Angie’s Showroom is a luxury handmade lingerie and nightwear brand. All of our products are made to order and produced in Ukraine, in order to have a slow and conscious supply chain. All of our lingerie is made out of premium Italian silk and lace, and we consider ourselves experts in design, quality, and details.
– Founder’s/Owner’s story and what motivated them to start the business
I was born and raised in Moscow, Russia. I studied at a choreography school, and planned to become a professional Ballerina. Dance was literally my life maybe that is why I love underwear and sleepwear so much because it reminds me of our ballerina clothes, the beauty and light weight of clothing. After ballet, I switched my career entirely to business. I have a Bachelor’s degree in Corporate Management, and also a Master’s degree in Marketing. I worked for large corporations for some time in Russia and France, then I received an offer from a start-up company in Cyprus, so I took this chance and moved there. A start-up company in Cyprus gave me a lot of experience working on different projects and doing basically everything from start to finish because you are the only person in your Marketing department. I met a lot of entrepreneurs who were our clients, and probably it’s when I got this idea to start something on my own. I got motivated by them.
After Cyprus I moved to Austin, TX, where my future fiancée was living. The United States are known for its possibilities and the American dream. And it’s exactly where my personal journey of being a small business owner has begun. I realized there was a huge gap in the lingerie market. I wanted to show the US clients something they had never seen before… Lingerie that has it all. Quality, comfort, and sexy styles at an affordable price! So, Angie’s Showroom was born. So, I guess I can say that I have broad experience in different spheres. My biggest dream (especially after Paris) was to work with fashion and to create something for women. I know different languages and got to know different cultures, which definitely impacted on starting my own company as well.
A perfectionist at heart, I dedicated years to sourcing, assessing, and testing fabrics until I found the smooth, soft silks that became a signature of Angie’s
Showroom. This quest for creating handmade lingerie stemmed from my struggle to find intimates that made me feel sexy, confident, and beautiful – without being mass made. I remember thinking, it’s so hard to find quality, soft pieces that are reasonably priced without compromising on style!
– The challenges the business/market is facing
The past 2-3 years for any business owner were not the easiest. Every year I put goals, and then something huge happens that changes all my goals and put them on hold. I turn on survival status instead. For example, due to the war in Ukraine, the brand has been dealing with a lot of challenges around shipping and production. In March and April we could not work at all, because everything was shut down, and the shipping was closed too. Currently, there are weeks in which the factories are out of electricity and we can’t work, so our shipping times have been delayed.
For 2023 the idea is to find new factories for production possibly in different countries, but keep the ones we already have in order to maintain our employees’ jobs. By finding new ateliers and seamstresses we need to keep our quality/price at the same range. Unfortunately, everything keeps increasing in price, the materials, shipping cost, the workforce, electricity and etc. I also want to try and focus more on in-stock products and wholesale business, which we have started back in 2021. I am trying to find new wholesale and retail opportunities in order to amplify our distribution and find our target customers out there too.
We are a small business and we do not have a big marketing budget, so ad campaigns or influencer marketing is still a stage we can’t face. All of our efforts are organic and we always try to make our clients recurrent, giving them the best customer experience possible.
Every day we are working towards a more environmentally responsible business, this year we will be doubling our efforts here by implementing new sustainable fabrics and packaging.
– The opportunities the business/market is facing
There are not a lot of possibilities for women to find high quality, beautiful and comfortable lingerie that is also handmade at the medium price range out there. I am not sure why, but people mostly know only Victoria’s Secret. I am trying to change the way people think about lingerie/homewear/nightwear. I think that this is our main opportunity in the United States market especially. We want to give our customers the best and show how beautiful they can be in our lingerie. Our designs are high-end and we are working hard to find new ways of connecting with potential customers.
– Advice to others about business
To always stay positive and not to give up. These last two years after the pandemic haven’t been easy at all, the whole world is facing a crisis and the impact of it can be easily seen on results. It’s a struggle for brand owners to keep up with everything, and small businesses are the ones who suffer the most. Patience and positivity are our main values right now, and trying to always be better for our clients. Keep going and do not give up if you love what you do, and you want the world to become a better place!
I am always available to answer any questions and I’d always love to connect. So, please join us on our Social Media: Instagram @angies.showroom or shout an email at [email protected]
Angie’s Showroom | Ormond Beach FL | Facebook
MS, Lund University, Sweden
Nutrition plays an important role in human life. Eating habits are one of the factors that affect our health. There is often a misconception among people that nutritionists force a very restrictive diet, but that is not true. In fact, I don't ban any products, but I point out dietary mistakes and help change them by giving tips and new recipes that I've tried myself. I advise my patients not to resist change and to be purposeful. Only with willpower and determination can a good result be achieved in any area of life, including changing eating habits. When I don't work, I love to go climbing. On a Friday evening, you are most likely to find me on my couch, cuddling with my dog and watching some Netflix.
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