Madeleine Cohen is the founder of Nelle Atelier, a premium off-the-rack denim brand for women under 5’4”.
Madeleine has built a career in brand building and start-ups - most recently at Bala, Casper, and Estee Lauder. Her story is simple: She had a closet full of jeans but nothing to wear. At 5'1", she always had to stand on her toes and imagine what her new jeans would look like hemmed—then spend $50 at the tailor to get them to fit. She isn't alone: Half of women, like her, are under 5'4"–and they need jeans, too.
Today she is here to discuss her journey from startup operator to founder. How she’s landed her many opportunities including being featured in Vogue…twice. Madeleine shares more on her background and how that influenced her to launch Nelle Atelier.
In this episode:
The funding, networking, tools, and tips that helped Nelle Atelier start and grow
What is the most expensive parts of a denim brand (and other product-based businesses)
One of Madeleine’s biggest tips: negotiate amazing terms from your suppliers
Madeleine talks about her career journey and how she went from turning down Macy’s to starting Nelle Atelier
How Madeleine sold her first pair of jeans and the “power of the presale”
Leveraging brands (and Substack) to buoy your own brand
The lessons Madeleine has learned from her funding experiences
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