Meet Traci and Natalie Grant | Small Business Owners of Fashion Granted

We had the good fortune of connecting with Traci and Natalie Grant and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Traci and Natalie, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?

Well, to preface, I (Traci) have owned a small business in interior design for 16 years, but back in my early 20s, I ran a small women’s clothing boutique. To this day, it was one of the most fun jobs I’ve had and I’ve always dreamed about getting back to those roots. Fast forward, my daughter Natalie, started a fashion/lifestyle blog called Fashion Granted in 2017. She wanted a creative outlet and has always loved fashion & creative writing. With the blog and our common interest in women’s fashion, we began to brainstorm how we could venture into a business together. We spent many coffee dates discussing how to make this dream a reality. Because of my interior design business, I have access to the Dallas apparel market. Our first market experience was unforgettable! If you’ve never seen pictures of it, the building is 15 floors and miles of shopping. We were quickly overwhelmed but we learned so much just on that first day. Each market trip would become easier and easier. With a lot of trial and error, we slowly developed processes as we continued to learn how to navigate the buying process. This would be the start of our journey in building this business together.

Next we focused more on our brand, what we wanted to represent, and our purpose. We knew from the beginning we wanted Fashion Granted to be a mother-daughter collaboration. When we select items, we keep in mind what both generations are looking for in their wardrobe. Both Natalie and I always have so much joy when we use our creativity to put together a cute outfit we feel confident in. Our mission is to encourage women who shop online or in our boutiques to have that same feeling of joy and confidence.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?

Our mother-daughter team approach is pretty unique compared to other clothing boutiques. We select some items specifically for Natalie’s age range and some items for my age range, but overall, we try to find contemporary pieces that cross over into both generations.

What also sets us apart from other clothing boutiques is that we take pride in carefully curating and hand selecting our collections. We take into account fit, fabric, quality, price, USA made, etc. We prioritize simple classics and basic items for every woman while occasionally throwing in a trendy piece here and there.

Our style is described as California contemporary with a subtle bohemian influence. We offer a limited quantity per item to allow a unique wardrobe for each customer. Our goal is to create a place where women shop for high quality and reasonably priced staples with a little added flair. It’s important for us to select items that women will want to keep in their wardrobe for a long time. We all know that one top or one pair of go-to jeans that’s flattering and makes you feel good when you put it on- that feeling is what we want our customers to experience with our collections.

Currently, we support our community by giving back to local non-profit organizations that focus on women in need. We plan to increase this focus in the near future as we build our community.

In regards to challenges we face, the small business life is not always easy & fun. We are learning every day and sometimes we still have to figure things out by trial and error; however, our passion for fashion and encouraging women to feel good far outweighs the trials. Natalie and I are constantly assessing and adapting parts of our business to make it all flow better. When you make a purchase from a small business like us, it not only changes our lives but allows us to make an impact in our community.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Oh goodness, there’s so much to do locally! Well obviously, they should go visit our boutique locations in Allen and Frisco, TX. A local craft coffee shop, some Tex-Mex, and classic Texas barbecue should be on the itinerary. There are also tons of museums around, local parks to explore, and concert halls.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?

Of course our husbands who put up with our big dreams and small business shenanigans. They have fully supported us from the beginning and we are so thankful for them!

Also, one of our biggest shoutouts must go to Albie Edwards- She has worked in the fashion industry for years as a clothing designer.  In addition to being a clothing designer, she is a graphic designer, does trend forecasting, concept and product design, and print design through her studio, Fashion Vignette. She is a true artist, encourager, teacher & friend.  Albie has shared a tremendous amount of knowledge with us throughout this process. She has given us the opportunity to journey into two small retail locations in Allen, TX and Frisco, TX. We share these local retail booths with one of her businesses, Ecothologie.  We are so grateful for her mentorship.

Website: www.fashiongranted.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shopfashiongranted

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shopfashiongranted