From Teacher to Fashion Brand Founder

In 2019, Nasrin Jafari was a middle school teacher in New York City with no experience in ecommerce. However, her journey took an unexpected turn during the COVID-19 pandemic when she began sewing face masks by hand and selling them on Instagram. This initial venture sparked the creation of her fashion brand, Mixed, which has since evolved into a successful direct-to-consumer apparel line.

The Beginning of Mixed

Nasrin’s story is one of creativity, adaptability, and learning through experience. She had always been drawn to creative pursuits, having painted and taken art electives throughout her life, as well as being a competitive dancer in high school. However, her professional path led her to teaching, where she believed she could make a meaningful impact. The pandemic, however, opened a new door for her.

“I had no idea how to make clothes,” Nasrin admits. “But I started posting my creations on Instagram, and that was the first physical product I had sold.” This initial experiment quickly evolved into a full-fledged apparel brand. Nasrin emphasizes that her journey began with social media rather than traditional ecommerce platforms like Etsy or Amazon. “I didn’t understand Meta ads or ecommerce marketing at first, but I learned those pieces as the business grew,” she explains.

Building a Brand

As she transitioned from teaching to entrepreneurship, Nasrin discovered that building a brand shares similarities with teaching. “You’re creating a vision, culture, and community around shared values,” she says. Mixed reflects her diverse identity as a Japanese, Iranian, and American woman, and the brand name captures that blend of influences.

Despite the competitive nature of the fashion industry, Nasrin approached her business with curiosity. “I started the business out of curiosity. I had no idea what I was getting into,” she recalls. While she enjoys aspects of the fashion world, she acknowledges the challenges, particularly around inventory management and returns.

Learning Through Experience

One of the significant challenges Nasrin faced was managing inventory. “I was afraid of overordering and ending up with dead stock,” she explains. This fear led her to adopt a pre-order model, which not only helped with cash flow but also became a strategic advantage for the business. “We now do a lot of pre-orders, which helps our cash flow, but I didn’t start it for that reason. It was because I was out of stock,” she adds.

Returns are another critical aspect of online apparel sales. Initially, Nasrin did not fully understand the implications of returns on customer acquisition. “Again, it comes down to learning by doing,” she states. As she navigated these challenges, she built a thriving community of customers who resonate with her brand.

Manufacturing and Design Process

Finding the right manufacturing partners was crucial for Nasrin. During the pandemic, she sought factories that had excess capacity and found one in India with a New York-based owner. This connection allowed her to build trust and develop a relationship with the manufacturer. “He was willing to work with us with no minimum order quantities,” she explains. Although the costs were higher than other manufacturers, she was able to maintain a 75% margin on her products.

Nasrin’s design process has also evolved. “I had no idea how to make clothes,” she recounts. Initially, she tried to follow patterns from JoAnn Fabrics but quickly realized she needed help. She connected with a home sewer on Instagram who created initial samples for her brand. “One of those samples remains our best-selling product,” she proudly states.

Marketing and Advertising Strategies

Marketing has played a significant role in the growth of Mixed. Nasrin has focused her advertising efforts on Meta platforms, avoiding Google or TikTok for the time being. “We find the models, shoot the videos in-house, and then edit them in the Philippines,” she explains. The process has become a well-oiled machine as they continue to scale their advertising efforts.

One of her successful ad campaigns stemmed from a casual outing with a friend. “I was wearing one of my jumpsuits and asked her to shoot me with a couple of angles,” Nasrin recalls. This organic approach to content creation resonated with her audience, leading to more successful campaigns.

Fulfillment and Customer Engagement

Handling fulfillment in-house has been a strategic choice for Nasrin. “Part of the initial rationale was returns, and part was our low volume,” she explains. The pre-order model further necessitated in-house fulfillment, allowing for quicker delivery to customers.

To ensure that her products resonate with customers, Nasrin focuses on understanding their needs. “When we design a piece, I’m always thinking about the customer — who she is, what she wants, and what we’ve already given her,” she states. Feedback from her community is invaluable, and she actively engages with them through discussions on her Circle community platform.

Frequently Asked Questions

Note: The journey from teacher to fashion brand founder illustrates the power of creativity, adaptability, and community engagement in building a successful business.