What’s behind Patsy Aiken apparel? Two very Clever Parents.

When Patsy Aiken’s daughter, Holly, was young, Patsy made her clothes. When people started asking her to sew for their children, Patsy began a class to teach moms how to sew. Quickly realizing that she was accumulating more clothing than daughter Holly could wear, she started selling the clothes she made to a local children’s store and Patsy Aiken - the business - was born. As the business evolved, Patsy’s clothing made its way to nearly 1,500 retail boutiques and upscale department stores. “We had independent sales reps in the major markets –Dallas, Atlanta, L.A., Chicago and New York and Neiman’s, Saks, and Nordstrom were big customers of ours for many years,” says Patsy. Then, Patsy and her husband and business partner, Joel, made a radical change in their business model.

“We were fortunate to work with the top sales organizations because we had really nice products, but they were independent salespeople and they would often represent twenty lines. And as much as we loved the exposure we got with big stores, and the pride of being selected by them season after season, it was becoming more difficult to deal with them,” says Patsy. With a changing climate and new stores like Baby Gap, Gymboree and Talbot’s Kids popping up everywhere, “everyone was competing and competing with a vengeance.” In 2000, frustrated due to lack of control over the growth of their company and after much agonizing and evaluation, the Aikens switched to a home-party business model. “We wanted to see if our sales would grow if people could see a larger selection of our products and we had control of the marketing.”

The answer? A resounding yes. “The Home Party method of marketing is harder, more intense, requires greater up-front inventory commitment, monumental sample budgets and more employees, but we were able to realize the advantages almost immediately. We were pleased from the start.”

When it comes to the design process, Patsy is involved in almost every aspect - most specifically in formulating the collections and fabrics and trims. “I have an incredible senior designer, Wendy May, that I have worked together with for 14 years. She is an expert pattern-maker as well as a designer, which is rare,” says Patsy. “Together with her assistant Shelly and our production team, we create more than 500 new styles each year. Fortunately now, I am able to meet with them and evaluate and review and brainstorm - and they are masterful at carrying out the plan for our company, with regards to design and production.”

Patsy Aiken also launched a line for the tween (8-12) market, Chez Belle, in 2004 that is offered in sizes 4-16 and features styling aimed at pleasing both young ladies and their moms. “The styles are ever-evolving and fashioned with the older girls in mind, and there are different types of fabrics, less embroidery and trim, and more flair to the styling,” says Patsy. “We introduced it in Spring of 2004, and we are currently designing our Spring 2007 line, which will be introduced in January of 2007. We have been thrilled with the response!”

Patsy Aiken has about 500 home party sales consultants located in 40 different states (most of whom are stay-at-home moms) and they add to that number each season. What does being a consultant entail? “We provide a full array of garment samples (often more than 200 pieces per season) for customers to touch and try on, and an eager, concerned support staff to assist consultants and their customers with all issues,” says Patsy. “The Consultant contacts her friends and acquaintenances about hosting Chez Ami parties, arranges for the event and delivers catalogs and invitations for the Host to send out to her circle of friends, family and often co-workers. By doing this, a mother can be involved in a fun and lucrative career twice a year and will earn cash commissions for sales written at parties arranged with her Hosts, as well as large discounts on all personal orders for her children. Our Sales Consultants average 7 parties per season, with 2 seasons each year. Many of our Consultants, however, hold a larger number of parties, some as many as 40 or more a season!”

Patsy’s favorite part about running her own company? “My greatest pleasure is having my husband of 37 years as my business partner, knowing that we’re working together to create something of our own, and realizing it’s impossible for us to do it alone. I’m sure there are many times Joel wishes he could tell people that he makes fishing gear or golf clubs instead of baby clothes, but being involved in a business that is about children makes everyone happy. Second, I love being an entrepreneur - I just can’t stop thinking about what we can sell next!” And that same entrepreneurial spirit definitely runs in the Aiken blood. Daughter Holly, who once wore the clothes mom handmade for her, is now a successful businesswoman herself with an eponymous line of hip diaper bags, totes, messenger bags and accessories.

Visit Patsy Aiken and the Chez Ami & Chez Belle lines at www.chezami.com

If you are lucky enough to live in or near Raleigh, you can take advantage of the Patsy Aiken Outlet sales where items are marked 35%-75% off the retail price. To be notified of the monthly sales, sign up for the Patsy Aiken mailing list.