Close your eyes and imagine rows upon rows upon rows of gorgeous clothes, accessories, and shoes FILLING a HUGE warehouse. And then, in a little corner of the room, a package with YOUR name and address on it filled with 5 items especially picked for you. Not just any items – items that are picked based on your personal style and body type, by a stylist with you specifically in mind. This, my friends, is
This, my friends, is Stitch Fix.
Recently, I was able to kiss my 5 babies and big baby (hubs) goodbye and hop on the latest flight out for San Francisco. I was so excited to be hosted by Stitch Fix, and to get an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the ins and outs of a company I have only grown to love even more. I also was a little apprehensive about being around so many uber fashionable women, when my most important accessory was my breast pump. Like, really.
And this is me taking pictures of the office and decor. I loved how the interior design of the office reflected the package design of the same Stitch Fix boxes that arrived on my doorstep. I love good details.
If you’re not already a huge fan of Stitch Fix – you should be. We’ve talked about them several times and tons of you share our love.
If you’re not sure what Stitch Fix is, or how it all works, be sure to read THIS post. Give it a try. You’ll be addicted.
I’ve seen and worked with quite a few businesses in my lifetime. I have to say the “vibe” at Stitch Fix HQ was so amazingly wonderful. You could just tell that people REALLY loved their job. As someone who feels the same way about her job, I love seeing people LOVE what they do. It’s contagious.
I was able to spend time with several other powerhouse bloggers/YouTubers there. It was a blast getting to visit with real adults in REAL life (and not from behind a computer screen). They were a diverse group of women, from all different experiences, and backgrounds but each was so intelligent. There is nothing more empowering than intelligent women.
The Stitch Fix team pulled out all the stops to make us all feel welcome and comfortable. I can honestly say, these were some of the most genuine and kind people around. They worked hard. They played hard.
The first day we were able to tour Stitch Fix headquarters and see where the magic happens. We met and heard from panels of their marketing team, social media gurus, and other departments. It was truly fascinating to me. These ladies (and a few men!) KNEW what they were talking about. (And I only got referred to as “the lady with 5 kids” a couple times. Apparently, that’s not too common? Say, WHAT?)
One thing I was really impressed with was the desire of each individual at Stitch Fix to make the Stitch Fix experience be exceptional for EVERY woman. They really do put so much thought and love into their services and product. I feel that truly is what sets them apart.
We were able to eat lunch at a white table cloth local restaurant (uh…if you’re a foodie, you must take a trip to San Fran. Such great places and food) with some of the Stitch Fix Execs. It was far cry from my usual Pb & J with a side of sliced apples. I didn’t even have to clean up any spills!
Can I just rave about some human beings for a second? I sat next to General Manager of Stitch Fix Men (a newly launched division I can’t wait to tell you more about coming up), Mike Smith. Mike joined Stitch Fix in 2012 as chief operating officer after nine years at Walmart.com, most recently as chief operating officer for a $5 billion division. So basically, he’s really good at what he does. Not only did he have a table full of women laughing to the point of tears, he is also one of the most humble human beings ever. There is NOTHING more refreshing then to meet people who have every reason to brag about success, do nothing of the sort. Humility is HUGE to me, and the leadership at this multi-million dollar American company is just that. It was a great reminder to me.
After lunch, we then went to the warehouse, or as they lovingly deem as, “The Hizzie”. Maybe you caught my FB Live from there? It. was. HEAVEN. for a clothes-loving girl. Racks upon racks of CLOTHES. We were even able to fill a few Fixes for REAL women. Maybe yours will be filled by ME!? EEEK!
It was so interesting to see just how many people worked together here to make the magic happen. Most warehouses are controlled by fancy machinery and robots. Stitch Fix is run by REAL people. You should see all the hands that work to make your Fixes happen. It’s amazing.
The second day, we were able to meet with their marketing and creative teams. The talent of these artists was amazing. Everything from the models, to the photographers, to the digital design team was fantastic. Every detail is thought of.
I don’t consider myself an overly creative person, so again, my socks were knocked off. I never realized how much effort went into designing clothes. They consider and think of color, design, fabric, thread, etc. etc. For example, did you know the inside yoke of a shirt is specially designed – from the stitching to the interior fabric. I’m telling you, I’d be totally stressed if I had to do that full time!
We had another amazing lunch, and I have to say, this lunch totally inspired me. That buffalo checked runner with succulents was gorgeous! I want to recreate it with my girlfriends. Wish you could come over, too!
In the afternoon, we were able to get our hair and makeup done, work with a personal stylist, and participate in a photo shoot. Okay, gotta be honest, this was SO out of my comfort zone. I don’t like to be “waited on”. I don’t like to be photographed. I’d rather be behind the scenes. That being said, I tried, and I was super awkward as expected. BUT IT WAS GOOD FOR ME. It’s GOOD to get out of your comfort zone.
Another interesting fact. The sweet lady that did my hair and makeup? She’s actually an engineer but quit because she’s always wanted to do hair and makeup. I love that. A great lesson to me of always doing what you love and that everyone around you has an interesting story or two.
I returned home on a 6am flight, anxious to get home to my family. It was a quick, jam-packed trip.
I absolutely ADORED the experience and was so grateful to be able to participate. I learned a ton, met some wonderful people, and fell more in love with Stitch Fix.
Special thanks to Stitch Fix and everyone there for inviting me, on behalf of HowDoesShe and giving us an inside look at the wonderful company you are!
If you gals haven’t tried the personal styling of Stitch Fix, you are MISSING out and should try it out immediately. It’s basically one of the most enjoyable things you can do for yourself or a loved one for the holidays! (They have gift cards!)
You can sign up for your first fix HERE or you can learn the ins and outs of my experience HERE
Leave a Reply