Hipster – Beyond Style: Personal Branding
This summer we’ve launched our Wulterkens’ Hipster Party Collection, which consists of fashionable t-shirts, crop- and low cut tops with funky, unique personas, we call the Hipsters. What I personally love about the collection is that they’re all different in their details, and I believe most of us can find ourselves, or our alter ego’s within atleast one of the designs.
Next to the Hipster’s, I wanted to create a female superhero line, with powerful words, in a playful, comicbook style that just makes an awesome statement. By now, lots of lovely people are walking around in the collection, which is amazing!
If you haven’t checked it out yet, visit: www.wulterkensclothing.com.
We named it the Hipster Collection, because it simply fits the definition of being a trendsetter; to lead when others follow.
Apart from our awesome collection, I do believe in setting a trend beyond fashion.
Personal Branding, is one of the things I’ve been exploring recently, which is basically, profiling yourself to stand out from the mass. It’s about stating who you are, why you are different and it’s all about influencing the way others perceive you as a person.
In today’s ”social media” generation, I believe we all (mostly unintentional) are exerting some form of personal branding, yet there are only few who master it.
I’m not a personal branding coach, so I will not be able to give you all the insights. But a good start would be to start asking yourself these questions:
1. Who am I? / How would I describe myself?
2. What drives me in life (mission)?
3. What gets me out of bed every morning (passion)?
4. What am I good at? (skills)
5. What are my most important values?
6. How do I think others see me?
7. How would I like others to see me? / What would I like to be known for (Vision)?
Take these questions as a guideline, and with the answers you can start with a plan.
As a (almost master) marketeer, I would also like to share with you the 6 P’s of Personal Branding (Source: Business 2 Community):
1. Probe – Determine what exactly your personal brand is. See it as a life-changing exploration of your passion, mission and skills. By doing this, you can discover your personal brand and with this you know exactly how to position yourself.
2. Present – Figure out how you will present yourself. Create a marketing plan.
3. Produce – Original Content. Establish your expertise through content marketing.
4. Promote – Your content, through social media, speaking at events, traditional marketing and so on.
5. Personalize – Make sure to continuously add authenticity to your content and marketing efforts.
6. Perfect – The last, but continuous step of Personal branding. Constantly assess your work, and make adjustments. Learn and grow, make sure that’s visible through your content. Sometimes you will have to take a step back to perfect even more. Be thorough with refining whatever it is that you portray.
There you go, personal branding in a nutshell. If you would like to know more, feel free to comment or contact me through email.
Good Luck & Lead When Others Follow!
Love,
Nadira
As you guys know by now, I love to go on adventures when shooting. We always come across the craziest places. This time we literally broke into the ruins of an old theatre. It was extremely dangerous, because there were sharp things flying around, it was cold and extremely windy, which lead to zero control over my hair, which is pretty clear in all the pictures. However, those who know me, know that I occasionally crave a little bit of danger in life. A little adrenaline rush never hurt anybody right?
As for the look, I wanted something matching with the statement of the Wulterkens’ Hipster collection, so I went with a mixture of funky, sporty and edgy.
I hope you guys enjoy these pictures, for which we’ve risked our lives for taking!
Outfitdetails: Wulterkens Badass Crop Top & Wulterkens Venice Low Cut Top.
Wulterkens Varsity Jacket (Sold out); High Waisted Striped Shorts: Ebay (old), Leather Look Leggings: Zara (Old); Shoes: All Star Sneakers & ZARA Heels. Leather Jacket: Mango (old)
”Life isn’t about finding yourself, but about creating yourself” – George Bernhard Shaw
‘‘Be yourself, everybody else is taken” – Oscar Wilde
“Personal branding is about managing your name — even if you don’t own a business — in a world of misinformation, disinformation, and semi-permanent Google records. Going on a date? Chances are that your “blind” date has Googled your name. Going to a job interview? Ditto.” – Tim Ferriss
Have It All
The transition…From 30 degrees to temperatures around freezing point…From relaxation to kind of (a little bit) of chaos….From zen by the pool and partying to deadlines, obligations and commitments…From home in Suriname to home in the Netherlands…
I feel tired and stressed, but at the same time happy and excited, because despite the big load of work, it’s all lots of new amazing things happening, new opportunities & projects and growth!
Coming up the next few months from Wulterkens is a new sport collection,a new fashion collection, andddd something bigger, that I can’t tell just yet….Oh and at the moment we are swamped with the SALE, be sure to check out the Wulterkens website.
In Suriname, in the beginning I was going crazy, there was so much work that I couldn’t do, and I wasn’t used to not doing very much. I realized how much of a workaholic I’ve become, I literally had to kick off and take satisfaction out of only 2-3 hours of working a day.
