Today, Nathaniel is not only running his own company day in and day out but is also a very proud father to his young son.
He spends most of his time, thinking, working, and creating, but very little time resting or sleeping. His hope is to offer the best selection in men and women’s underwear and clothing and hopes to inspire others to love fashion as much as he does. We caught up with Nathaniel to ask him 11 questions we had in mind.
1. When did you first realize you wanted to pursue a career in fashion?
I always loved fashion, photography, black and white images and thinking about how to capture a certain aesthetic. From J. Crew to Brooks Brothers. Calvin Klein in the 90’s and American Apparel in the early 2000’s and a lot of underwear companies as well. I always liked the photography of Terry Richardson and Slim Aarons and many others. It was always kind of a natural passion of mine, so I was inspired to create a company exactly as I wanted, with the styles I loved.
2. Did you attend college and what did you study?
I started college as a philosophy major and attended a university in Chicago. I ended up going to law school and practicing law for about ten years before I started ENVY. I had always invested in and ran some businesses on the side but decided fashion and the garment industries were the most interesting to me.
3. What was the most valuable thing you learned from your first job?
You can add value to a team if you show creativity even if you are at a lower level.
4. What is one piece of advice you would give to someone about to begin a job?
Try to do more than what people expect from you and be creative.
5. Do you remember what you wore to your first interview?
My first interview was for an internship at a law firm. I always wore Brooks Brothers suits and repp stripe ties. They’ve always been a staple to my professional wardrobe. If you can only afford one suit, make sure it’s a good one and only wear white or blue dress shirts to a first interview or first day on the job.
6. Who have been your biggest mentors in this industry and what is the best advice they have given you?
Our production designer and consultant had 30 years in the fashion industry before I even scratched the surface. She had worked with dozens of top names in the industry and has continued to mentor me from the beginning. She has been instrumental in bringing our first collection to fruition and has helped me every step of the way. I could tell she believed in me even though I was completely new to the industry. The best advice she gave me was to be patient and deliberate in our launch.
7. What prompted you to start ENVY?
I wanted to bring a little more magic to the digital experience of online shopping and also just to shift the current aesthetic of fashion and especially underwear and intimates. Everything was becoming cartoonish and extremely corny. I wanted to inject some life and sex appeal back into this corner of the industry.
8. What was your biggest fear when going out and beginning your own company?
I haven’t been afraid while preparing to launch ENVY. There’s just been too much work to do, and I never tend to focus on how things could fail. I have just felt inspired and determined, and I typically just go for the glory without asking myself too many questions about how I’m going to get there.
9. What is one thing you look for interviewing a potential candidate for your company?
Creativity, fashion sense, and a sense of humor. Nobody wants to work with boring or uncreative/uninteresting people.
10. The fashion industry changes so much year to year; how do you anticipate staying ahead of the curve?
Fashion is more and more directional, so I try to put everything into the context of the times and direction but also to just keep a core timelessness to my design references. In 50 years, I still want people to be able to look at one of our garments or advertisements as fashionable and aesthetically appealing.
11. What advice would you give to young entrepreneurs hoping to start their own companies in the future?
Don’t give up. Be sure of yourself and of your concept. From there you just need to trust your own best judgment.