Independent Fashion Brand Sotela Shares What it’s Like to Run a Successful Business
In this episode I’m speaking with Hanna Baror-Padilla, the CEO and founder of Sotela, which is an inclusive made-to-order brand based out of Los Angeles that exists to celebrate the strength of the human body through clothes.
Hanna and I had a fantastic conversation where we discussed:
- the process of moving your development and production in-house
- the highs and lows of running an independent fashion business
- what it means to be a radically inclusive brand
ABOUT THE BRAND + DESIGNER
Sotela, which was founded 4 years ago, blossomed from some of Hanna’s earliest memories at her parent’s retail stores in L.A. She dreamt of having her own business and finally decided to pursue it after several years at an office job she couldn’t stand.
Hanna quit her full-time job and launched Sotela the following week via a Kickstarter campaign. After achieving her campaign goal, she started production on the first Sotela collection. Six months later, the news of her pregnancy sparked a drive in her that she’d never felt before to make Sotela a full-time business.
Sotela continues to produce clothing that adapts as the individual does, offering the flexibility of 1-2 sizes in every piece without sacrificing style. Every garment is designed, cut, sewn, and sent from the Sotela studio.