"Just get out there and do it" with Mariko Ichikawa

Mariko Ichikawa is born of mixed heritage (her father is Japanese and her mother is Italian- American). The New York City native and former Dubai resident started her line of up-cycled kimonos after spending almost a decade as a womenswear buyer for stores like Bergdorf Goodman and Barneys. An avid equestrian and veteran burner, Mariko currently resides in East Harlem, NY with her dog Coco and her cat Koney.  https://marikoichikawa.com/

Can you tell our readers about your background?

I grew up in New York City and graduated from UPenn in 2006. Despite studying Fine Arts, I went on to become a womenswear buyer for major department stores in New York City and Dubai. Buying was thrilling, but the travel was taxing! Then, I tried my hand in merchandising before starting my line in 2019.  

What inspired you to start your business?

I had always wanted to design clothes since I was a child, but I wasn’t sure I had the chops to make it a career. I first came up with my kimonos while at my last corporate job as a merchandiser for a luxury home goods brand. I wanted to turn second-hand kimonos into jackets that I could wear in NYC and so I made a couple of samples.  My fashion friends responded positively, and when the steel tariffs came around, I was laid off! I took that as an opportunity to pursue my dream of designing. 

Where is your business based?

New York City, but the kimonos are all produced in India.

How did you start your business? What were the first steps you took?

The very first step was to make my first samples, and then show them, my mentors, for their honest feedback. Honestly, I was so nervous about how the fashion industry might not value me as a designer since I had previously been a buyer.  I really needed the initial validation and I was lucky to get it!

What has been the most effective way of raising awareness for your business?

Emailing all of my personal contacts when I started my business really helped me gain initial awareness. I try not to annoy my friends with too many emails, but ultimately, it’s been friends helping me all of the ways! For example, my kimonos were recently featured on Season 5 of Queer Eye on Netflix, and this happened through a friend, who just happened to read one of my email updates.  

What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?

I think my biggest challenge initially was a lack of self-confidence. Creating a new product that is so deeply personal and doesn’t fit into what is already out there is most definitely a blessing, but in the wrong mindset, it can seem like a curse. If I am not careful in taking comments and conversations in context, I can easily get swept up in negative thinking.  Luckily, I have an intelligent and supportive network of friends who graciously ground me when needed.

How do you stay focused?

If the pandemic taught me anything, it’s to be patient. I will admit, though, that it is difficult for me to stay focused when things slow down! So, when that happens, I set small goals for myself too - like, today, just send 3 emails and be proud of yourself. Taking a step back (and celebrating the small wins) is usually enough to help me find my focus again.  

How do you differentiate your business from the competition?

I think that my kimonos are a reflection of my biracial heritage is a big one. There may be a lot of other kimono producers out there, but I’ve had so many people tell me that they can see both the Japanese and Italian influence in mine. Not to mention the sustainability aspect- all of my kimonos are up-cycled from discarded, traditional Japanese kimonos. 

What has been your most effective marketing strategy to grow your business?

Ha! I am working on my strategy, and I can’t say there has been any real strategy per se thus far. I suppose my best marketing idea was to create a newsletter for my brand and sending it to all of my personal friends because that is what led to Queer Eye.

What's your best piece of advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs?

Just get out there and do it. No one ever feels ready and it’s easy to get caught up in researching until everything feels perfect. While there are times that I regret putting myself out there a little too soon or a little under-prepared, I also know that starting my own fashion brand and business is a huge learning curve for me, and it’s impossible to always get it “right.” I also think that starting small and diving in allowed me to remain open to how my new business would best grow. And anyway, nothing ever goes the way you planned, so it’s best to just get a sense of where you want to go and get out there!  

What's your favorite app, blog, and book? Why?

Not fashion related, but my favorite app is Flo for menstrual cycle prediction. If you are religious with documenting your period, along with any symptoms, I’m sure you will be shocked at how accurate it is! My favorite book of all time is Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollen- it really opened my eyes to the history of food production in this country.

What's your favorite business tool or resource? Why?

Shopify- I am always in awe at how much they do to make managing your own website easy and successful- from customizable themes to third party apps (like Shopping Gives, which I use to easily send donations from online purchases on my site to 501(3)c charities), Shopify makes a fabulous product that is also affordable and easy to use.  

Who is your business role model? Why?

Elizabeth Von Der Goltz, who is the Global Buying Director of Net-A-Porter. I had the pleasure of working for her at Bergdorf and she showed me that it’s entirely possible to have it all! I think sometimes women can feel that in order to be taken “seriously,” you may have to make some compromises in who you are at work. Working for Elizabeth showed me that you could be smart, beautiful, stylish, hard-working, down-to-earth, honest, and kind, while still being respected and taken “seriously” as a skillful business leader. She showed me that I didn’t need to sacrifice anything if I wanted to become a successful woman in business. I’ve only realized now how important it is for young women to have role models like that in the work-place.

How do you balance work and life?

I use my calendar on my phone and a block out time for everything- work and play. As a visual person, this is the only way I can get things done without burning out or being habitually late to everything. 

What’s your favorite way to decompress?

A night of drinking and laughs with friends!

What do you have planned for the next six months?

I’ll be getting my Master’s degree in Marketing next Spring from the Zicklin School of Business at Baruch College, so hopefully, finally, get that marketing strategy in place!

How can our readers connect with you?

I’m in the following boutiques; Curio at Faena Bazaar in Miami, Mikel Hunter in Martha’s Vineyard and Hudson NY, Yuta Powell on Madison Avenue, Matriark in Sag Harbor, and Elizabeth Anthony in Houston.  You can also see Karamo Brown wearing my kimonos on Season 5 Queer Eye in episodes 2, 3, 7, 8, and 10. You can also find me online at marikoichikawa.com or on Instagram at @marikoichikawanyc.