I spent the remainder time mostly at my mom’s home during the day, at my dad’s home during the evenings, really enjoyed the quality time with my parents. Some days I enjoyed catching up with old friends and there were lots of fun parties. But apart from that, I also spent a lot of time thinking…thinking back on the previous year, what did we accomplish, what did we do wrong, which of the things could we have done better; What do we want to accomplish in 2015, what do we have to change in our current ways to be able to accomplish these goals….etc etc.
I’ve also thought a lot about myself, the woman I’ve become, the kind of woman I want to be; thought about my relationships with my partner, family, friends: Who do I want to spend more or less energy on. How will I incorporate more balance in my life….Is it even possible to create a balance when there is mostly chaos? I’m at this point in my life where I want so much, and I want it all at the same time…is it crazy to think that I can have it all?
I think a lot of people might think I am being too hard on myself…But if I don’t do it Now, when will I….I am 25, with the entire world at my feet, no better time than now to give my all, right?
It shouldn’t be so hard living a fullfilling, happy, content life by managing a continuously growing Brand/business with the ultimate goal to leave a mark and become financially free, while within the next 1,5 year obtaining my Masters degree in Marketing at the University, while also traveling and still enjoying quality time with my soulmate & partner, a selected group of friends and family (I don’t even dare to call that a social life)…oh and also while getting in the best shape ever….Nah, not that hard! Another 24 hours a day would surely be helpful, but oh well..I’ll manage. Nobody said it was going to be easy, but I know it’s going to be worth it.
Being able to accomplish all of this in these prime years, will make a good story for later when I’m old and wrinkly on my Yacht somewhere in the Caribbean. But also being able to inspire others, to show them that it is possible, as long as you’re willing to work.
I am extremely grateful that I have both the vision and the opportunities to be able to do so and I know that with the right attitude and belief in combination with working hard it should be a possibility…I guess time will tell…What do you guys think? Is it possible to have it all?
“Shoot for the moon, cause even if you miss, you will land among the stars’’
Love,
Nadira
My outfit is one of my favorite I wore in Suriname, it’s sexy, but chique and even a bit sporty; kind of J.LO inspired. I first decided to wear a nude lip with my hair half up, but halfway during the shoot I felt like spicing it up with a bit more color and a little wilder, loose hair. Which look is your fave?
Details: Pants: Missguided ; Top: Missguided ; Shoes: Missguided, older collection ; Purse: Zara, older collection ; Lipsticks: Hug me by MAC & Chili by MAC
”…But one idea described her best: she was unstoppable and she took anything she wanted with a smile”
It’s All About Balance!
Guess who’s back!! I am honestly both relieved and proud to say I have managed to survive the past 2 months! It’s been so busy and hectic, I was extremely stressed out, and at the same time so excited and grateful for all the business growth and great things happening.
As I mentioned in my last post, we had the opportunity to move into a beautiful office and showroom for Wulterkens. So the month February was full of painting, cleaning, interior-design shopping, designing and furnishing the showroom and moving the office.
At the same time, daily work kept calling, so for me there weren’t enough hours in a day. After officially moving, we were so relieved, but then we had to catch up on a lot of work we left hanging during the preparations for the office.
Simultaneously, we were putting a last hand on our new and 5th collection for Wulterkens, which took a lot of time, because obviously we wanted everything to be perfect.
Luckily we had an amazing team from RB-Media Internet Solutions behind us who designed a beautiful new website for us. Take a look at their website, they really are the best.
We’ve been inspired (during interior-design shopping!) to bring back a few of the amazing icons back in the day, vintage style! I’m talking about the gorgeous Audrey Hepburn, Brigitte Bardot and Sophia Loren. They’re already bestsellers for both him & her! I am wearing my favorite of the series, Brigitte Bardot in the pictures.
Wulterkens became famous for the Babe Collections, so in the line of spring we brought into life the colorful and sexy Japanese Yakuza Babes. And as always, we wanted real statement-setting t-shirts, so we created the ‘’Lead by Example’’ series with the powerful messages of 3 world leaders.
Ever since we moved into our new office and launched the new colIections, things like a nice weekend off or getting home from work before 10 p.m. seem like something from a fairytale.
I am seriously considering hiring a personal assistant, because I’ve been struggling to balance everything out. Yup, it turns out I’m not superwoman (even though sometimes, I think I am). The funny thing is…this is just the beginning. I am starting to realize that as my brand is growing, so will the load of work and the responsibility.
I’ve learned from the great Anthony Robbins, that one of the keys to success is to mirror the acts of those who are already successful. So, how does Olcay Gulsen from Supertrash do it, or Michael Kors? They don’t have any more hours in a day…However, I’m sure they have a maid who does the cleaning at home, PA’s and a big staff to assist them. So I guess it’s time to work towards getting some help to deal with the growth, which is exciting, yet nerve wrecking when you’re a little bit (just a little bit, really) of a control freak.
So that’s what I am slowly, but surely working on…finding the balance, the moments of peace in between the chaos. Not getting stressed out when things get busy, because it’s always going to be busy. As they say, when you come out of a storm, you will never be the same person as before. That’s the life of a successful entrepreneur, that’s the life I chose and despite everything…the life I love.
