Meet
Adele Tetangco – co-founder of Garmentory, co-founder of
Tigre et Tigre, creator of Reassembled Show, and one of our favourite people to follow on Instagram when we're running low on outfit ideas (I mean, check out these mirror selfies!). And apart from all of this, Adele somehow still manages to be a full time mom of two. To say that Adele is a force to be reckoned with is an understatement. And somehow we managed to catch her during her very busy schedule to chat about her last project, Garmentory, an indie boutique marketplace that we're honoured to be a part of, her latest projects and adventures, and what her beginnings in fashion looked like. Keep on scrolling!
Who is Adele Tetangco?
A crazed woman who enjoys the finer things in life, such as eating fast food.
How would you describe your personal style in one sentence?
Currently I’m leaning towards a mom from 1988.
And how has your style evolved in the past five years?
I think that with working with so many different brands, I’ve come to really appreciate quality by understanding the time that is put in to actually creating a garment. So gradually, fast fashion has been eliminated from my entire closet. It’s impacted my style tremendously. I feel like I take more risks now than I did before.
You’re such an inspiration, especially for female-identifying entrepreneurs around the world! So naturally, we want to know who have been your inspirations throughout your life?
Aw! That is so sweet of you to say! I’m blushing! I’ve been introduced to so many amazing women in my career. I have a Mentor – Ginny Hershey-Lambert who’s been instrumental in pushing me and helping me to shape my career. I’m also inspired by all of the women that I work with. There’s never been one who hasn’t worked hard. And also my eldest daughter. She’s cool and put together. She’s my total opposite.
You co-founded Garmentory in 2014 and have now moved onto Reassembled, a micro tradeshow that features an amazing curation of designers (some of which we are very proud to stock at New Classics). Amidst all this, how do you keep yourself grounded and prevent yourself from burning out?
This I do not have a solution for. What I can say is that I’m so passionate about it that it makes me feel so fulfilled. It gives me energy. Then I crash and get sick for a week. LOL.
What does the slow fashion movement mean to you?
I’ve always thought of it to be more of a “smart fashion movement” as opposed to slow. It’s educating customers on consuming smarter.
How are you sustainable in your day to day life?
Hmmmm, besides what I wear. I car pool and try to pack my own lunch. I’m also a crazy recycler.
Do you have any sustainable goals you’re working towards?
I’m trying to use less plastic.
How did Tigre et Tigre come about?
A drunken night with my now partner, Alnea, who has become a good friend.
Can you share some of the most rewarding experiences and challenging experiences you’ve had working on Tigre et Tigre?
Rewarding – our feature in Vogue when we launched.
Challenging – working together but in different countries, but we make it work!
Why was it important to you that Tigre et Tigre be a sustainable brand?
Alnea, co-creator, is passionate about ethical practices within the factory that she runs. So it was important to us to transfer these practices to our brand.
Where are some of your favourite places to shop and eat in Vancouver?
Shop: One of a Few
Eat: La Tana
We’re curious – what does a typical day in the life look like for you?
I don’t think I have a typical day! Something consistent – yelling at my child in the morning?
Can you tell us about your beginnings in fashion?
I was coming to the end of my business program and decided that I wanted to work in fashion. I emailed 30 businesses in Vancouver about working for free to gain experience. Only one got back to me. It was a new designer named Dace. I started working there for free and developed a role for myself. I ended up contributing to the growth and success of the business and stayed for 8 years. I loved every minute of it.
What’s your classic and ideal weekend? If I’m lucky, and not travelling, it’s staying at home with my family and watching Netflix on our projector. Can you let us know what you’re excited about now that you’re working on Reassembled? What are you looking forward to most in this new adventure? Oh man, I’m so excited for the launch of this new show. We've discovered so many talented designers on Instagram who have never shown in the USA before. I’m so excited to host them all.What are some of your favourite instagram accounts to follow? I’m a little bit of a weirdo. There’s an account called @thriftstoreart that I like to follow. For fashion, I love @filispina. What is something you never leave the house without? My wedding ring.
What have been the greatest lessons you have learned since beginning your career?
Consistency is a key to success.
For aspiring entrepreneurs, what is one piece of advice that they should know?
Patience is the name of the game.
What do you imagine the future of fashion to look like?
To me, it seems like everything is becoming more personalized. We’re also seeing a lot more avatar-type scenerios.
Can you share with us some of your favourite online and print publications to read?
1. The New York Times
2. Business of Fashion
3. Teen Vogue (woke newsletter).
@buddy_lembeck
