Everyone from celebrities to local fashionistas like finding gems like a Badgley Mischka dress or a great pair of Roberto Cavalli pumps for a fraction of their retail price. A metro-Detroit business owner understands this, and has turned her knowledge, skill and passion into a thriving business.
Rolling out sat down with the CEO of Margaux & Max, Je Donna Dinges. We talked about how she went from selling a few pieces in her dining room to having one of the go-to shopping destinations in metro Detroit.
Describe your company.
Margaux & Max is a boutique which offers fine women’s clothing, shoes and accessories that are previously loved at significant savings over retail. Our collection ranges from classic brands such as Ann Taylor, J. Crew and Banana Republic to luxury brands such as Ralph Lauren Black Label and Trina Turk. Each piece is carefully curated to offer our clients an outstanding selection at unbelievable prices. Margaux & Max are connoisseurs of all things fine and dandy.
Please describe your leadership style.
I am a hands-on leader. I’ve always believed the Chinese proverb “Many hands make light work.”
What is your company’s mission?
Our mission is to offer to offer our clients Michelle Obama’s style/wardrobe without breaking their budgets.
How did you get your start?
I started Margaux & Max after I was let go from a position that I’d held for almost four years. It all started with me posting one pair of rhinestone chandelier earrings on my Facebook page. A friend who is an attorney saw the earrings and thought that they might look good with the dress that she had purchased for the Wolverine Bar Association’s Barrister’s Ball. I asked her to send me a picture of her dress, and when I saw it I knew immediately that the earrings would look amazing with the dress! When my friend (Diane) came by to pick up the earrings I asked her if she had her shoes and handbag and she said no, so I took a pair of shoes and an evening bag from my own closet and showed the items to her, she thought they’d match perfectly and said she’d take them, then something amazing happened, she asked me “what else do you have?” and I spent the next three hours running up and down the stairs of my home bringing clothing to the dining room for Diane to see. She spent about $300 and she came back every Friday for three weeks in a row, that’s how I developed the private shopping appointment/consultative concept for Margaux & Max. Diane told a friend and she told a friend and my business grew and grew. Within six months I had moved out of my home and into a brick and mortar.
Did you always know you wanted to be a part of this industry?
Yes. I’d always dreamed of owning my own store, but could never figure out how to make it happen. As a teen I always had an amazing wardrobe partially because my mother worked as a cleaning lady for a wealthy well-dressed woman, who would give me a big bag of her “hand-me-downs” every week. Her cast offs included brands such as Gucci and, Fiorucci. I didn’t know what these brands were at the time, I just knew that I loved the way they looked and felt, and the way I looked and felt in them. My 40-year-old neighbor often complimented me on my wardrobe and after a while she began to ask if she could borrow my clothes. One day it occurred to me to rent my clothing to her, $7 for skirts, blouses and slacks, and $15 for suits and dresses. As I became tired of items, I’d sell them to her every two weeks on her paydays. Thus, the love of sales and styling women was born.
If you could change anything about your journey, what would it be?
If I could change anything, I would have loved to have more financing.
What sets you apart from other companies?
I believe what sets Margaux & Max apart from our competition is our customer service model. We operate on a consultative format and we are open by appointment only. This allows me to work one-on-one with clients to ensure that they have an experience, not just purchase clothing. Part of the process during an initial appointment is: getting to know the client’s sizes, style, body type as well as which manufacturers fit her best, so that I can make the best recommendations as well as shop with her in mind the next time I am buying. We also host events such as Sip, snack & shops, Birthday parties as well as Ladies’ night out events.
How do you select your merchandise for your store?
I work with more than 100 vendors throughout the country to locate the best selection of previously loved vintage and contemporary clothing shoes and accessories that I can find at the best prices, so that I can pass the saving along to my clients. I pride myself on having one-of-kind pieces that clients feel compelled to “grab before they are gone!”
What advice would you give future entrepreneurs in the fashion/resale industry?
Find your niche. Work hard at setting yourself apart from your competition. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, and be prepared to work harder than you’ve ever worked.
What three skill sets are critical for future executives/entrepreneurs?
- An open mind, because they need to be able to think outside of the box.
- Drive and commitment, because running a business is not easy; being the boss means making tough decisions that may make you unpopular.
- Great written as well as verbal communication skills so that their vision for their company and or brand can be expressed in a way that motivates their employees as well as customers to be excited about the products and or services that they provide.
How do you utilize technology to benefit your company?
I use social media almost exclusively. I photograph inventory using my Samsung Galaxy Note and post the picture to social media. I send out emails, text blasts as well as evites to events via social media.
If you were giving a graduation speech to college students what would the title of your speech be? Give three reasons for the choice.
The title of my speech would be: “You don’t have to figure it all out today.” Because I want young people to know that it is ok to figure out life as they go along, they don’t have to put pressure of themselves to have all of the answers to life’s questions today. I think young people feel too much pressure to be perfect. Nobody is perfect. It is ok to change, and grow, that’s what life is all about.
What are you reading? Name your two favorite books.
I’m reading: A Shopkeeper’s Manual by Mary Liz Curtin and Hug Your Customers by Jack Mitchell
My two favorite books:
The Color Purple by Alice Walker and Who moved my cheese? by Spencer Johnson
Name three business leaders who inspire you.
Rachel Lutz, owner of The Peacock Room in Detroit
Mary Liz Curtin, Owner of Leon & Lulu in Clawson
Zana Smith, Owner of Spectacles Detroit
Name two favorite quotes that motivate you.
“Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen!” -Michael Jordan
“Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.” – Maya Angelou
Margaux & Max is located at 15324 Mack Ave. in Grosse Pointe Park, right outside of downtown Detroit. Follow Margaux & Max on Facebook @Margaux&Max and on Instagram @MargauxAndMax for the latest one-of-a-kind finds. To schedule an appointment, call (313) 570-9682 today.
