Renée Greenstein
Fashion Designer
Visiting QVC in 2013
I’m a self-proclaimed QVC Queen! My mother and I watched QVC from the first day it aired over 30 years ago. A little known fact about me is that on St. Patricks’s Day, March 17, 2013, I was actually on QVC promoting my first book Wise Irish Women, featuring the fantastic QVC host Jane Treacy. I was on for 47 seconds, and our book ultimately sold out!
I have fond memories and a lot of outfits from QVC that I have accumulated over the years. One designer that I absolutely love and I have followed over the years is Renée Greenstein. The renowned global fashion designer is the founder of Women with Control® and ATTITUDES by Renée®, two of the best-selling fashion lines on QVC USA, UK & Japan.
Long before COVID – 19’s impact on fashion and the new focus on loungewear, Renée created Women with Control® and Attitudes by Renée®. These two seasonless collections are designed with detail to prints and unique fabrications, ensuring the perfect fit and style for your body. Renée learned how clothing should fit a "real woman" during her experience as a fit model and traveling the world. At this time, Renée met and connected with countless women who shared their struggles with "everyday" fashion.
Founded on her belief that “Style is not about size, it’s about attitude®,” her collection, Women with Control®, is designed to be the “real girl” solution. Renée’s collection is designed to slim, flatten, and support every curve with comfort in styles and colors you’ll love. Whatever your age, size, or body type, Renée designs clothing that gives you control over how you look and feel, giving you the ease to wear, care for, and even pack. Her brands offer sizes from 0 to 28 in petite, regular, and tall lengths made for the everyday woman. Renée Greenstein teaches women how to be put together, not thrown together, from the moment you start to the moment you end your day.
In "The B Words," I discuss how important it is to feel confident in the world. We exude confidence when our style matches our Attitude, and we are comfortable, put together in well-fitting, beautiful fashion. Renee lives the B Words – Babe and Bad Ass. Not only does she continue to grow her fashion empire from her New York City Studio, but she is also launching a new book called Women with Control that will release December of 2020.
Here is Renee’s story:
TK: How did you become a fashion designer?
RG: I started out my career by first doing some fit modeling. I've always had a passion for clothing. My aunt, who lived in France, used to always send me clothes. I would always go visit her and look at all the fashion magazines she had. I was a sharp dresser even as a young girl. I was 13 years old when I got my first Louis Vuitton bag. Then I got my first Chanel jacket when I was 16. Both the bag and jacket were from my aunt. People would always comment on how I dressed, and someone asked me why I didn't design clothes because I seemed to have a great eye for it. With my flair for fashion and the opportunity of working as a fit model with designers, I was able to put my passion, flair, and fit expertise altogether. And that’s how I became a fashion designer!
TK: What were some of the challenges you faced along the way?
RG: Starting from the bottom with no funds was a challenge in and of itself. One of my biggest challenges outside of that was not being taken seriously. Being a fit model, I wanted to make clothing for real women. Sometimes, larger women would look at me and say, "what do you know about clothing?" because how could I possibly dress someone who does not share my size or body type? That's why I make clothes for every woman. I wanted to be inclusive of all sizes, and eventually, I went on to trademark the phrase, "Style is not about size; it's about Attitude!"
TK: What challenges did you want to solve with your brand Women with Control® and Attitudes by Renee®?
RG: I want all women to look fantastic and feel comfortable. Not to just make cookie-cutter clothing up to a certain size. I started doing large sizes before anyone else did. I actually speak to my plus size ladies and really listen to the issues they've had with clothing in the past. I like to think of myself as the "problem/solution" designer because I believe that the right fit makes all the difference.
TK: Who was your role model?
RG: Donna Karen and Coco Chanel. I admire and love strong, powerful women.
TK: What is your favorite quote?
RG: Life is not a dress rehearsal; live for today!
TK: Who gave you some good advice?
RG: My father always said to me, "The day you think you know everything is the day you become stupid." There will always be more to learn. We have short memories. We can forget and move on, but we must learn from our mistakes. I'm not righteous, but I stand by my convictions, and I am humble enough to learn from my mistakes.
“My career has taken me to every corner of the world, allowing me to be with beautiful women from all different walks of life. Something we all have in common is that we have a little bit of ‘attitude’ that helps us stand out from the rest.”
TK: What advice do you give to young women entering the fashion industry?
RG: Fashion looks glamorous and easy on the outside, but the industry is not a pink cloud. It takes hard work, determination, and stamina to break into the industry and stay relevant over time. I would tell a young woman to make sure this is what they want to do because it will not be easy. Start with these questions:
What is your purpose?
What are you offering that nobody else has?
Are you willing to make the sacrifice necessary to make it?
You must believe in yourself. If you believe in yourself and have a passion for what you do, go for it. If you have a dream, no matter what it is, don’t give up on it. But you must ask yourself the question. "What am I willing to do to make my dream a reality?" You will get knocked down. If you are sensitive, your feelings will get hurt, but are you willing to keep going? There will be rejection. Rarely does success happen overnight.
In the beginning, everyone, including my husband, told me that entering the fashion industry was not a good idea. My husband and I have been married for 30 years. When he proposed, I told him. "if we do this, you will never be bored!"
As I started my business, he said, "Give it six months. If it doesn't take off, you can find a job." And off I went! Despite all the doubt and naysayer's, my designs became a success. If I had listened to the doubters, I would not be where I am today.
Click to visit reneegreenstein.com and shop the Women with Control and ATTITUDES by Renee collections.
