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Thursday, February 25, 2010

O'Couture History 101, Chapter 1: Hi, my name is Sebnem and I am a shoeaholic

Now that you have heard how the idea came about, you all must be wondering what happened next.

I will tell you what happened next: My charming hubby Cenk and I went to New York to visit our crazy friend Dr. Burcak Ertimur and stayed there for ten days. I love New York! Then again, who doesn't? That city makes me feel alive, sophisticated and satisfied. These thoughts were passing through my mind when I planned the trip about two months ago. At the time no one could have thought that I would spend the whole trip walking on the streets of Manhattan staring at women's feet. Checking out women's footwear only to find out that everyone loves flats! This is so very exciting!!!! Mind you, I was wearing my brown leather Tory Burch Reva flats the whole trip. Check out the photo above ;)
Those who know me know that I never compromise style regardless of what the occasion is. The photo you see was taken on a very busy day spent sightseeing on foot. Now, here is what bugged me the most about my outfit: my favorite Marc Jacobs Stella bag, circa 2003, features silver hardware. My minimal jewellery is also in silver tones. However, the $200 a pair Tory Burch flats come with gold plate ornament. No way, I will spend another $200 to buy a pair with silver hardware to compliment my outfit. If only I could interchange the gold plate with a silver plate. Get it ?!?!? My new line, O'Couture, will simply fill this gap.
If I were to review these Tory Burch flats, I would say they were overpriced for the quality you get. Bottomline! Well, Tory Burch flats' failure to meet my expectations was really one of the major factors that contributed to my decision to launch a line of flats. For that, I must thank her I believe.

Next scene: Burcak's apartment in NYC. Shoe boxes stacked on top of each other. Typical one bedroom apartment. If only she could fit a desk in her bedroom where all the shoe boxes takes up most of the space. Another epiphany: If she had my flats with interchangeable embellishments she would be able to fit endless number of pair of shoes and styles in one shoe box. How amazing is that!!! This was one of those "defining moments" that Prez Obama always talked about.
YES, I CAN! I MUST DO THIS!!!

Then followed dinner with my over-achiever college buddies who were all pursuing the proverbial corporate career goal. They ask me what I had been up to recently. Then I responded: "I am embarking on an entrepreneurial journey." There I said it out loud for the first time! "I AM AN ENTREPRENEUR". I never thought this sentence could ever sound so etherial coming out of my mouth.

Well, girlfriend may be a businesswoman at this juncture in her life, but a girl is always a girl. Having said that Sex and the City 2 movie gets an honorary mention here. You say shoes and every girl on this planet, I mean literally, immediately thinks of Sarah Jessica Parker and her alter ego Carrie Bradshaw. At this point in my trip, the Internet and entertainment media had been abuzz with the the news that the sequel started filming on location in Manhattan. OMG, could a girl get any luckier than that? I had to catch the shooting. I consulted with my best friend Mr. Google and I was able to pinpoint some hints as to where they might be filming that day. My charming hubby Cenk and I followed the hints with the detail-oriented savvy of a detective only to find ourselves in the middle of SATC 2 shooting right at the corner of 5th and 58th where the Plaza and Bergdorf Goodman stood hand-in-hand ever so graciously right next to each other since the turn of the century. So magical :) Carrie B. was strutting her stuff in her sparkling glittery gold Louboutins like there was no tomorrow. Such an NYC moment. I died and came to heaven!



Oh, before I forget: of course I did make my pilgrimage to the Christian Louboutin and Manolo Blahnik stores in Manhattan.












Friday, February 19, 2010

A star is born. O'Couture that is...

I know this will sound like a cliché to you, but it REALLY did happen! IT ALL STARTED WITH A DREAM. Oh, and of course a job lost to the biggest recession since the great depression :) Well, I cannot say I was born to be an Electronics Engineer, anyways.

Now back to our story. It was mid August 2009.... scene blurred then a film noir style flashback.... A warm Orange County morning. Sitting at home. It has all come down to this. I do not have a job anymore. My heart tells me that just another job is not what I am looking for. Then it hits me: it is not the economy; it is the universe. Yes yes!!! This whole circumstance needs to be interpreted as a sign from the universe. Consequently, good old soul searching is in order.

Two weeks go by. Then EUREKA!

My charming hubby Cenk and I are in the car. I am thinking out loud. I tell my idea to him. He loves the idea. He says he supports it 100%. He also says there is nothing I cannot accomplish. Wow! I have instantly become "a lady who thinks she can launch." Oh, the sweet taste of entrepreneurship :) Taste it once and boy is it addicting!!!


Well, I know you all are wondering. What the heck are you launching? Well, ladies and gentleman hold tight. Drum roll... I am launching a women's fashion flats line with interchangeable embellishments. And then, as they say it, "the rest is history”.

Up next: O'Couture History 101

Thou shalt not fear. It will be fun.

I promise!