Exploring Life & Business with Portia Brewer of Portia Renia

Today we’d like to introduce you to Portia Brewer.

Portia, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I originally hail from Detroit, MI, a city where dreams can indeed come true with lots of hard work, dedication, and perseverance. My journey into fashion started at the tender age of 8. I aspired to compete and hold the title as “Miss America”. During my premature competition preparations, I would sketch my clothing for each competitive segment, unbeknownst to me that this was the beginning of my true love for fashion. From that moment on, I would sketch fashion illustrations in my free time. I also hold one other nostalgic memory, my grandmother and I would make clothing for my Barbie dolls out of old socks. This was my introduction to actually turning a design into a constructed garment on a small scale.

In pursuit of my educational endeavors, I studied Business Marketing with a minor in Fashion Design at Tennessee State University. I obtained my bachelor’s degree in 2005 and matriculated to Graduate School to obtain a Master’s in Business Administration concentration in Marketing. Soon after graduation, I discovered I was pregnant. I was overjoyed about the news and prepared myself for motherhood. Such a joyous moment was soon interrupted by some news no parents want to hear….. Autism. My son was diagnosed with Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS), a disorder on the autism spectrum. At that time, I decided to put my fashion career on hold and focus on educating myself on this disorder while working a traditional job to help pay for my son’s therapies. After nine years of therapy and specially developed curriculums, my son is doing remarkable at coping well with his autism. I learned that early prevention is vital, and I am happy I took the much-needed time to focus on my child’s developmental needs. In 2019, I decided now is a perfect time to refocus on my dreams and start my fashion line. I used money from my savings account to start my first collection.

In February 2020, I debuted our first Portia Renia collection designed and manufactured in Atlanta, GA. However, the global pandemic COVID 19 presented several setbacks in our production schedule and release dates. But by the grace of God, the collection was completed and was nothing less than perfection. We received such a great response from consumers on the design, craftsmanship, quality, and fit of the garments. We are now 4 Collections in and are currently working on our 5th Collection.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
It has definitely not been a smooth road, especially having to postpone the pursuance of my fashion endeavors for nine years. There is no more incredible feeling other than extreme gratitude and self-satisfaction when doing what you love. However, I do face challenges in balancing work-life, motherhood, and entrepreneurship. I have a lot of late nights and early mornings. My late nights consist of continuous research on various business topics to grow my company.

I have learned as a CEO and Lead Designer of a small business; you have to be an expert in every area of your business until you have the capital to hire qualified staff. I wear many hats, I have assumed all of the following roles: business operations manager, designer, fabrication expert, graphic designer, social media content creator, photographer, stylist, production manager, marketing manager, and anything else you can think of. Nevertheless, I embrace all of the stumbling blocks and setbacks as learning lessons; they will expand my knowledge base, resilience, and ultimately contribute to my business success.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Portia Renia?
Portia Renia is designed for the influential ambitious woman. A woman that gives her clothing true character and is not defined by her clothing. She exudes confidence in every aspect of her life. The Portia Renia Brand is artfully crafted with precision to provide the perfect fit to accentuate all her curves and embrace the female form. We embody the classic silhouette with an even combination of elegance and sexiness. PR embraces femininity by indulging in embellishments such as leather, lace, and studding. Whether it is a day in the office, running errands, or a night on the town, PR has pieces for every occasion. We strive to offer luxury clothing for affordable pricing.

I take great pride in our company because we not only make quality timeless clothing; our efforts do not cease there; we give back and empower women at the same time. PR donates 2.5% of its annual sales to a well-deserving nonprofit that promotes women empowerment and 2.5% to nonprofits that support autism. The personification of a woman is we can do it all. You name it; we can do it with style, grace, and effortlessness. Women are the foundation of everything, and we want to support women to reach their full potential.

Every woman wants to look powerful, draped in luxurious fabrics. They want their clothes to be a reflection of the person they are and where they strive to be. As the popular saying goes, “Don’t dress for the job you have, dress for the job you want”. Luxury brands provide a wow factor with their opulent fabrications, tailor-made construction, and exclusive designs. But let’s not forget the expensive price tag that comes with the experience. Majority of middle-class working women cannot afford to purchase a suit for $3,000-$4,000. However, my brand will offer luxury clothing at an affordable price, enabling women to confidently grace the boardroom on any social media platform looking and feeling unstoppable. Confidence is key but when accompanied with tailor-made fashionable attire, makes a true statement.

So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
To stay well engaged and be in the know with Portia Renia please follow our social media pages and subscribe to our mailing list for upcoming events, promotions, and exclusive drops.

We are always looking to foster and cultivate new relationships with other businesses that aligned with our mission and goals. For those that are looking to collaborate on any upcoming projects, events, editorials, or other business opportunities please contact us at [email protected].

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.portiarenia.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/portiarenia
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/portiarenia
• Other: www.tiktok.com/portiarenia