Latest news with #Delphine
Entrepreneur
2 days ago
- Business
- Entrepreneur
Self-Funded Founder's 3 Secrets for $25M Revenue and 2 Brands
Raised in a "very entrepreneurial" family, Tanya Taylor always dreamed of starting a business of her own. Growing up in Toronto, Canada, Tanya Taylor, now founder of her namesake womenswear brand and a second eveningwear brand, Delphine, didn't really know she could build a career in fashion, she says. However, as someone from a "very entrepreneurial" family, she'd always dreamed of running her own business. Image Credit: Courtesy of Tanya Taylor. Tanya Taylor. " I took for granted that our dinner table conversations were always about small businesses, the people you work with, the values you have in your work and how rewarding it is when you can build a company," Taylor says. That foundation led her to study finance at McGill University, but Taylor couldn't shake the "creative itch" she felt to join the fashion world. So Taylor moved to New York City, where she didn't know anyone at the time, and applied to the Parsons AAS Fashion Design program — after which her "whole world changed." Taylor went on to work for Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen on their contemporary lifestyle brand, Elizabeth and James, for several years. " What I found so inspiring, and what I still like to think about today, is how personal they were with their design process," Taylor recalls, "and how working for a female founder that was creating product for a customer that they could really relate to, whether through age or just lifestyle, felt fun. We weren't guessing who this person was. It wasn't fantasy; it was grounded in reality." Image Credit: Courtesy of Tanya Taylor Related: 'Absolute Freedom': Siblings Behind a Self-Funded 8-Figure Brand Reveal 3 Secrets Aspiring Entrepreneurs Should Know About Growth and Success Taylor decided to marry what she'd learned in business school with her growing experience in the fashion industry. She recognized a gap in the market for an "expressive, inclusive, joyful brand" that felt as though it was designed by someone who wanted to be close to the customer. Although Taylor admits she was "naive" when she made the leap to fashion founder, her commitment to starting a company that would be "adaptive to the market" paid off. Taylor's namesake brand grew from one employee in 2012 to a team of about 40 people today. The brand saw $25 million gross revenue last year, and net sales growth surpassed 40%. " I wanted to bring a different pace and give myself a different creative playground." Last year, Taylor also branched into eveningwear with the launch of her second brand, Delphine. " I wanted to bring a different pace and give myself a different creative playground that represented a different side of my friends, of myself and what I saw missing in the market," Taylor says. "I'm 39, and I was having a very hard time finding dresses to go to all of the events I have in my life that weren't either too young or too sexy. I was missing the sleek sophistication that I used to be able to find." Image Credit: Courtesy of Delphine Of course, the decade-plus between the roll-out of Taylor's first and second brands has seen significant changes in the fashion business. Entrepreneur sat down with Taylor to learn more about how building her first brand and adapting to industry shifts have shaped her ongoing growth strategy and new brand, Delphine. 1. Retail remains valuable amid the shifting landscape As a young designer without a network in New York, Taylor staged an attention-grabbing Fashion Week show in the MoMA's Agnes Gund Lobby with "kooky" details — like bartenders with serving trays carrying goldfish swimming in glasses alongside regular drinks — to create a "magical, surprising little world." Wholesale was the way to launch when Taylor started her first brand, and the MoMA show got her in the door successfully. Saks Fifth Avenue expressed interest, noting "the longevity" of Taylor's ideas and how the brand didn't feel like one "chasing trends." Saks became Taylor's first retailer, and Bergdorf Goodman followed soon after. Many businesses have had to contend with a decline in physical retail over the past decade-plus. However, brick-and-mortar stores are seeing a resurgence, and luxury brands increasingly invest in flagship stores, Vogue Business reported in 2022. In 2023, Tanya Taylor