“We exist for people who make today ridiculously awesome.”
By Bella Larralde
Almost two decades ago, Conni Reed founded her oasis of fashion expression with her brand Consuela. Based on her hopes and dreams and out of both Austin and Mexico, Consuela has grown immensely since October 2014, when Reed first appeared on the Austin Woman cover.
In 2006, Reed brought the brand up from scratch, did all the designing and attended all wholesale trade shows from Dallas Market Center to the Javits Center in New York, having to build the set, work the show and tear down herself. However, in 2014, she worked her way up to 10 corporate members, and now Reed has a team of 50 and counting, including a visual and sales team that help grow the company, as well as year-round permanent showrooms.
“Back then I didn’t have a president, I did not have a VP of marketing and a VP of sales; it was just me,” expresses Reed.
Expanding in more ways than one, Consuela is now sold to about a thousand independent retailers and has found a home in Dillard’s, with around 250 stores that carry the brand currently.
“We are also starting to open our own stores; we have two right now and are starting to move forward with more,” Reed says.
When COVID-19 took over the nation in 2020, as with every business, Consuela faced hardships. Reed recalls the brand having a big growth spurt, but when the pandemic hit, things slowed down. “It’s hard because you were going and going, and it is so exciting, and then all of a sudden it is hard again and you’re like, ‘Oh gosh, am I ready for another go again?’” Reed admits.
However, the people keep Reed going. Beyond the heavy influence Mexico has on the brand, it is also the second home to another Consuela headquarters that Reed is hoping to grow in the future. The manufacturers and suppliers that Consuela uses are a community of artists from Mexico that hold meaning for Reed.
“We have been with the same manufacturers and suppliers for all these years,” Reed reveals. “It makes a difference to them and their family and the trajectory of a craft in Mexico because they have a place to sell it.”
A true art of the unmatched, Consuela’s new spring collection displays an array of designs from the vibrancy of various colors of the rainbow to muted and neutral colors for fans of the low-key vibe.
“I love textures and bits and pieces of things because I feel like it tells individual stories,” Reed explains. “I believe color lifts people, so to me to have something bright, even if it’s on the inside, makes today ridiculously awesome.”
The journey isn’t ending anytime soon for Reed, who has high hopes for Consuela’s future. “We have something called Consuela Connects and a program called Viva Babe,” says Reed. “Viva Babe is where we honor women who are doing amazing things in the world. We like to honor them and talk about them and just show them gratitude.”
Not only is she looking to grow Consuela’s community programs both here and in Mexico, but she hopes to expand her whole brand, including home décor.
“When I started the company, I also did home décor, and I did shoes and all kinds of stuff like blankets, pillows, poofs, frames. I want to go back into all of that again.”
Driven by huge visions and dreams for her future, Reed credits her success so far to simply waking up every day and doing her best. “One of my secret talents is that I’m steady,” Reed proclaims. “I am here every day, I am responsible and I do what I say I’m going to do. Over time it works out.
“At the end of the day, even though we’ve grown so much, we are still small in the scheme of things. We have so many people who have never even heard of us yet. So, there’s just a huge opportunity to continue to grow and share the message of ‘Make today ridiculously awesome.’”