UP-LIFT-ING Magnificence queen, actress, and entrepreneur Kylie Verzosa, founding father of the shapewear model Sola, says cinching the waist is just not all about hiding one’s insecurities. —RICHARD A. REYES
Whereas the Verzosas of Baguio had been recognized for the enduring Forest Home restaurant up till its sudden closure in 2020, their daughter Kylie went on to strive a distinct enterprise altogether: present biz. However the sense of entrepreneurship was by no means misplaced on the 32-year-old who switched routes—successful the Miss Worldwide pageant in 2016, amongst others—after amassing her Enterprise Administration diploma on the Ateneo de Manila College.
Today, Verzosa is preserving herself busy attending movie festivals in Cannes and appearing in director-centric films whereas additionally managing her personal enterprise: Sola, a shapewear model catering to the Asian physique sort.
In an interview with the Inquirer, she says she desires to be referred to as an “actress, mannequin and businesswoman” all on the identical time, fueling her multihyphenate desires a la Gwyneth Paltrow or Jessica Alba, two of her many enterprise icons, with a startup that she will be able to simply meld into her present biz profession.
READ: Kylie Verzosa pronounces first enterprise enterprise
“We studied the Philippine market, we needed to see the place we may enter, a spot to start out and one thing that I’m keen about. And certainly one of that’s vogue. I really like vogue. I used to be uncovered to that,” Verzosa says.
These tight-fitting underwear taking one’s breath away, actually and figuratively, whereas additionally sculpting the determine would at all times come in useful—whether or not beneath robes for Binibining Pilipinas runways or dominatrix costumes for a film character.
“It’s been beneath my pageant robes. I’ve worn it to ‘Pedro Penduko’ for my motion scenes … I used to be in shapewear … it has at all times been part of my profession and journey,” she says.
Verzosa additionally took the horny route, so to talk, by selecting to promote shapewear. “I puzzled how come there’s no native model right here that primarily focuses on shapewear. Enthusiastic about it, too, what do I desire a shapewear to be? I additionally need it to be aesthetically pleasing [enough] to put on as a prime,” she says.
Companions, buyers
Verzosa doesn’t reveal how a lot was invested into the enterprise. Whereas she has companions within the enterprise, she says she dipped deep into her personal pockets to make the idea work.
Analysis and growth took nearly a 12 months. She and her staff went overseas to search for the appropriate supplies and tools to make the tough designs she had envisioned.
Shapewear, for one, isn’t just easy lingerie. It’s not solely cinching the waist but in addition ensuring that butts are lifted and breasts, perky.
“So it’s discovering the appropriate elevate … [details like] the compression right here is tighter than the compression there,” she says as she reveals components of the garment like a scientist would present a specimen.
Sola, she explains, is a play on two ideas. Sola is Latin for “solar” and in addition a “lady who can stand on her personal.”
So whereas ladies empowerment is on the core of the model’s messaging, Verzosa says there isn’t any disconnect when a lady desires to cover her flabs.
“I can say the identical with make-up, why would you need to conceal your pure magnificence while you’re already lovely? Typically, you want that additional push, that additional assist, additional elevate. You’re lovely simply the best way you might be … however generally we at all times want that additional elevate and assist. It’s value investing in, and so we do this for you,” she says.
On the time of the interview, she revealed she was sporting certainly one of her merchandise as a result of she felt “bloated” having come from a flight days earlier than.
Completely different physique varieties
As the lady behind Sola, it will solely be pure to mannequin for the model. However Verzosa says Sola represents many physique sizes.
“I do know that I can solely signify my physique, and I’ve only one physique and there are such a lot of totally different sorts of girls’s our bodies on the market. Sola isn’t just about me … In our marketing campaign, there are six several types of [models]. They’re all represented,” she says.
The present line, from a swimwear-type construction to a hip hugger, would simply entice the younger and the “Coachella” crowd particularly with its versatility. Nevertheless, she was shocked to be taught that “quite a lot of mothers purchase the shapewear simply because it’s good for postpartum and it’s protected to put on for postpartum, however in fact I counsel you to seek the advice of your physician.”
She says youthful ladies purchase for the aesthetic and older ladies purchase it for the perform.
There are additionally the drag queens, who had been pretty represented in the course of the product launch.
“I really like the LGBTQ. They’re my greatest associates. They’re my mentors. I really like them a lot. And naturally (Sola) is for all genders,” she says.
Future plans
Sola was launched simply 4 months in the past, however Verzosa says it’s now making a revenue. At a makeshift warehouse inside a spacious workplace alongside Guadalupe, rows and rows of cabinets at the moment are empty, simply ready for a brand new batch of replenishments.
With a staff of round 40 behind her, gross sales and advertising could be a breeze. She says she’s additionally grateful they’ve an excellent success associate for every product bought (or returned) by way of their web site, Lazada, and Shopee pages.
“There’s actually a requirement for shapewear,” she notes.
What’s in retailer for Sola? Verzosa doesn’t need to reveal her subsequent plans simply but, saying solely that she’s open to increasing the road: be it shapewear for males, ready-to-wear garments, and even make-up.
As for her journey as an entrepreneur, she says she desires to maintain on reworking herself.
Placing up her personal restaurant can be not out of the image. The Verzosa household is at the moment busy working Venus Backyard, a by-reservation fine-dining idea that changed Forest Home.
For positive, the meals business is in her DNA. “My father is my greatest buddy and mentor,” she provides.
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“I’m nonetheless rising and nonetheless studying … the Kylie in 5 years will in all probability be higher than the now,” she says.