opened its first flagship store on Madison Avenue in New York City. The store was profitable in its first year and boasts a 40% customer return rate. Taylor looks forward to leaning into her company's flagship presence. "That's where retail's exciting to me," the founder says. "We get more chances to [connect with] people. Every day at 6:30 p.m., we get this novel from our store about every person who walked in: a little story about where they're from, why they decided on what they bought or didn't, what's going on with their sister. It's so interesting to feel personally attached to the people you designed for. That is what fuels me and feels like the future of both brands." Image Credit: Courtesy of Tanya Taylor Related: These Married Co-Founders Started a Business With a Name 'Nobody Could Pronounce' — Then Bootstrapped It From Their Garage to 8-Figure Revenue 2. Self-funding continues to give Taylor's brands an edge Taylor's first brand was self-funded and remains so; she's currently making the same move with Delphine. Although challenging at times, self-funding allows Taylor to invest in herself and her team fully and provides the flexibility to put brand values first and consider long-term wins over short-term gains, the founder says. Additionally, self-funding prevents the brands from adopting a "private equity-backed voice." That's particularly important given their distinct personas — the first brand's "happy," "approachable" ethos versus the second's "emotionally driven, more mischievous" vibe. Despite the differences between the two brands, Taylor approaches both of their voices and marketing strategies with a similar "zest," which she says is the key to connecting with customers and putting them first always. Related: She and Her Sister Started a Side Hustle to Help People Elevate Their Homes — Now Their Brand Pulls In Hundreds of Millions: 'Get to Work' 3. Direct engagement with customers means more opportunities The rise of direct-to-consumer marketing translates to a new opportunity to "own the relationship with the customer," Taylor says. Delphine does work with some "incredible retailers," but the brand's presence online and in the Madison Avenue store serves as a chance to "go back to the basics" and ask important questions: How do I get close to the customer? How do I excite her? Social media, naturally, is another means to that end. Influencer marketing didn't exist when Tanya Taylor launched; now, it's often a customer's first touchpoint with a brand. " That feels like a huge shift in the industry," Taylor says. "You're not staring at a model in a studio showing you how you put a sweater with a skirt. You're getting to see it on somebody running to work, what shoes they're wearing and how their life looks. That has put the customer so much more in the center of fashion, in a way that is well-aligned with how I like to design." Additionally, social media, especially Instagram, allows Taylor to interact with customers more than ever before — and she embraces that by responding to many DMs herself. " I'm asking people questions," Taylor says. "I am so excited about quick learning. I love crowdsourcing opinions, and as a designer who is like a sponge, it's been so rewarding to see that access change." Image Credit: Courtesy of Delphine Related: 'We Got So Many DMs': This 27-Year-Old Revamped Her Parents' Decades-Old Business and Grew Direct-to-Consumer Sales From $60,000 to Over $500,000 As a two-time fashion founder in an era when ecommerce and social media have completely transformed the industry, Taylor has some helpful advice for any entrepreneur who hopes to succeed in the business: Figure out what makes you distinctive, and surround yourself with people who believe in that distinction, whether professors, industry professionals or friends. " That was really, really important for me," Taylor says. "[It] helped me feel some confidence. Entrepreneurship is a mind game. Once you embark on it, lots of people love it and want to continue, but you have to find ways to keep yourself strong and your creativity strong, and that's through community." This article is part of our ongoing Women Entrepreneur® series highlighting the stories, challenges and triumphs of running a business as a woman. Ready to break through your revenue ceiling? Join us at Level Up, a conference for ambitious business leaders to unlock new growth opportunities.
