Modern Fashion: Shannon Slack Of Luna Selene On The 5 Things You Need To Lead a Successful Fashion Brand Today

Many in the fashion industry have been making huge pivots in their business models. Many have turned away from the fast fashion trend. Many have been focusing on fashion that also makes a social impact. Many have turned to sustainable and ethical sourcing. Many have turned to hi tech manufacturing. Many have turned to subscription models. What are the other trends that we will see in the fashion industry? What does it take to lead a successful fashion brand today?

In our series called, “5 Things You Need To Lead a Successful Fashion Brand Today” we are talking to successful leaders of fashion brands who can talk about the Future of Fashion and the 5 things it takes to lead a successful fashion brand in our “new normal.”

As a part of this series I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Shannon Slack, founder of Luna Selene.

Timeless femininity made to empower: That’s Luna Selene, atelier of high-elegance shoes. Founder Shannon Slack spent over a decade hustling in the corporate world with one thing missing — shoes that could keep up with her level of drive and determination. Tired of seeing the heels get smaller while her dreams got bigger, Shannon handcrafted the perfect shoe she felt was missing and launched a shoe company at the intersection of perfection and purpose, elevating the modern-day woman through fashion.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit more. Can you tell us a bit about your childhood “backstory”?

When I was a child, Luna Selene was an unrealized dream. I had a fashion design kit. I would sit at my dining room table and draw my own designs. For every movie I watched, I would recreate sketches of the clothing and shoes each character wore. But while it brought me so much joy and was woven so tightly into childhood, I only discovered the true passion later down the road as an adult. Life and work experiences propelled me forward, and I founded my own shoe company named after my other lifelong inspiration — the moon.

Can you tell us the story about what led you to this particular career path?

My love for fashion runs deep. I learned by being in the corporate world that I gained self-confidence by crafting my own professional identity, and a lot of that surrounded the clothes I wore. I constantly sought out good shoes that would hold up to the same level of drive and determination I had, and really found interest in corporate fashion when I discovered that the power of fashion reverberates through how you show up in ALL areas of the job.

When the pandemic hit and shut everything down, it offered me time to reflect on what came next. I was lucky to still have my corporate job (though it looked a bit different), but this newfound space in my day-to-day gave me time to soul search and begin moonlighting my new business venture on the side.

I knew the time was now for Luna Selene.

I reached out to a local designer who helped me with my first two collections, and on my third collection, I designed the shoes entirely myself.

Now, Luna Selene is a successful atelier of handcrafted footwear invoking the everyday elegance and timelessness of femininity, designed with comfort at the forefront so women can wear them in any setting. It is gliding through the office with effortless elegance. It is winning a high-stakes negotiation, and then care-freely meeting your partner for dinner and a movie. Luna Selene is a show line embodying the glamour of the 1950s-60s, with the power of the modern woman.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?

Selling with Wolf & Badger, a global marketplace and storefront in New York City, has been such a tremendous deal and opportunity for me. I’ve learned so much from them about the shoe business and how to get my product to a huge customer base. I had no idea the level of detail that goes into every aspect of reaching that goal, and it’s so interesting to pick up the information and be able to use it to grow Luna Selene even further.

You are a successful business leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?

1. Fearlessness. When I first started, no one was interested in working with me and some store owners really tore me apart. I occasionally had to badger with them. But if I had let their push back or my fear of failure keep me down, I would never have heard the countless “yes” answers I received from better, bigger opportunities.
2. Gumption. My shoes are often the most expensive shoes in smaller stores, and that’s due to the high-quality and handcrafted care I put into every single design. Having the gumption to recognize the value of my shoes — and myself as a business owner — has put Luna Selene in a category above the rest, and allowed me to maintain confidence in the product I create.
3. Personability. I started this business at a time when people weren’t really going out or getting dressed up for work. But my personality and genuine passion translated to landing Luna Selene shoes on their perfect owner no matter the circumstance, while also giving me a gateway to business partnerships that became the heartbeat of my success.

