S01: Turning a Defining Moment Into Long Term Success with Julie Mollo

Best-known as the creator of pop star Katy Perry’s iconic fruit-inspired ensembles, fashion designer Julie Mollo is the go-to stylist for rockstars and party girls looking to make a brazen statement. Her witty, inventive take on retro fashion guarantees a standout look in a sea of similarity. Since getting the gig to dress Katy Perry while still a student at Pratt Institute, Julie's designs have been widely featured on television and in print. Glamour, Nylon, Entertainment Weekly, MSNBC and The Boston Globe are only a few of the notable media outlets that have documented her style legacy.

Julie’s theme: Fun, Flirty, Retro, Rock & Roll! It’s a style that she has been crafting since she was young. A style that has given her an identity and confidence to do incredible things. One of those things was to create outfits for Katy Perry. For many people it was Katy’s distinct style that first caught their attention. An impressive musician, but also someone who stood out as fun, flirty, retr…wait. So maybe a lot of people didn't know it, but they were being introduced to Julie for the first time as well.

But as quickly as things can rise, there’s always some sort of fall on the other side. Julie was still in college at Pratt Institute while this madness was going on. And there were so many things that this newly found popularity was forcing her to think about. All of a sudden Julie needed to start a business, fulfill orders, and do it all from her dorm room. It wasn't easy, and couple years later things didn't get easier when she felt like a washed up star in her early 20’s. But Julie hasn't let this one moment define her, she’s used it as fuel and moved on. An incredible story about how one email and a lot of hard work led her to where she knew she would be.

Find Julie Online:

Website - https://juliemollo.com/

Facebook - @juliemollo

Instagram - @juliemollo

Twitter - @fashionosaurus

Some Questions I Ask:

• Did you find your style in high school?
• Did college make you a better designer?
• Was there a tough time to go through after the Katy Perry moment ended?
• How important is it to have different options and price points for your work?
• What would you say to people about attacking what you want?

In This Episode, You Will Learn About:

• Being fun, flirty, and retro
• Proving people wrong
• How Julie dressed Katy Perry
• How to rebound after having success and having a lull 
• Creating a business on the fly

Music Composed by John Zarcone