New York Post
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
‘Traumatized' Prince Harry is ‘bullied' by the public, Belgium's Princess Delphine says
Princess Delphine of Belgium has thrown her support behind Prince Harry, saying he is being 'bullied' by the general public who choose to ignore his 'trauma.' The Belgian royal, who is the love child of former Belgian King Albert II and Baroness Sybille de Selys Longchamps, said she feels 'very sorry' for the Duke of Sussex following his swift royal exit. 'Lady Diana was a part of my life when I was in England,' the princess, who had previously lived in London but now resides in Brussels, Belgium, said on the 'It's Reigning Men' podcast last week. 6 Princess Delphine of Belgium has thrown her support behind Prince Harry. Photonews via Getty Images 'She was just sunshine, in the news especially,' Delphine told host Daniel Rosney, adding that she began keeping up with Harry's life because of her admiration for his late mother Princess Diana, who died in 1997. The 57-year-old said the beloved royal's death was difficult for the 'Spare' author, 40, to process — adding that she considers speculation over his new life in the US as 'bullying.' 'I feel very sorry for Harry, because I think that was traumatic for him,' she said. 'I think Harry has suffered so much. He was traumatized, and it's coming out now.' Delphine, who was the result of the former monarch's 18-year affair with the Belgian baroness, said she 'understands' Harry and the hardships he's faced in recent years. 6 The Belgian royal said the Duke of Sussex is being 'bullied' by the general public who choose to ignore his 'trauma.' Getty Images 6 Delphine said she began keeping up with Harry's life because of her admiration for his late mother, who died in 1997. Getty Images 'He's just traumatized, and so he's doing these things and everyone is just bullying him but not thinking about his trauma, and I just find it terrible,' she added. Delphine, for her part, has been kept at arm's length by her father from the Belgian royal family in a desperate bid to preserve his marriage to Queen Paola, 87. After Delphine was born in 1968, Albert had initially kept loosely in touch with his love child and her mother, but this drastically changed once she turned 16. 6 Delphine is the love child of former Belgian King Albert II and Baroness Sybille de Selys Longchamps. Getty Images 6 Delphine has been kept at arm's length by her father from the Belgian royal family in a desperate bid to preserve his marriage to Queen Paola. WireImage In 2013 — the same year Albert had abdicated the throne — Delphine launched a legal bid to be officially recognized as Albert's daughter. The bid was successful, and in October 2020 the Brussels Court of Appeal ruled that she was entitled to the same royal titles and privileges as her father's three other children. Follow along with The Post's live blog on everything you need to know about the British royal family. Following the ruling, Delphine Boël had officially rebranded to 'Delphine of Saxen-Coburg-Gotha, princess of Belgium.' 'The legal victory will never replace the love of a father but it provides a feeling of justice,' she said at the time. Start your day with all you need to know Morning Report delivers the latest news, videos, photos and more. Thanks for signing up! Enter your email address Please provide a valid email address. By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Never miss a story. Check out more newsletters The artist had claimed Albert was her real dad for two decades before turning to the courts over his paternity. The ex-monarch rejected Delphine as his daughter until January 2020 — when he agreed to take a court-ordered DNA test, under threat of a $5,500 fine for each day he refused. 6 The Belgian king, who abdicated the throne in 2013, has been married to Queen Paola since 1959. Getty Images Delphine had long maintained that her aristocratic mother had an affair with Albert between 1966 and 1984. Rumors of the paternity scandal had first emerged in an unauthorized 1999 biography about Albert's wife, Queen Paola.