What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?

The classic design and vintage flare of Luna Selene set us apart from other shoe brands. You don’t see the same look amongst our competitors that we have, and we specialize in not-too-high block heels for maximum comfort blended with style. We also design with really high quality, starting the process six months to a year ahead of launch season. We ask our customers what THEY want, and we strive to give it to them with a touch of Luna Selene magic sewn in. A unique look, craftsmanship with integrity (no fast fashion here), and shoes built to last. We specialize in block heels for comfort, too.

Do you have a favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share a story of how that was relevant to you in your life?

In Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike, Phil Knight said “Play by the rules but be ferocious.”

Reading this quote was the moment that sparked me to go for it on my own path.

Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. Do you see any fascinating developments emerging over the next few years in the fashion industry that you are excited about? Can you tell us about that?

I’m really excited about people’s desire to work with brands that have a strong purpose. Whether that’s a brand being ethically conscious or brands giving back, brands have a greater opportunity now than ever before to show our voice and stand for our values. Not only is this important to our lives as everyday people, but it also gives brands the chance to build long-lasting and perfectly aligned customer relationships that move us forward.

Can you share how your brand is helping to bring goodness to the world?

I believe a woman will do amazing things when she is able to represent her truest, most powerful self to the world. Fashion is a means to do that, and Luna Selene exists to give working women a luxe look with comfort.

Crafting a wardrobe to match my attitude and the confidence I aimed to achieve helped me take my life to the next level. I found so much of myself through fashion, and Luna Selene exists to help other women find the same confidence within themselves.

Can you share with our readers about the ethical standards you use when you choose where to source materials?

Luna Selene shoes have always been ethically sourced and hand-crafted with the highest quality. Within four months of launch, Luna Selene shoes have been specifically manufactured in Italy, the pinnacle of fashion, and we pride ourselves in being slow fashion. We specifically choose to do small batch over fast fashion because with small batch, we don’t overbuy (or waste) product, the products are hand-crafted, and the designs are more exclusive.

Fast fashion may be affordable, but it has the drawback that it does not last very long and is therefore not sustainable. Companies often end up burning excess products that don’t sell, wasting loads of time, energy, and resources.

I choose to spend more and take my time to make a better-quality product.

Thank you for all that. Here is the main question of our interview. What are your “5 Things You Need To Lead a Successful Fashion Brand”. Please share a story or example for each.

1. Believe in yourself, no matter what others think. Don’t give up when you get knocked down and keep moving forward. There might be a few who say no, but for every no, there will still be a yes.
2. Have passion and love for what you do. Having passion fuels the drive to get out of bed every morning with the realization that you love your work and are building something exactly the way you see fit.
3. Be authentic. Be true to yourself and let divine timing happen.
4. Practice community over competition. Instead of losing yourself in comparison to your competitors, view others as resources you can learn from to lift one another up.
5. Go for it! Don’t operate in fear. Make the decisions that feel right and give you the opportunity to shine and grow.

Every industry constantly evolves and seeks improvement. How do you think the fashion industry can improve itself? Can you give an example?

The emphasis right now is on fast fashion and I’m trying to change that, no matter the cost. The practices within fast fashion weigh heavy. I think consciously made brands are the future of fashion and brands with higher quality will keep the trade of footwear alive.

You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

My biggest goal when Luna Selene makes it big is to start a nonprofit that gives shoes to women entering the workforce in underdeveloped countries. I’ve seen firsthand the confidence good quality fashion brings the table, and for some, obtaining professional wear at all is a challenge in the first place. I want to remove this barrier for women while giving them not just hand-me-downs, but high quality, fashionable, trending footwear they LOVE to help them achieve a career — and life — they love.

How can our readers further follow your work online?

https://lunaselenellc.com/

https://www.instagram.com/lunaseleneatelier/

https://www.facebook.com/LunaSeleneAtelier

Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.