Lin Tan
Creative Director at Naked Room
1) Why the switch from full-time life coach to boss of your own fashion label?
Hmm, ‘boss’ is a little over-embellished as a title – I’m more like the admin, accountant, photographer, designer, driver, delivery woman, merchandiser, marketer, PR executive – just short of ‘kopi-soh’ since there’s Starbucks to do that job for me! While I still coach on the side, I’d really rather go hands-(and legs)-on instead of being all just talk – imagine a coach coaching others to live their dreams without living mine! Wouldn’t want that as a coach, would you? Living is in the moment, and boy do those moments come with business challenges and breakthroughs on the horizon every other day!
2) What has the process of entrepreneurship been like?
It’s like marrying someone and then seeing different sides of him/her every morning. On some days, it’s all good, happy and smooth. On others, it’s ho-hum and the rest; varying levels of suffering!
NAKED ROOM launched her debut collection at a fashion show last year and received very positive reviews from key industry people. That was very encouraging. We kicked off with a good start, clocking in 4-figures a day for a new label. However after our first month of retail, sales started to drop. With so many factors affecting the retail market, most of the time it is baffling as to why some days do well and others don’t.
There was a period of time every other person was giving us their opinion on our business, products and design style. It was really confusing, we were drifting and losing ground as each day went by. It was a frustrating period for me and I cried several times in fact. It’s a good thing my partner Jada kept her cool and her march forward.
In the meantime, we turned a hasty decision into a smart move that left a ‘special buy’ blouse flying off the shelves like hotcakes. Media exposure followed soon after, with some blowing us off last minute and that can get very annoying.
Manufacturers that produce errors in the products can spoil the rest of the day and set the timelines back.
We recently launched our second collection and we’re attempting expansion into other stores. That’s again new ground we’re unfamiliar with which means, more challenges!
The challenges of running a fashion label include:
Obtaining affordable pricing for consumers while still ensuring we have profits to roll over into the next collection
Designing comfortable clothing that suits the average woman without losing the design edge (we don’t do low-quality pieces, nor ridiculous clothing just to follow trends, nor exquisitely beautiful clothing that won’t fit the non-models)
There is no place in all this for emotions! Staying detached and objective is key.
Lastly, competition! H&M just sprouted in Singapore – need we say more? The fashion market is unbelievably competitive. On top of that, gone are the days of consumer loyalty. Brands really need to stay competitive with reasonable prices and good quality.
Running NAKED ROOM forces us to be creative in both our designs and our business strategies. This also means relying heavily on our strengths to keep going, and needing to brush up on our weakness constantly!
3) What are the plans that you have for your label?
Ohhh…plans. The plans are made only in the beginning so that we are well prepared for whatever that happens, but when the rubber meets the road, we need to flow with the market and the plans often get thrown out and replaced with more workable strategies. The main plan we are sticking to is to run a profit generating business (or else what’s the point of a business?) because this is beyond just ‘a hobby’ (which by the way is a huge mistake many budding entrepreneurs make).
We’d love for NAKED ROOM to spin off into several boutiques or a chain, but we stepped up onto this platform knowing that it could take us anywhere, and we’re open to that.
4) What’s unique about your label, and who should buy the clothes?
To be honest, the uniqueness is in the customer and not the label.
We do our best in producing clothes that make a woman feel good and look attractive with a comfortable price and fit – but that’s only what clothes are supposed to do anyway!! (So girls, please, run far away from anything but.)
It is how our customer experiences the clothing, combined with how she styles it and most importantly, carries it off. Our clothes aim to enhance what one already has, so that she fits it and feels like she and the dress are meant to be. We have a belief that our darling exclusive fashion show pieces wait for The One to come along because it won’t suit ‘just anyone’. You can call us spiritual, optimistic, or deluded – but hey, it’s true.
So far our customers are between 28 – 40 years old and have a level of confidence to carry the pieces off. Our design style is ‘classy, sexy and just a little quirky’ and call out to women who go after edgy sophistication.
5) What do you think differentiates you from other people who know what their dreams are but don’t pursue them? How would you encourage them, regarding the barriers that they have to overcome before they live their dreams, like you are?
I can’t speak for them! I can share what I hear often in my coaching experience. Many individuals don’t pursue their dreams because of their fears, hesitations and in the blink of an eye, 10 years have passed.
Some are afraid to get off this vehicle called ‘society’s mainstream’ and get caught in following the crowd without really giving a second thought to their dreams, others don’t even dare to dream or know what it is they want in the first place.
A minority completely gives their lives up to more dominant people around them and forgets that they should be the ones in the driver’s seat.
I think I’m very fortunate to have the right people around me – family, friends, mentors – who support and believe in me. These pillars are important. Most of the people I look up to, like my parents, mentors, and some really really successful individuals, have showed me that it is possible to have it all. I guess this exposure is priceless and it is what I use to propel me forward and up.
Add on some hard work and obsession. Malcolm Gladwell’s ‘Outliers’ is a good book to get exposed to.
The best thing you can do for yourself is to position such that you get what you need. It’s 1 thing to be faced with circumstances; it’s another to be passive and be a doormat to life. I think it will come a point (hopefully not too late) when one has to ask oneself ‘Am I more afraid of my fears, or am I more afraid to live a life of fear and regret?’ When the answer shows itself, you’ll know what to do.
Grace says: Lin’s an amazing life coach. I know, ‘cos she has kicked my ass before. Hahaha!
I’m very happy for her that Naked Room’s such a hit (actually, how can it not be?) 
The pieces are all very classy and quirky. So support this local designer by heading to Parco next Next at Milennia Walk – the incubator for aspiring fashion designers!
To wrap up, here’s an interesting pic for you. Lin spots someone getting NAKED at Naked Room:
.
.
.
.
Nah, just kidding! She discovers my digicam has a dual LCD function.
——————————– ALSO —————————-
GIVEAWAY: 3 Smiggle Prize Packs !!!
Remember the interview I did with the Marketing Manager of Smiggle, Australia’s coolest stationery store (which is now in 4 locations in Singapore)?
I was invited to check out their coolest and newest products this week:
That’ll be in another blog post.
In the meantime: win yourself a Smiggle prize pack, with goodies in your favourite Smiggle colour!
Here’s how to win: Email me at gracewwg@gmail.com and answer the following questions:
1) Where can Smiggle be found in Singapore? Name all 4 locations.
2) What’s your favourite Smiggle colour? (Mine’s PINK!) 
Please include your name and mobile number so I can contact you when you’ve won! There’ll be 3 lucky winners!
Have more smiles and giggles!
