Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessi Marshall.
Hi Jessi, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Of course – Thank you for having me! My name is Jessi. I am a Florida native – born and raised! My story began in 2005 as a high school graduate.
I applied to a local fashion school in Orlando (International Academy of Design and Technology) to start a fashion line for short women like myself. As a petite woman standing 4’10” tall, I experienced firsthand the unique challenges petite women face when shopping for clothing. The older I got, the more important it was for me to find clothing that fit well, but was also well-made, stylish, and sophisticated. I realized how difficult this was and was tired of paying additional money to tailor my clothing. I never did end up going to IADT. I went the more stable route into healthcare to become a Diagnostic Medical Sonographer, but that dream never left my mind.
After 12 years on-and-off working in healthcare, I was faced with an ultimatum in the summer of 2022: to stay in my field of work, as my son continued to have difficulties in school – or leave my career to stay home to homeschool my son. You see, I am a mother to the most energetic and brightest young boy who also has Autism and ADHD. This decision was tough, but I had no idea the blessing that would come from this. In December of 2022, I found an ad on YouTube for a course that stated, “How to Start a Fashion Brand with No Fashion Experience.” I was intrigued and continued to see this ad. I decided why not try it out since I was home after all! This course completely changed the trajectory of my life, and I knew exactly what I had to do: Create the petite fashion line of my 18-year-old dreams now as a 36-year-old woman.
I began with a simple yet powerful mission – to create a world that didn’t exist: a petite-centric retailer where petite women are celebrated! I set out to redefine petite fashion by offering high-quality, thoughtfully designed garments. Each piece in this collection was meticulously and ethically crafted. Much time and consideration was taken into perfecting the proportions that cater specifically to women 5’3″ and under. Style knows no height, and this collection shows that petite fashion can be chic and comfortable. I hope we all will say goodbye to shopping in the children’s section, settling on ill-fitting garments, and finally feel seen and heard. Petite Culture embraces the beauty of petite frames of all shapes and sizes. My commitment goes beyond just creating clothing; it’s about building a community that empowers petite women and allows us the freedom to feel beautiful and confident in our skin.
Alright, let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what challenges have you had to overcome?
Going from a healthcare background to fashion took a lot of work! There was a lot to learn along the way. The course I took helped immensely with the process, but I still had to put in the work. I was ignorant and needed to understand what starting a fashion brand truly entailed. It can take up to 2 years or longer from beginning to launch – It will be a year and a half for me by the time I launch! Aside from the everyday challenges of being a wife and a homeschooling mom, I had to learn everything from registering a business, branding, market research, trend forecasting, financial budgeting, drawing up sketches, learning how to create tech packs, finding manufacturers, fabric selections, sampling, development and production, social media, content creation, marketing the list goes on and on! Despite wearing all the hats, I feel incredibly grateful for these new skillsets. I have truly enjoyed this journey because my vision and mission for this brand are much larger than myself, which keeps me going!
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Absolutely! I am the Founder & Designer of Petite Culture. My brand offers high-quality and stylish clothing for women 5’3″ and under. My hope for the future of Petite Culture is to become a size-inclusive and sustainable brand. At this moment, I am known for showing up on social media on a more personal level. I needed to showcase my journey as a new startup brand and bring my audience along with me. I love using polls to gather information from my followers. The designs of this first collection were based on survey answers from over 200 petite women. I also designed my polymailers with a quote and color they chose! It is essential to involve your audience in the process so that, in the end, you are truly putting out something special they got to be a part of!
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting?
Honestly, just go for it!! The years are going to go by anyways. No matter how scary it may seem – I firmly believe in going after your dreams. Wouldn’t you rather give it your all and say “I tried” than to live a life of regret wondering, “What if’?
Remember that everyone sucks in the beginning. That is the reality. But the more you take action and learn, the more confident you will become. You are never “too old,” and it is never “too late.” I am a testimony of that!
When it comes to fashion specific advice -I do wish I had known how challenging it would be to create a specialty-size brand. Many more sampling phases are needed than what is typical, and working with manufacturers without experience and knowledge of petite sizing can be frustrating. It is all a learning process! All I can say for anyone interested in the fashion industry is to start! Learn as much as you can about the industry. I highly recommend learning from courses like the one I took: “Start Your Fashion Business” by Stephanie Vermaas. Her course is incredibly comprehensive – the Bible for starting your fashion brand. She also provides community/mentorship, which I cannot stress enough. Overall, you just have to believe in yourself and believe you are capable…it just takes one decision to change your life!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.petiteculture.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shoppetiteculture/
Image Credits
Professional photos taken by: @ThatGirlBHon @BHonPhoto
