Today we’d like to introduce you to Julia Pistsova.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My name is Julia, friends call me Kiki. I was born and raised in Ekaterinburg, Russia and moved to the States 12 years ago. Atlanta is my second home. I am a clothing designer, professional tailor, stylist and the founder of Kiki Bisous atelier. My passion is to empower women to feel confident in their own body by creating clothing that fits right. How I got started? Looking back now, I can tell that I have always been into fashion and creating things by hand. Back in school, I was a part of a theater where we made our own costumes. I got into sewing my own clothes later in high school out of the desire to look different than everyone else.
After moving to the U.S. I found myself in the fashion and clothing industry, working as a model, organizing fashion shows, making jewelry, doing personal styling, and costuming in film. I launched Kiki Bisous atelier five years ago in my dining room after helping a dear friend, who also shares love for creating things by hand, to design and make custom ponchos for her family for the holidays. Those designs sparked interest in everyone who came by to visit, and I started getting orders for more customized ponchos. I think seeing the process of garment making, the love and care that goes into it, knowing who makes your garment, and having an opportunity to customize it to individual size, shape, and style is inspiring to many. You can get creative and express yourself through clothing without having to conform to what is available in the stores. That is one of the main reasons I chose made-to-order business model rather than exclusively creating a clothing collection.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Just like any business, it has its challenges. On the one hand, I am a creative and just want to make beautiful things without the burden of accounting, inventory, and all that boring stuff. On the other, as a business owner learning the business aspect is especially important, otherwise, it is just a hobby. Another major aspect is to learn how to balance work and personal life. I am a mom and a wife, which is also all-consuming. Thanks to my boys for their patience and support. Particularly my husband Miles who is always there to give me expert advice and moral support. There is also taking that first big step, which for me was renting an actual work studio for Kiki Bisous. My dining room turned into a tailor’s shop very quickly with fabrics piled up everywhere, threads and needles on the floor, mannequins, and sewing machine. Something I feel every home sewer will understand. When we no longer had a space for a family dinner, we decided it was time to find a proper workspace. I feel like that is when I had to change my mindset from Kiki Bisous being a hobby to me becoming a business owner. Changing my location and perspective have allowed me the opportunity to expand my market and see more clients than just my friends.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Kiki Bisous Atelier?
At Kiki Bisous atelier, we offer professional tailoring services, custom-made fashion pieces, a collection of one of the kind ponchos, and personal style consultations. When you wear clothing that fit properly and reflect your individual style – you feel a lot more confident and connected to yourself. My goal with Kiki Bisous atelier is to help women find their style, build a wardrobe that highlights their beauty and individuality, to express themselves and feel confident in the clothes they are wearing. That is why a personalized approach to garment making is key to everything I do.
Every woman is beautiful and unique from the body shape to the style preferences. I think the rise of fast-fashion and quick-changing trends do an injustice to our individuality. They make us look the same, the clothing rarely fits right, and the quality of the material is typically questionable. Yes, it is cheap, but at a high cost to the planet, the industry, and the consumer. It is elevating my client’s experience above the status quo of fast fashion, at which point they can truly be themselves, that makes me most proud. For me, custom-made means a garment is made to fit your body, with fabric that you pick, in color that you like, and all the little details that reflect your personality and highlight your natural beauty. Whether you have a favorite jacket that you want to have recreated, a pair of vintage slacks that need to be altered, the photo of a dream dress – Kiki Bisous is here to make it a reality. To schedule an appointment or for any other information, go to the website kikibisousatelier.com. Follow @Kikibisous on Instagram for the behind the scene work process. Coco Chanel says it best “Beauty begins the moment you decide to be yourself.”
Contact Info:
- Email: kikibisousatelier@gmail.com
- Website: kikibisousatelier.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kikibisous/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kikibisousatelier/
Image Credits
@ladyflashback @itsmariananovak
