Meet Andrea Miclea, a driven entrepreneur who, together with her best friend, Christine, co-founded Soleil, a luxury headwear brand. Their brand is centered around mental health, positivity, and self-love. According to Andrea, what you wear should contribute not only to your confidence but also to your well-being in general. The hats they create are carefully crafted with custom affirmations to remind their customers that they are loved, whole, unique, and celebrated.
Andrea’s entrepreneurial journey started long before Soleil. She has always had a passion for business, and after COVID-19 hit, she wanted to create a passion project. Her love for hats led her to create a business centered around them, but with a purpose. Meanwhile, Christine, who has worked in the medical industry as an occupational therapist for the past seven years, sees the effects of mental health on her patients every day. She also wanted to create a brand that talks about the hard things, highlights the importance of mental health, and offers beautiful reminders of our identity.
The idea for Soleil came to reality during a random girls’ trip in San Diego. Andrea and Christine talked about their love for hats and how it would be a great idea to have affirmations inside them. From that moment, they committed to creating a brand that not only offers luxury hats but also a message of love, positivity, and self-care. It took them about six months to find a manufacturer and sort everything out, but they succeeded despite many hurdles. The factory shut down multiple times due to COVID, their cargo was stuck at the port due to supply-chain demand issues, and so much more. However, they navigated each situation with grace and kept their eye on the prize.
Soleil has already achieved many milestones in just seven months of business. They have worked with multiple influencers and established brand partnerships with boutiques in their cities. Their business model is E-commerce B2B and B2C, and they currently have a team of five working for them. They have huge plans to scale their company in the future.
What sets Soleil apart from their competitors is their belief in fashion with purpose. They want their customers to feel bold, luxurious, and reminded of how amazing they are when they put on their hats. All of their hats have custom affirmations built into them, reminding their customers that they are special and have a unique identity and story to live into. Soleil is also set apart from their competitors in their investment in the finest materials. They prioritize quality over higher margins, ensuring their customers have the best of the best.
In terms of their response to the pandemic, Soleil launched their business amid the chaos of lockdowns and uncertainty. They had to choose their manufacturer through Zoom calls, never able to step foot in the factory due to international travel restrictions. However, they always pushed forward, even when setbacks occurred.
Andrea and Christine’s vision for the next five years is to expand and scale their business. They want to bring all their manufacturing to America and be a fully US-based company. They also plan to hire a team of 20-50 people in the next five years to work fully remote and in-office for them.
The story of Andrea and Christine is an inspiration to all women entrepreneurs out there. They proved that with passion, purpose, and perseverance, anything is possible. So, run after what sets your soul on fire, pursue your dreams, and create a business that empowers and inspires others.
