Looking Back To Look Forward
Hello...
It's me, Summer.
Nearly 7 years ago I decided change my career as a stylist and take a chance on creating my own clothing label. Maybe some of you know my story but maybe some of you don't - so I wanted to take some time to share my journey as a designer and the evolution of TEN TOMORROW.
To be honest, I started TEN TOMORROW as a curiosity...more of a hobby than a business. I have no formal background in design or construction so I never named the brand after myself; instead, I named it after a feeling and a concept. I'm most creative at TEN (usually after a coffee or matcha) and this brand is proof that TOMORROW can be anything we want. Beyond the name, the only thing I was sure of, was that it would take a team to help build my dream. This certainty built the bones of what we now know as the TT Team.
In 2014 I debuted my first collection. It was an all white capsule to represent my fresh start into something new. I went for full editorial "high fashion" vibes. I created intricate designs, worked with difficult fabrics, and pushed the boundaries of what I would wear. Long story short - it flopped. Total fail. No factory wanted to sew it and no customers wanted to risk the all white styles. I didn't give up.
Over the next few years I quickly began to realize that I had no clear voice as a designer. I wasn't a star from Project Runway who had a vision; no, I designed whatever I wanted and it was ALL OVER the spectrum of fashion. My first big break was getting into Nordstrom in 2016. It was the first real push to becoming who we are today.
I struggled (and sometimes still do) to define who we are. My growth as a designer has been shaped by the growth of the brand:
- The everlasting balance between what we want vs what will sell
- My customer base. Who are they? How do they live?
- My team. How much can we do?
I'm inspired every single day by everything around me. It's the constant blending of all my experiences that shape the brand. I believe that TEN TOMORROW is more than a clothing label, but a lifestyle. We grow, we have moods, and we evolve as life does. I created a collage of our evolution through the years. I will always push to continue this evolution and inspiration.
This brings us to our latest launch. We named the collection after our newest print - "Rising Tides". This concept represents not only the ebb and flow of our success and struggles, but our current push to rise up starting now. We are coming into our own as a brand and it's time to celebrate it.
The print features various depths of blues and the classic pop of the TEN TOMORROW coral. We are debuting Rising Tides in our best-selling fits but more exciting, we revisited the design archives to RELAUNCH original styles that haven't been produced in YEARS. This collection is a beautiful mix of our past + our present.
We hope you enjoy it all as much as we have creating it. Allow us to introduce a sneak peek of RISING TIDES...
Now this is where I might get mushy... I wanted to also share how grateful I am for all of you: My family/friends, my team, my customers. You are all so special to me and have had such an incredible impact on our growth on me and our company. We wouldn't be who we are today without each and every one of you.
You might not have noticed but we recently renovated a little bit of our Kaimuki boutique... We've got brand new signs out front and we upgraded our workspace! We are happy to OFFICIALLY announce - that we are here to stay. Our beloved Kaimuki shop/workspace will be our home for another FIVE years (at least).
Who's ready to CELEBRATE?! We are throwing what we call "A TEN TOMORROW CELEBRATION"
Mark your calendars for Saturday, March 14th. We've got lots of things planned for you!
- While our store will open regularly at 10AM, the PARTY is 4PM-8PM
- We will debut the Rising Tides Collection
- All TT purchases will be 10% OFF (this is unprecedented to get new arrivals at a discount)
- Get a free entry to our Lucky Draw
- Enjoy FREE sushi, pupus, and drinks all night
- Pop Ups by Pure Joy Hawaii, Umbrella Collective, and Jules + Gem
We are going ALL out so please come by and celebrate with us! Please RSVP by Monday 3/9 - CLICK HERE (or call us at 808-591-6219).
Thanks for reading this extra long post!!
Love you,
Summer Shiigi