A couple of months ago, I had the pleasure of working with Lauren James featuring their amazing Southern Sweet Tees. (Check out my original post here.) If you haven’t heard of Lauren James, they are a women’s lifestyle brand that is inspired by the classics and driven by modern styling. They offer women’s pieces varying from dresses to swimsuits and T-shirts to koozies.
I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Lauren Stokes, the founder and CEO of Lauren James for a Lauren James interview. I wanted to give you guys an inside look at Lauren and her company. Here is what she had to say…
Q: As the founder of Lauren James Co. I’m sure you wear many hats in the company, what does a normal workday looks like for you?
Lauren: Every day is different around here but I typically have my hands in about every aspect of the company! From designing dresses for future seasons, talking with manufacturers about fit and details, planning photoshoots, and anything else that needs to be taken care of!
Q:What other clothing company/designer is your biggest inspiration?
Lauren: I really take my inspiration from vintage designs. I love everything about a vintage sundress! I also really love DVF! I love that her clothes are so flattering on the female body. I always think about how my designs will fit when i’m working on a new pattern; I want everyone to look and feel their best in LJ!
Q:With your newest addition to your family, is there potential for a kid’s clothing line?
Lauren: It’s definitely something I’ve thought about! We have such an amazing team at LJ so anything is possible!
Q: 10 years ago, would you have ever imagined you would be where you are today?
Lauren: Definitely not! 10 years ago I was in High School thinking I would be doing something in mathematics or engineering. (crazy, I know!) Then I did a complete flip flop and studied nursing in college! I worked as a nurse for 2 years before starting Lauren James Co. It just shows that it’s never too late to follow your dreams!
Q: Where do you see Lauren James Co. in 5 years?
Lauren: I see Lauren James growing into one of the largest lifestyle brands in the country! (dream big, right?!) We are one of the fastest growing companies in the country so I think it’s definitely possible! We are working on a ton of new great things for LJ so I know it’s only going to get better and better every season!
Q: How would you describe a typical Lauren James Co. customer?
Lauren: Lauren James has so many different customers! We like that we can offer a variety of different things to girls of all ages! However, all of our customers definitely value a well made garment. We put a lot of work into making sure our clothing is the best it can be!
Q: What is your favorite item of Lauren James Co.?
Lauren: Easy.. The Livingston! My first dress I ever designed. This dress sparked the entire dress line! I have one in every color in my closet and it’s definitely a spring and summer staple in my wardrobe!
Q: If you could use 3 words to describe your style what would they be?
Lauren: Classic. Feminine. Southern. I don’t wear many “trendy” pieces, my closet is about 90% classics with a few trendy pieces to round out my look. I definitely emulate that concept with Lauren James!
Q: What is your must have accessory?
Lauren: You will always find me with two things.. a statement necklace and my LJ tote bag! Our tote bags are so well made and cute enough to use everyday!
Q: What did you have for breakfast this morning?
Lauren: This morning I was in a hurry to get to a design meeting for an AMAZING new line for Lauren James! I grabbed a protein shake and ran out the door in excitement! My husband usually cooks a big breakfast for the family though, he’s seriously the BEST!
Q: Who’s your favorite Disney princess?
Lauren: Aurora 100%! I love ALL of the disney princesses, but Sleeping Beauty was always my favorite!
Q: What’s your favorite summer treat?
Lauren: How could I choose just ONE summer treat? 🙂 It’s definitely a tie between homemade peach ice cream and snow cones!
Quick Fire
Gingham or Seersucker? SEERSUCKER!
Dresses or skirts? Dresses
Bows or scallops? Bows
Watermelon or pineapples? Pineapples
Tea or soda? Tea
Facebook, Twitter or Instagram? Instagram
Online shopping or in-person shopping? Both!? ok…. online!
Flash forward, 3 years I had the opportunity to work as the Director of Marketing for Lauren James. Read more about my work experience here and why I no longer work there here.
Leave a Reply