Profiles

Eryn Ozanne had a talent for sewing and a flair for style long before her idea for making and marketing clothing came along. Now 17, her idea blossomed into Clothes for the Soul two years ago.

"I saw a dress in this store and really liked it," remembers Eryn. "It was kind of expensive but I bought it. After I got it home I told my mom that I could make a similar dress for much less."

Patchwork Fashions

Eryn’s mother, who taught her how to sew, agreed and Clothes for the Soul was soon born. Eryn, who now makes about $14,000 a year, offers a complete line of homemade clothing that includes patchwork skirts, long dresses, and shirts priced from $20 to $30.

Eryn also custom designs jeans with colorful patchwork inserts on the legs. Customers either provide their own jeans or Eryn buys them at local thrift stores. She averages about $5 profit per item she sells.

Tapping the Market

Eryn got her first clothing order after chatting with a friend on the Internet. Soon, Clothes for the Soul had a thriving Internet site (www.clothesforthesoul.com) which can now accommodate most custom orders and even offers a new line of pet items.

She has also tapped into retail outlets around her hometown of Binghamton, NY, including Disc Go Round in Endicott, NY and Jan’s International Market Place in Binghamton. "Eryn shows a great eye for color and design," says Disc Go Round Manager George Rutkowski. "The quality of her clothing is a sign of the patience and care put into every piece."

Wholesale Customers

Selling in bulk to retail outlets is key to making a handsome profit, according to Eryn. Stores, she explains, ask for about 50 pieces a week when ordering. She usually gets about four store orders a week and may only get 10 individual orders in that same time period.

Eryn says the stores pick from her assortment of designs and buy in bulk to keep up with their customers’ demands. "We hand-deliver the items to stores when they order — usually weekly," she says. Eryn soon plans to expand her clothing line to other retail outlets in nearby Ithaca.

Production Line

Eryn purchases material from a local fabric store and works out of a room in her home. Large rolls of fabric are kept on racks called "manglers" in the cellar. Eryn does most of the sewing, but gives any overload to her sewing staff of six, who also work out of their homes. Most of the work overload, Eryn says, occurs during the busy seasons of spring and summer.

Because of the seasonal quality of her clothes, Eryn’s sales are somewhat slower in the winter months, but she doesn’t let that discourage her. She even anticipates opening a clothing store on the West Coast within the next two years.

"I hope to eventually branch out to the West Coast while my mom continues to run things on the East Coast," she explains.

Future Designs

On top of her clothing business, Eryn maintains her grades in school, holds a part-time job at Denny’s®, and takes guitar lessons. She also belongs to a ski club and provides babysitting services on occasion. Her first love, though, is Clothes for the Soul.

"The business is always growing," Eryn says. "I get a lot of compliments on the originality of my clothing." One of her Internet customers recently sent this message: "I got my skirt in the mail and it is so beautiful! It fits perfectly and I have gotten so many compliments. You are an incredible seamstress."With responses like this, Clothes for the Soul is sure to be a continued success.