Today we’d like to introduce you to Tamar Francis.
Tamar, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
How I got started, I use to be obsessed with project runway, so my husband bought me a sewing machine for Christmas. It sat there for years! Then my daughters 5th birthday came around and she wanted a Doc Mcstuffins party, with a purple polka dot tutu dress. I looked online for a purple polka tutu dress and I didn’t see any that I liked. This was her first BIG party, I wanted it to be extra special; I have always been a fast learner and I knew I could teach myself to make it (being the control freak that I am). I went on YouTube, studied videos on how to make a tutu, once I felt confident enough I designed and sewed her outfit myself. After the party I even got a few orders to sew some of her classmate’s birthday outfits! After that I fell in love with sewing and started making all of her clothing. To my surprise people loved them!
I still didn’t think about opening a store. I just enjoyed sewing matching outfits for my daughter and I. But then in 2014 I made the doubtful decision after hearing so many times “you should start your own clothing line” I finally did it, I filed for an LLC and started making a business plan. Shortly after I got my business plans started everything came to a hault, I was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 29. I went through back to back surgeries and rounds of chemo for 2 years. As you can see I beat it and with beating it I had a new sense of confidence. I felt like I could take on the world. I was ready to make Pinkerflies a success! When I think back on it I laugh because God has a funny way of doing things! He had to show me my strength, I have always been a creative person I just never thought I could take that creativity anywhere! Had I not gone through cancer I probably would have never opened my business. I would have been content with being a housewife. While there is nothing wrong with being a housewife (I loved it) God had more for me to do! So here I am now 3 years later watching my business grow! This is only the beginning and the sky is the limit, no, THERE ARE NO LIMITS, only our beliefs!
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
No, definitely not a smooth road. I am a small business and still considered a baby business. So right now I carry out all the responsibility myself. Every day I learn something new because I am self-taught and I learn as I go or in other words by process of elimination! If one way doesn’t work I try again until I get it right! It gets a little hectic, I have to put out new clothing, make about 10 custom orders, take pictures, edited them, update my website, and put them on social media, but it’s worth it, because I know what the future holds. It will not always be this way. I learn a lesson from each hiccup I face! I love the fact that I handle product production, shipping, marketing, book keeping, etc all on my own (at the moment) because I’m learning every facet of my business so I can teach my future employees the process of how I want Pinkerflies to run! Pinkerflies is my baby and I will nurture it as such, and watch it grow into a strong business that will be rooted in my community and eventually is a household name know nationwide!
Please tell us about Pinkerflies.
I have always loved to make my daughter the best dressed little girl in the room. People would always stop and ask me where did you get that outfit? How did you put those pieces together?! I also would style her friends, my little nieces, and any little girl I could get my hands on! At my company I feel appearances are linked to self-esteem from a young age, remember when you were ten singing in the bathroom pretending to be a beautiful superstar and how it made you feel or wearing your best Sunday dress to church and never wanting to take it off because you felt so pretty in it? That is the feeling and self-esteem I want to give girls with my clothing!
I feel today’s little girl has evolved into a more fashion forward type of girl. She loves fashion and loves looking stylish. I have built a collection of styles that range from grocery cart cute (LOL!) to runway couture, head turning fashions available exclusively at Pinkerflies. I specialize in custom handmade clothes that are vibrant, whimsical, and pretty! Pinkerflies provides signature pieces that adds pop and flare to complete you daughters’ wardrobe.
The little girl I love to dress is confident, sassy, and fierce; she has a hint of who she is even at such a young age! I want to help fuel that confidence in her by helping her express herself with my clothing that is what I am most proud of. When moms come into my store with their daughters and start picking out clothing that the mom likes, but the daughter likes another garment, I always encourage them to let her pick what she wants (as long as it’s appropriate), don’t force her into something. Let her evolve into herself that is how she will learn what she likes and doesn’t like. When she learns what she likes and doesn’t like that is how she will learn who she is. Once she learns who she is, that is when she becomes confident! Fuel that confidence because one day that girl will be a woman, with great fashion sense, and I’d love to think we had something to do with that!
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
If I had to start over I would immediately jump on social media. When I first started my business I kind of ignored social media! I know big gasp (LOL). But like I said I was doing everything without any prior knowledge I was learning everything from ground zero. I literally didn’t have the time! I wanted to take my time because I was so overwhelmed. Eventually I’m on it now and it has been great for my business! I mean look at me now, I am doing a magazine interview!
Pricing:
- Casual wear: skirts, tops, dresses, and accessories start at only $25
- Custom birthday outfits start at $55
- Custom Pageantry wear start at $95
Contact Info:
- Address: 239 Greens Rd. #922
Houston, TX. 77060 - Website: www.Pinkerflies.com
- Phone: 8329096242
- Email: Pinkerfliesgirlsboutique@yahoo.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/Pinerflies/
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/PinkerfliesGirlsBoutique/
Image Credit:
Photograhy: Jela McMickle
www.facebook.com/jayy.iris
Phone: 832-229-6018
Getting in touch: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
