The Angel Wears Prada – and her name is NJ Falk. This luxury branding expert and mentor is the woman behind some of our favorite brands – including – 11 Honoré, Starface, Bumo Work, Artha, Modern Picnic, APL, and DeMarson. Beyond her impressive personal resumé, this business-savvy fashionista is helping other female founders build their brands – the ‘NJ way.’
She’s also the Co-Founder and Chief Mentorpreneur™ (a term she trademarked) of The Forward Female, a consulting and creative agency for female entrepreneurs, and an angel investor, mentor, and strategic advisor for female-focused luxury and consumer brands.
Brilliant, smart and passionate are just a few words to describe NJ. She is self-assured and oozes the kind of confidence that can only be honed from years of experience and wisdom in the industry. NJ is not afraid to be true to who she is; a spunky fashionista with a zest for life – her infectious energy, drive, and personality radiates when you speak to her. Paired with her whip-smart attitude, it is evident how NJ got to where she is as an entrepreneur.
What does NJ do in her free time? Attend events with Fendi x Skims, Versace, and catch up with Grazia, of course.
Can you tell us what initially sparked your passion for fashion and entrepreneurship?
My mother, who was ahead of her time and a graduate of Parsons School of Design, had a deep love of fashion and sparked mine. She was constantly educating me about the industry, designers, trends, materials, fabrications, design history and the important role fashion can play in an individual’s life—as a reflection of who you are and how you authentically present yourself to the outside world. I fell in love with this world and how she practiced the famous Bill Cunningham quote that “Fashion is the armor to survive the reality of everyday life.” This took on even more meaning when my mother was widowed at an early age and started her own successful consulting practice. She was the embodiment of being self-reliant in the face of tragedy because you never know what will happen in life. She showed me the joys, financial rewards, and creativity that an entrepreneurial venture can bring into your life along with the importance of hard work. One of her hallmarks was how she did it all with great style. Every day I want to represent her and myself in the best way possible. Fashion is an essential and wonderful part of that dialogue and how you present your working and personal persona to the world.
You’ve worked with some incredible emerging and established brands. Can you tell us a highlight or memorable moment from working in fashion?
I have always loved discovering new brands and designers but a recent event stands out as a full circle moment. I am literally the OG #MonseGirl. Their deconstructed tailoring and graphic prints combine to create an emblematic casual look that aligns with my style. Because I was such an early supporter, I’ve been lucky enough to have an ongoing dialogue with the house. Their designs have become an integral part of my work and play wardrobe. This all recently culminated when I co-hosted, with designer Laura Kim, their first LA dinner party to introduce and celebrate the brand. It was literally a bucket list moment for me to be able to share and celebrate the brand. However, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention doing a design collaboration with DeMarson last year as a pinch me moment, a brand I have mentored from its inception, along with Louis Vuitton inviting me to their breathtaking 2018 Cruise show in Kyoto Japan, and the honor of wearing a very special Jason Wu gown, that was incredibly sheer and with suspenders, to the Chaos to Couture Met Gala, as a three-way tie.
Tell us about your reasoning behind starting The Forward Female, and what do you hope women in fashion take away from it?
I started the Forward Female, our coaching and creative agency, with my co-founders Priscilla Presley and Lauren Cheek, who is also one of my former mentees, with a mission to help emerging female entrepreneurs push boundaries while giving them meaningful context, structure, and scaffolding to help women build successful businesses and thriving communities. The three of us also discussed the importance of giving back by sharing our experiences because it can be life-changing when a mentor empowers you to make moves you wouldn’t make on your own. We want others to benefit from what we’ve learned and know they are supported by a strong community. From our deep experiences and our many clients in the fashion industry, we have seen first-hand it can be an especially demanding and complex business particularly at the beginning stages or when you are leveling up an existing brand. We want to support the fashion community and the ability of emerging designers to build businesses and take charge of the environment around them by providing the skillset they need to be successful and competitive.
What is your favorite fashion trend right now, and who inspires you?
The “shock of wearable clothes” and the stunning midi coats that marched down the Fall/Winter 23 runways are on my must-have list. I loved it all along with the return to elegant classics, basic black looks that are suddenly not so basic anymore, along with the hip-hugging skirts, daring metallics and shimmering sequins often woven into yarns that are trending. The embodiment of all of this was brilliantly encapsulated in Donatella Versace’s Fall/Winter LA presentation, which I attended, and the Valentino “Black Tie” Fall 23 show. Each of these collections, and Monse designer Laura Kim, inspire me with their talent, dedication and deep understanding of a busy career women’s multi-faceted life. Their creativity, entrepreneurial spirit, and vision deeply influence and inspire me in my career.
What does being a Mentorpreneur™ mean to you, and what advice would you give to early female entrepreneurs?
One of the greatest benefits of being a mentorpreneur™, an individual who is both an experienced mentor and a serial entrepreneur, is how it is a wonderful two-way street. The mentee benefits from the successes and failures of someone who has taken the journey and learned the routes, the best direct paths, the potential roadblocks, and the critical shortcuts to building a business. Consequentially a mentor can share their road map in the most meaningful, personal way by giving ongoing, earnest, constructive feedback and specific advice from the perspective of someone who has been in their shoes. It’s someone who is in your corner and operating in a neutral zone, conveying information that is balanced, honest, and in your own best interest.
What is also special about this relationship is the mentor also benefits from the mentee by learning about them and the business challenges they face. It is a dynamic form of continuing your own education and you have a mutual learning experience through your mentee. As part of this process, I have some distinct methodologies I share with early-stage entrepreneurs. First, don’t get started without a clear understanding of your target market and what problem you are solving. Look for that distinct market niche. It is critically important to set short term achievable milestones, usually in 90-day cycles, that are broken down from your major objections. This makes them more manageable and achievable. It also allows you to celebrate the small wins. Build your business plan along with your marketing plan work towards profitably versus just being in pursuit of relentless growth. As part of this, be prepared to pivot, pivot, pivot. Not everything stays on plan and there are always lots of “no’s” along the way. Don’t let this deter you. Everyone goes through it. Finally, keep moving forward. Build your network and community. You carry it with you for a lifetime and it can support you in so many ways in achieving your goals.
What’s next for you?
There are so many things happening right now at APL but I am particularly excited about starting up a new entrepreneurial venture focused on creating a smaller, highly curated womenswear collection that I hope to unveil later this year with a new partner. It’s been a dream of mine and on my bucket list for a very long time.
Tell us about your work with APL – any upcoming projects you can talk about?
As the pioneer and innovator of the “luxury performance segment” in women’s and men’s athletic footwear, a category that didn’t previously exist, APL is rooted in technology and innovation. Our products are an integral part of my daily workout routine and what I enjoy most in life as I am a runner (and you can often find me on my favorite trails in the Hollywood Hills) and embrace, a very active, sporty lifestyle.
Our combination of world-class patented technologies and our unique, innovative design vision has enabled us to deliver products that deeply engage consumers because we embody beautiful performance and the ultimate in comfort in every aspect of an individual’s active lifestyle. We do this with our extensive internal library of materials including our own blends, compounds, formulations, technologies, and textiles with nearly every major component of our shoes either a proprietary formulation or textile including our patented TechLoom® knit, Propelium® and FutureFoam™ outsoles. We are always pushing the limits of what is possible which is why we were excited to recently announce that APL is the now the official footwear partner of the Oracle Red Bull F1 Racing, and after building the most beautiful retail experience in Los Angeles, that The World of APL is coming to Soho in New York City this summer. It’s going to be a very exciting year.