, we feature Christy Dawn, founder of regenerative fashion brand . Christy DawnThe brand has seen a 20% increase in new customer acquisitions compared to last year, with more than half (56%) of people who have purchased products from the brand Dawn Dress (The original and most popular design, Taylor SwiftThe company predicts that 1 million people will become repeat customers by 2024. Answers have been edited for length and clarity.
Image courtesy of Christy Dawn. Founder Christy Dawn.
When did you start thrifting, and how did that hobby lead to the side business that became Christy Dawn?
Thrift shopping started when I was a kid. Growing up in the rural town of Placerville in Northern California, buying new clothes at the mall wasn’t an option. Instead, I would go vintage shopping with my mom and remake the clothes I found. Growing up in a very small town, this was natural. There weren’t many places to shop, so we made the most of it and I discovered I truly loved the experience. Thrift shopping spoke to a part of me that wanted to be seen as unique and to create unique clothes that I could wear and express myself.
A few years later, I moved to Los Angeles as a model and continued that tradition. I became known for my trademark style of floral dresses, which were unusual for the time, and then my popularity exploded. Every time I showed up to a modeling shoot wearing a dress I’d recreated at a local tailor in Santa Monica, I received endless compliments and people asked me where I got it. One day, I came home from a photo shoot and told my then-boyfriend (now my husband and business partner) that I wanted to start my own company, and from there, Christy Dawn was born.
RELATED: This 23-year-old woman started a ‘simple’ side hustle using items she already owned, then made nearly $60,000 and turned it into a full-time job
What made you decide to take your side hustle and turn it into a full-time endeavor? Did you have any fears or doubts? How did you overcome them?
Starting a full-time eco-conscious business was a happy accident. At the time, I was still working as an e-commerce model in Los Angeles. When I decided to start a small dress company, I never expected to pursue this full-time. Three months later, I had five dress samples and that was it. I bought deadstock fabric and designed 70 dresses in five styles at launch.
With my background as a model, I knew the secret to a good photoshoot. So I worked with a professional photographer and took photos of friends who had social capital. This helped me grow the brand quickly. Looking back, these photos unmistakably have the DNA of Christy Dawn in them. People responded to the designs and then started telling the story of Deadstock.
As for the fears and doubts, I was too naive to think that it might not work out. When starting something, not knowing how hard it will be is a huge blessing.
RELATED: People making tens of thousands of dollars with Taylor Swift-inspired side hustles: “I’m making more than I am with a full-time job”
What was the inspiration for the first Christy Dawn Dress? Do you have any habits or routines that drive your creative process?
My mission is to create beauty in everything I do and everyone I interact with. Growing up in a small town where trends last for decades rather than seasons, I have always been drawn to items that stand the test of time and make us look beautiful.
The Dawn Dress was one of the silhouettes when we first launched Christy Dawn and it’s still a bestseller 10 years later. It was the first dress I ever designed and its timeless appeal is clear. It’s a silhouette that’s flattering to all body types and has made so many women feel incredibly beautiful and confident in their bodies.
I find inspiration by being out in nature. I love hiking in the mountains near my home in Santa Monica. Getting away from it all and letting nature take its pace helps me recharge my creative juices.
Images/Photos: Christy Dawn
What makes Christy Dawn different from other clothing brands and what is its regeneration model?
Fashion is the second most polluting industry in the world. Unlike other clothing brands, we don’t shy away from being part of the problem. We are committed to being part of the solution, and this mission has shaped our company’s foundation and trajectory.
In 2021, we took a big step by launching our regenerative cotton farm, starting with 4 acres and now growing to over 80 acres. We make all of our garments from upcycled fabrics, organic cotton, and regeneratively grown materials designed to stand the test of time. Since 2021, we’ve sequestered over 2.6 million pounds of carbon from the atmosphere and paid our farmers three times the minimum living wage.
We launched our Land Stewardship Program two and a half years ago to give our customers the opportunity to become active participants in growing our dresses. With an investment of $200, participants can manage 3,485 square feet of farmland and after six months, they can buy back their harvest in the form of store credit. This unique program allows people to build a reciprocal relationship with the land and farmers that is not found with other brands.
