Growing up I don’t think anyone would have guessed I would be working in the fashion industry. I fondly remember spending a great deal of time by the creek catching crawdads with my brother, riding motorcycles and hoping my Mom didn’t make me brush my hair.

Then, like many young girls in middle school, my appearance and fashion started to become a thing. I still had no thoughts of a future in the clothing industry but I continued to dabble in trends until high school where I began to experiment with my own personal style. It was also during high school when I began to think about entrepreneurship with the plan of some day owning my own business.

I chose business management as a major in college simply because I knew I would do "something in business.” I still had no clue what that would be. I kicked off my college years with a strong desire to have a good time and ended with a stronger bent (thankfully) towards entrepreneurship.

Then came Wrangler. I landed my first job with a global apparel brand. I spent the next five years learning about business-to-business relationships, branding, merchandising and so much more. It was a time rich in education and growth. There were significant highlights during this time but the grace ran out on corporate life. I was ready to start my own business.

During my time with Wrangler I had begun a side hustle; making and selling jewelry as well as clothing. I would do pop up shops on weekends and set up shop about anywhere someone would let me.

In 2008 I had just enough success working my side gig plus enough ignorance and naevity, I chose to quit my job. I opened a small boutique in El Dorado, KS called Pink Saloon. After three years I moved the business to Wichita. The next ten years brought a lot of growth, amazing friendships, tough lessons and a business worth selling. I sold the store at the end of July 2019 to a local business woman.

Prior to selling Pink Saloon I had begun working on my own clothing line. After years of going to fashion markets I still couldn’t find the perfect silk tee I myself wanted to buy, so I set out to have them made. It wasn't enough to just produce some tops, they had to address the issues I wanted covered and they had to be made in the U.S.A. It's been an amazing experience learning the manufacturing side of the clothing industry. One thing I found out quickly is that it's not fancy! The end products and pictures you see on websites and instagram are the rainbow. The rain and clouds come before the storm and that’s kind of the reality of producing your own line. Thankfully, I love problem solving, creating and if you remember my childhood, a little dirt. :)

Thank you for considering CROSBY. I would love to hear your thoughts and experiences with the brand.