Interview with Leslie Sulman from Weareveryouare.com

As a fashion blogger I'm always constantly on the search for new clothing stores and lines with a unique flare but still up to date with fashion trends. One day I got an email from Leslie Sulman about her website called WEAREVERYOUARE.com. So of course I had to check it out and come to find out it's a fantastic website for us fashion bloggers and fashion addicts because it's a data base of online stores and boutiques from around the world. Wearweveryouare focuses on young and independent designers and allows you to create your own profile so you can save your favorite online shops. I took this opportunity to not only share this website with you but to introduce this young pioneer to you too.

LESLIE SULMAN FROM WEAREVERYOUARE.COM

Where are you from?

I live in Paris, in France.

Where did the idea for WearEverYouAre come from?
As a fashion lover, I am constantly looking forward authenticity and new creative horizons.I started buying naturally online precisely to satisfy this desire to differentiate myself and for the love of fashion creation. However, after long hours spent behind my computer screen, I got tired of the endless research on traditional search engines. I turned out to fashion blogs where I could be advised for good online places to shop, but all this was taking far too long!
Finally, this is how I got the idea to create the site WearEverYouAre, convinced that others shared the same need. WearEverYouAre was built to respond quickly to buyers' expectations in line with its three research criteria: country, type of store, and designers / brands distributed.By creating an account, online shoppers get access to their personal address book where they can add their favorite stores and find them on each visit : no more waste of time ! Today, nearly 300 stores and 500 designers are listed in 19 countries.

When did you start WearEverYouAre?

I’ve been working on the project since may 2010, and I’ve launched the website in November 2010.

How did you come up with the name for the site?

As an international website, I’ve been looking for a name that could be understandable for each nationalities. I spent some hours thinking about it and checking if my findings were available for a domain name.I found out that the little word game was a bit funny and resumed my concept as well.

Were you a blogger or connected to the fashion industry in anyway before you started your website?

Before launching WearEverYouAre.com I was absolutely not connected to the fashion industry. I’ve got a Master Degree of International Operational Marketing and I’ve been working in a PR Agency for Pharmaceutical companies. I’ve been reading blogs since 4 years, but never interacted with bloggers. Thanks to WearEverYouAre, I’ve started to interview fashion bloggers, and I really like it! Today, I’m working in a total independent way. I select instinctively the stores considering their potential (products, concept, represented brands). I have some contacts with online boutique owners who are interested in listing their store on WearEverYouAre.com, that’s all!

What are some of your favorite stores on the site?

I have an obsession for all australian stores right now because of the incredible fashion brands we can find overthere, as mycatwalk.com.au, maximillia.com.au, theothershop.com.au, thenewguard.com.au. Also, I spend some time on online marketplace where you can find vintage and indie clothing for affordable prices, like AsosMarketPlace.com, UsTrendy, Threadsence.com, Shopflick, SenseOfFashion.com. They are really great ! Online outlet stores are a very good destination to find great deals. If you’re lucky, you can find treasures! (TheOutnet.com…)

Are there any stores that you are hoping to link up to the site?
I’m in a constant research for adding new stores to the site. E-commerce is on a perpetual growth so I have a lot of job to do for a longtime! I’m really eager to develop the asiatic listing for their unconventional and incredible fashion sense. For the occidental shopper, it’s a market not so well explored.By the way, I’m looking for contributors : Online boutique owners and shopaholics can submit their shopping spots to share them with the WearEverYouAre community.

Do you find yourself shopping more after you started the site?
Weirdly, I don’t think so… Since I’ve started to work on the website, I’ve been tempted by so many clothings, that finally I don’t manage to choose what I want to buy!WearEverYouAre allows to take a shopping world tour in a minute. The time I save from searching is dedicated to comparison and window-shopping. Thanks to WearEverYouAre, I don’t shop more, I shop better!

What is your goal for WearEverYouAre?
Honestly, WearEverYouare is a real challenge for me. I’ve given up many things for it, my destiny is totally linked in with it.The website is young so the first and essential goal is to get notoriety. I'm contacting fashion bloggers, but also online magazine in order to get known, hoping they will spread the word around them.It takes time, but one day it will find its public. I'm confident about it.I already received a lot of support from fashion bloggers from the four corners of the world, this is really great.

Do you have any advice to bloggers or anyone looking to break into the fashion world?

I don’t think that I’m the best person to give advice as I’m just starting my business. My vision of blogging is that you need to respect your individuality. When you’re looking at the top bloggers, they are totally different and have been recognized for their unique fashion sense. They have their own signature.Even if fashion industry seems to be closed, we are living in a world of possibilities, work hard and believe in what you do. It’s up to you to make your potential becomes real.