Daily Record
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Princess publicly defends Prince Harry and says he's being 'bullied' in bombshell interview
A Royal Family member has revealed she "feels sorry" for the Duke of Sussex and has defended him in a new interview Prince Harry has received a public declaration of sympathy from a European royal who says she "feels sorry" for the King's youngest son. Princess Delphine of Belgium spoke about the prince's family feud with the rest of the monarchy when appearing on It's Reigning Men podcast, and said 'understands' the Duke of Sussex and 'feels sorry for him' as 'everyone is bullying him'. In a new interview on the It's Reigning Men podcast, the princess empathised with Harry, saying: 'I do follow a little bit of Harry becaus e Lady Diana was just part of my life when I was in England… Then she had these children and everything, and then this death was just horrible… "I feel very sorry for Harry because I think that was traumatic for him.I think Harry suffered so much, and I think he was traumatised and it's coming out now." Speaking about Harry's controversial demands for UK security, despite now living in the US with Meghan Markle, the princess offered her own perspective on the situation. She said: "This thing about security. I think it's to do with what happened to his mother. 'I understand the guy. He's just traumatised. And I understand, so he's doing these things, and everybody's bullying him, but not thinking about his trauma. And I just find it terrible because he's just been kind of left.' Princess Delphine is the half-sister of King Philippe of Belgium, and the illegitimate daughter of the former monarch, King Albert II who had a near 20 year affair with Delphine's mother, the Express reports. After winning a court case for a DNA test which proved his paternity, Delphine was victorious in a separate landmark ruling five years ago which allowed her to be titled a princess and styled as 'Her Royal Highness' Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Although Princess Delphine insist iit's 'still not right' she's not included in the line of succession to the Belgian throne. It comes amid reports that the Duke of Sussex is on the brink of reconciling with his father King Charles. Harry's relationship with the rest of the Royal Family has been strained since he quit the Firm in 2020 and relocated to Montecito, California with wife Meghan. However, Prince Harry has recently been quite vocal about his desire to mend ties with his father and older brother, Prince William. A meeting reportedly took place just last week between Prince Harry's chief communications officer, Meredith Maines, and King Charles' communications secretary, Tobyn Andreae. Liam Maguire, the Sussexes' UK PR representative, was also reportedly in attendance at the London meeting. The private meeting was said to have been in casual conversation over "informal drinks" on the sun-soaked terrace of the Royal Over-Seas League (ROSL), a private member's club known for fostering international friendships. It comes as a "significant step" in reuniting the estranged father and son.
Sky News AU
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Sky News AU
‘Bullying': Princess Delphine of Belgium breaks silence about Prince Harry rift and defends Duke of Sussex
Belgium's Princess Delphine has launched a stunning defence of her distant cousin Prince Harry after becoming the most senior royal to weigh in on the Sussexes. The Belgian royal, who is the half-sister of the country's reigning monarch King Philippe, is distantly related to the Duke of Sussex through their shared ancestors King Christian IX of Denmark and Queen Louise. Delphine, 57, was finally recognised as Princess of Belgium with the style "Her Royal Highness' in 2020 after spending decades battling to prove she was the secret daughter of Philippe's father King Albert II. The Belgian monarchy has now largely embraced Delphine into the inner circle and she joins the royal family at major state occasions. Earlier this week, the Princess and acclaimed artist sat down for the It's Reigning Men podcast, where she revealed she keeps tabs on the Duke and Duchess of Sussex amid their ongoing feud with the British royal family. 'I do follow a little bit of Harry because Lady Diana was just part of my life when I was in England … Then she had these children and everything, and then this death was just horrible … I feel very sorry for Harry because I think that was traumatic for him,' she said. The royal said the Duke of Sussex had 'suffered so much' in the public eye and she understood why Harry and Meghan were "traumatised" in the royal family. 'I think Harry suffered so much, and I think he was traumatised and it's coming out now," she said. 'And I understand, so he's doing these things, and everybody's bullying him, but not thinking about his trauma. 'And I just find it terrible because he's just been kind of left.' Delphine's stunning defence marks a departure from the rest of the Belgian monarchy and follows days of speculation that Harry and Meghan could finally hold a 'peace summit' with King Charles. Last weekend, Harry's new chief communications officer, Meredith Maines, and UK-based PR rep Liam Maguire were photographed meeting with the King's top aide, Communications Secretary Tobyn Andreae, near Clarence House. The meeting, first revealed by The Mail on Sunday, reportedly had "no formal agenda" but there were "things both sides wanted to talk about". Meanwhile, Meghan has reportedly refused to return to the United Kingdom until she receives an apology from the royal family for perceived 'mistreatment' during her brief two years inside the firm.
Sydney Morning Herald
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
Belgian princess claims Prince Harry is 'traumatised'
Lifestyle Princess Delphine of Belgium claims Prince Harry is 'traumatised' following the death of mother Princess Diana in a candid new interview on the It's Reigning Men podcast.
