Fashionpreneurs: Chicago Entrepreneur Turns Dress Obsession Into Stylish Startup
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Earlier this year, Chicago-based former stylist turned fashion designer, Jenna Zielbaur launched her line of cocktail dresses, Cotton Candy Couture.
“I wanted to develop a boutique line of one-of-a-kind dresses, designed for women that aren’t afraid to wear stilettos, take fashion risks and be the center of attention — at least when it comes to their outfit,” said Zielbauer.
To capitalize on her “dress obsession” the young entrepreneur launched her new collection with a goal to strategically produce limited quantities so that the “who wore it better” moment from last weekend will soon be a thing of the past.
Learn how Jenna launched her fashion startup and why she believes entrepreneurs shouldn’t skip writing a business plan.
| Company: | Cotton Candy Couture |
| Founder(s): | Jenna Zielbauer |
| Location: | Chicago, IL |
| Industry: | Specialty Retail |
| Startup Year: | 2012 |
| Startup Costs: | $20,000 |
How I Got Started:
There is no other way to say it other than I am literally dress obsessed.
I found myself constantly on the hunt for the ‘It’ dress that was unique, memorable, and of course fun. After purchasing and editing dresses to make them even more statement-worthy — way too many times — I threw the idea out to my husband that I should create my own one-of-a-kind cocktail dress collection and it stuck.
Every ounce of me believes that there is a demand for dresses like the ones we’ve made available.