Sending you all lots of love!
Nadira
Oufit details: T-Shirt: Wulterkens Brigitte ; Skirt: Kardashian Kollection Leather Pencil Skirt
Blazer: Zara (previous collections) ; Shoes: Zara (previous collections) ; Bracelet: Hermes Collier de Chien Cuff
“My point is, life is about balance. The good and the bad. The highs and the lows. The pina and the colada.” – Ellen Degeneres
“Your hand opens and closes, opens and closes. If it were always a fist or always stretched open, you would be paralysed. Your deepest presence is in every small contracting and expanding, the two as beautifully balanced and coordinated as birds’ wings.” – Rumi
“Feeling at peace, however fragilely, made it easy to slip into the visionary end of the dark-sight. The rose shadows said that they loved the sun, but that they also loved the dark, where their roots grew through the lightless mystery of the earth. The roses said: You do not have to choose. ” – Robin Mckinley
“What is joy without sorrow? what is success without failure? what is a win without a loss? what is health without illness? you have to experience each if you are to appreciate the other. there is always going to be suffering. it’s how you look at your suffering, how you deal with it, that will define you.” – Mark Twain
Don’t Be Like The Rest Of Them, Darling
I’ve always been different compared to the people in my surroundings, and I have this feeling I always will. Not because I desperately want to be different, but just because I am the way I am.
From the age of 6, I was bullied (not in a severe way though), called teacher’s pet, made fun of etc. In my teenage years, I wasn’t bullied, but I think very misunderstood. I wasn’t a typical teenage girl. I’ve always been more mature for my age.
I used to feel awkward and out of place, though I had many friends. I was the kid with all the different groups of friends. In high school I was friends with the nerds, but also with the beauty queens, the punkers and the rockers, and also with the basketball team. It was because these ‘’groups’’, all had something that I had within me, they all represented a certain side of me.
I remember at my 16th birthday party, I invited all the groups, and I was running around from group to group to give them my attention, because, they didn’t seem to get along as one. It was a great party though, I think it was called the party of the year at school. I come from Paramaribo, Suriname in South America, with only 500,000 people, so it’s small community where news travels fast.
My closest relationships are with people older than me and my boyfriends always have been a lot older than me as well. Somehow, I seem to be able to communicate and connect with them better on a certain level. No, I’m not superior to anyone else of my age, I’m just different. Some people say I have an old soul. All I know is, my focus, attention and priorities have always been more serious/mature, ambitious and there was a lot less playing around, ever since I can remember really. I’ve always been searching for more real, deeper connections.
Although I remember my mom telling me to be myself and that I didn’t have to act a certain way, because the rest was acting that way, I always thought there was something wrong with me. And I’ve really hated it, until the past few years.
Even today, I’m in a place in my life at age of 24, being an entrepreneur, owner of my own successful brand, while others are still playing around, focusing on completely different things.
For the first time in my life, I am at a point where I am embracing this ‘’being different’’. I see it as a gift. Coco Chanel said ‘’In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different’’ and I completely agree with her. Nobody can be Nadira, the way I walk, talk, think, smile, my energy, my vibe, my grace. Same goes for you. There is a lot that can be copied, but if it’s not genuine, it will never leave an impression.
I believe everyone is unique, but not everyone is or wants to be aware of it, they rather hide behind others and blend in the mass. In my opinion this is fine too, because it automatically gives the spotlight to those who dare to be and express themselves in whatever way that may be. I think it’s the most beautiful thing, to embrace your unique self and share it proudly with the world.
I am ready, to take over the world with Wulterkens, that is shaped by me and my partner’s unique selves, beliefs and visions, with which we want to inspire others to share theirs. When we had to come up with a slogan for our brand, we started with what Wulterkens stands for. We wanted to create clothing for those who really want to set a statement, distinct themselves from the grey mass and were tired of the mass clothing that was available in all the stores. We came up with the slogan ’’Lead When Others Follow’’.
But what is a leader? The only thing that makes a leader, is the followers. Being a leader has nothing to do with rank, intelligence or superiority. If people are willing to follow you, you are a leader. What is a follower? Someone who chooses to follow you, your style or message. If your style or thoughts happen to be unique, that makes you the leader and everyone else thereafter the follower.
What Wulterkens really praises is the idea of distinction, being different from the mass, being the leader in your own uniqueness, wearing our statement clothing. We do not mean to manipulate you in any ways, we want to inspire you. Inspire you to express yourself and your beliefs through wearing our clothing, making you Lead when others follow.
Don’t bother with all the followers and copycats after, they can never be YOU!
You’re unique, embrace it and LEAD!
Love,
Nadira
Outfit: T-shirt: Wulterkens: www.wulterkensclothing.com ; Pants: Zara, Jacket: Amisu; Shoes: Colin Stuart
- Published in Self-Discovery & Growth, Written Archives 2013-2018