Meet ProFASHIONal: Heather Hubbard, Former In-House Stylist for Vera Wang & Now Owner of HH Productions

with

Reality Chic – in pink

How did you first get your heel in the door of the fashion industry?

I have had a fundamental love of style since childhood. My first job in fashion was working as a merchandiser for Express and The Gap on graveyard shifts during college. I would style windows and plan new floor displays for the stores.  When I graduated, I moved to LA, I was hired as a Freelance Sittings Editor at a local magazine, while buying for and managing a local retail chain. I was working with exceptional talents in entertainment, creative, and design. These opportunities allowed me to grow as a professional and as an individual.

At what point did you realize starting your own company was the way to go, and how did you officially launch?

It was a natural progression. After leaving my last employer, the details just fell into place and I knew it was time.  I launched in the Fall of 2008 when the economy was crashing, which offered it’s own challenges, but even so, we had a really great first season and I knew this was what I was meant to do.

Do you have any advice for building your client list?

I try to set myself apart from other showrooms in the sense that I really partner with our clients. It’s more than just getting a sale, it’s about building a brand.  There is a trust and loyalty between me and my clients, it’s important you have that or a partnership with never last. 

I feel like there are so many girls who want to work in the agency/fashion environment. For those 20 something’s, can you give some advice or tips on how to get hired in today’s economy?

You must be willing to start from the bottom and work your way up. I look for girls who are Stylish, confident, educated, have a true passion for our industry, and are willing to take on the task at hand.

Do you have any suggestions for what skills 20 something’s could be working on if they want to one day start their own company especially in New York?

To start, you need experience and established relationships that give you credibility within the industry.  When running your own company, you must have the ability to multi-task, manage a team, and wear many hats at once. This requires patience, diligence, and attention to detail.

After landing a dream job as an In-House Stylist with Vera Wang, what made you decide to change career paths?

It was an instinctual decision, I wanted to work in small business where I would be able to get more hands-on experience. In doing so, I was able to gain the relationships and skills I needed to launch HH Productions.

What were some of the lessons or key differences that you learned along the way in your career having gone from Stylist to Brand Builder to CEO?

I am in many ways still a stylist, an editor, a buyer, and merchandiser. I am constantly editing design details, styling a look book, merchandising the collections for buyer presentations. It’s not so much moving from one career path to another, its combining those skills you learn along the way to build on and continue to grow.

What are your words of wisdom or rules you live by when it comes to helping clients reach their full potential?’s 

You have to believe in it to sell it. 

Can you explain the struggles you went through to get to where you are today as an entrepreneur?

Finding the right partners is the biggest struggle for any new entrepreneur. It takes a few trial and errors before you really know what works for you as a company.

If you could give one or two pieces of advice to girls in their mid-twenties, what would it be?

Be supportive of fellow female co-workers and don’t get caught up in the unnecessary drama. The opportunities of networking are unlimited in the fashion industry when people enjoy working with you.

Last but not least, are there any new projects you’re currently working on that you’d like to share?

Yes! We are working on re-launching our website, broadening our consulting services to a wider range of clients needing assistance finding partners in sales, trade shows, and PR.  We are also getting involved in a charity project that will support female focused foundations like Dress for Success.  Also… we have another project in the works for Fall 2013 that will be announced in the New Year that we are VERY excited about… Stay Tuned!

Send us the questions YOU want to hear answered:  erin@realitychicblog.com