Today we’d like to introduce you to Sharon Roth.
Sharon, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
My roots in the fashion industry date back to the age of fifteen, when I began hemming pants after school at a local jeans shop. I went on to study and work in LA and New York while earning my degree in textile science. I focused my unique design and manufacturing talents in private labeling for major retailers such as The Limited, Victoria’s Secret, Nordstrom and many others.
In 2004, Jarbo was born out of a frustration with an unmet need for sophisticated, timeless clothing designed with everyday life and realistic bodies in mind. Originally, Jarbo started as a wholesale brand, available in high-end boutiques and retailers across the country. It wasn’t until 2010 that the first Jarbo retail store opened in Bellevue, WA. Fast forward to present, we moved on from wholesale and now operate 11 Jarbo retail stores across the country. I love the direct interaction I get to have with Jarbo customers on a daily basis – it’s what continues to inspire me day-after-day.
Jarbo clothing is a combination of my design experience and unique tailoring/draping techniques using a mixture of luxurious fabrics and great textures. The clothing is an expression of my personality, creativity, and design sensibility. The goal is that my love for visual art results in a wearable fashion that inspires other women to feel confident and comfortable at any age.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
No business comes without some trials and tribulations – and Jarbo is no exception to that rule. The economy crash of 2008 along with a variety of production problems really hurt our business – but we were able to bounce back from these hardships with perseverance and a lot of hard work.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
We focus on sourcing the finest quality fabrics and yarns available – we want every piece in our collection to be someone’s favorite piece of wearable clothing. One that makes them feel comfortable and confident, wear after wear – with styles that make a subtle statement and convey a distinct sense of fashion.
WE TRULY LOVE OUR CUSTOMERS. We believe that shopping should be a personal, tailored experience. All of our stores have talented stylists that are excited to help wardrobe and get to know our clients. We are constantly getting feedback from our customers, and we design our clothing with their tastes and needs in mind. We make pieces for women of all different shapes and sizes, and our design team is dedicated to fitting our products perfectly before they ship out to our stores.
Jarbo also takes a unique approach to manufacturing practices. To cut down on unnecessary shipping and reduce our carbon footprint Jarbo manufactures where the material is sourced whenever possible. For example, Pima Cotton from Peru, Leather from Italy, fine fully fashioned knits from Hong Kong, silk from Shanghai, techno fabrics from Japan, and cashmere from Nepal.
Jarbo also strives to work within the local economies by working with local, specialized artisans both abroad and at home. We care deeply about our manufacturing partners, and we’ve developed close relationships and friendships with them. In numerous cases, we have provided loans to our manufacturing partners to help them rebuild after hardships.
We also have a small sewing studio in our main office in Seattle where we produce domestic-tanned leather garments and accessories, providing manufacturing jobs in the city we live in.
What were you like growing up?
I grew up with a hardworking single mother and two other siblings. When my peers started showing up to school in beautiful clothing that I couldn’t afford, I took matters into my own hands, literally. I taught myself to sew and do it well!
What started as a simple desire to fit in, almost instantly became a passion. I began sewing clothes for my mom and my sister as well. All of this practice landed me my first job hemming jeans at a local tailor – and I haven’t stopped since!
Contact Info:
- Address: 25 Lincoln Street Newton Highlands, MA 02461
72 Central Street Wellesley, MA 02482 - Phone: 617.431.5206 (Newton Highlands), 617.340.7091 (Wellesley)
- Website: shopjarbo.com
- Email: customerservice@jarbocollection.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/shopjarbo
- Facebook: facebook.com/shopjarbo
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