Related: 8 Sustainable Side Hustles That Will Help You Save the Environment While Making Money
How did you go about raising funds for your business?
With limited funds, we dipped into our savings. We used the $20,000 I made as a model and went five years without a salary. In fact, I was modeling on the side to help support my business and growing family. I got pregnant at the same time I launched Christy Dawn, which added a whole new element.
Five and a half years into our business, we decided to take on investors. We didn’t have enough deadstock fabric to grow the company, so we decided to start a regenerative cotton farm. We became the first brand to enroll customers in a land stewardship program, generating financial support and inspiring a change in how people think about how they relate to clothing, the people who make it, and the impact it has on the planet.
What has been your biggest business challenge so far and how did you overcome it?
When we launched our first Farm to Closet collection in 2021, we were proud of what we’d accomplished and excited to share it with the world. But when the moment came, no one cared. We, as a society, were still trying to figure out what it meant to be sustainable, and then we introduced regeneration, but with little context for what it was.
On a broader scale, there has been too much greenwashing. People didn’t believe we could make a difference, and I don’t blame consumers for not trusting the brand. But we had invested so much in our farms and in growing a team that was ready to take off, that when things didn’t go as planned and we didn’t achieve our goals, it was devastating for us and for me personally. For three years, the company was in the red and we even considered shutting off the electricity.
Despite the challenges, we didn’t give up. Instead, we surrendered. For me, there was an energetic shift to accept the situation as it was, but continue to pour love and intention into this thing that I believe in. Eventually, we went back to the grassroots strategy that had worked for us. We put a lot of energy and resources into growing the farm, growing the business, expanding and gaining new customers. We did all of this because we believed in what we were building. Yet, we realized that what our customers wanted from us was beautiful, ethically made dresses, and they didn’t want every category or every option. When we had that moment of surrender, we stopped and listened to our community. We started doing a lot of the work ourselves because we couldn’t afford to hire a whole team, but the beauty of owning your own business is that you already know how to do it, and I embraced it.
RELATED: She grew her side hustle from $0 to over $6 million in sales in just 6 months—and it was some “old-fashioned” thinking that helped her do it.
If you could go back in time, is there anything you would change about your entrepreneurial journey?
If I could change one thing, I would not have named my company Christy Dawn. Originally, I named it Dawn because I loved the name. But after a year or so, we were notified that a German company had filed for the trademark before us. So we had to change the name and I didn’t want to confuse our customers, so we changed it from Dawn to Christy Dawn. But now my name is associated with the company, and that can be a burden. Don’t get me wrong, I love our success, but if I could do it over again, I would choose a different name.
What do you envision for the future of the brand and what are you most excited about?
My vision for the future of the brand is to continue to inspire people to change their purchasing patterns to the point that fast fashion forces them to change the way they produce as well. It’s more important than ever to know where your clothes come from and to use your purchasing power to create real, tangible change.
Now that we’ve taken fashion from farm to closet by prioritizing intention and ethical practices, we want to continue innovating and expanding our core offerings while staying true to our mission. We envision a future where our brand not only leads the way in ethical fashion, but also fosters a community of conscious consumers who prioritize quality over quantity and rethink their relationship with fashion.
RELATED: Her ‘junk’ side hustle skyrocketed to $10,000 in monthly sales using a simple secret every business owner should know
What is your best advice for aspiring entrepreneurs who want to start a side hustle or full-time business in the fashion industry?
Honestly, the best advice I can give is to design for yourself – make clothes that you would want to wear. It’s a tough business and it’s easy to get lost. If you listen to your inner voice and design from that inspiration, I guarantee there will be someone out there who is attracted to your aesthetic. And if no one does, at least you’ll have clothes that you want to wear!
This article is part of our ongoing Women Entrepreneur® series, showcasing the stories, challenges and successes of running a business as a woman.
"Elevate Your Brand with an Exclusive Feature Interview!"