As a student at the Fashion Institute of Technology, Stephanie Erbilgin knew without a doubt she wanted to create her own brand. However, she figured out early that while the design part was fairly intuitive, the business of fashion was another beast entirely. She also realized this particular struggle was a dilemma for countless emerging designers: how does a young designer bring an idea from the studio to the showroom?
TheCollecte.com was her answer to the “how do you get exposure” equation. A collaboration between Stephanie and classmate Maria DeLisi-Minichiello, The Collecte is an online marketplace that connect designers from all corners of the world with fashionistas — and fashinistos, too. Stephanie and Maria have made it their mission to create a convenient fashion destination for online shoppers to find inspired, unique and exclusive items. “[The Collecte] is about bringing people together,” asserts Stephanie. “About appreciating art in all its forms and about putting more beauty out into the world.