Lily Chen and Maggie Bacon @ Thitle & Spire is a Brooklyn based lingerie company supporting women in pushing boundaries
We are Maggie and Lily of Thistle & Spire a Brooklyn based lingerie company supporting women in pushing boundaries, breaking rules, and melting hearts.
We have always believed that lingerie is for yourself. As awkward teens growing up we found power in lingerie. That tiny secret to give you an extra confidence boost. No one was interested in kissing us as teens, let alone see our underwear! So lingerie became truly for us. We juxtapose luxe fabrics and alluring architectural details mirroring the mult-faceted sides of being a woman. After all, it’s what’s on the inside that counts ;)
What is failure? Do you think it’s a crucial step to success?
Failure is making the wrong decision. Everyone fails one way or another. It is ok to fail. Never be afraid to fail or have that fear hold you back. It is more so what you do post-failure that matters. Don’t get lost in the fire, instead let it light your way forward.
Who is the one super successful person you look up to? Why them? Can you share their quote/ideology that inspires you the most?
Sophia Amoruso, author of Girlboss and Nasty Galaxy. It is inspiring to see how she built Nasty Gal from the ground up as well as continue adapting post-bankruptcy/divorce.
“Each time you make a good decision or do something nice or take care of yourself; each time you show up to work and work hard and do your best at everything you can do, you’re planting seeds for a life that you can only hope will grow beyond your wildest dreams. Take care of the little things—even the little things that you hate—and treat them as promises to your own future. Soon you’ll see that fortune favors the bold who get shit done.”
Are there difficult times you go through? What helps/inspires you?
Being an entrepreneur is NOT glamorous or easy. We pour 110% into our business sacrificing time, money, energy etc. We wouldn’t be able to deal with the difficulties without passion and inspiration.
We created Thistle & Spire for our ultimate girl crushes. They inspire us. Women comfortable in their own skin have the power to pave their own way. By celebrating and embracing our strengths and weaknesses no one can break us down. We even started a Girl Crush Blog to feature kick ass women we are inspired by.
What does it mean to have competition/competitors? Do you compete/collaborate or just observe? What is the best practice to approach your competition?
Competition is flattering and drives us to improve. We love learning and getting inspired by other businesses. The fashion industry gets a bad rap for being cutthroat and insincere. On the contrary, there are many people who are willing to collaborate and share as long as you are willing to do the same. The more we support each other, the stronger we all are.