Meet the Fashion Veteran Behind Today's Chicest, Softest Diapers and Wipes
When you think of diapers and wipes, “chic” isn’t necessarily the first adjective that comes to mind. But Coterie is here to change that. Founded by fashion-minded visionary Michelle Persad, the brand is quite new to the scene but has already garnered a large and loyal following for its simple and stylish branding, effective products, and sustainability initiatives.
In celebration of Coterie being our 2020 diapers and wipes partner, we sat down with Michelle to learn more about her and her modern mama-beloved brand.
Career-wise, what were you doing before Coterie?
Before Coterie I was a fashion editor. It's funny because when I tell people what I was doing before Coterie, many see a disconnect between fashion and baby products. But in my mind, it makes so much sense. When I was an editor, I was very much a consumer advocate and a storyteller. I always thought first and foremost about the end consumer and how brands would add value to their lives. Now, as a marketer, I'm very much talking to the same person, just from the other side. Today, many of our customers come from the fashion world, as they appreciate our product quality and aesthetic, so the career transition doesn’t feel like a major shift.
What was the lightbulb moment that inspired you to launch the brand?
The idea came from my co-founder, Frank. He was traveling in Japan and noticed that there were so many high quality, high performance diapers on the market there and they simply didn't exist in the US. After doing extensive research and talking to hundreds of parents stateside, we realized that the lack of innovation in the diaper space wasn't because the existing product was good enough, it was because many of the players were more focused on cost cutting rather than delivering the best possible product. That set the course for two years of R&D where we upgraded virtually every component of the diaper. We traveled the globe to source the highest quality materials and worked with best-in-class engineers to completely reconsider the diaper.
What has been your favorite part of building your brand?
My favorite part of building the brand has been interacting with our customers and hearing their feedback. When you spend so much time building something, it's amazing to be in-market to see how people are responding to what you have created. When we get emails from moms and dads saying they finally found a diaper that doesn't leak or that doesn't give their baby diaper rash, it reinforces why we started Coterie.
Have you face any challenges along the way?
There is a steep learning curve when starting your own business -- even though your title might be, say, head of marketing, you're dealing with HR, supply chain and everything in-between. I've learned that it's just as important to know your areas of weakness as it is to know your strengths. I've been fortunate in that my co-founder and I are very clear on where we excel and where we need help and have hired people to fill in those gaps.
What would you say sets your brand apart from others?
At Coterie, we're not just trying to sell products and create a platform where you transact, we're really trying to build a modern brand for modern parents. We're thinking about the customer at every single touch point -- be it with our minimal packaging, our easy text message reordering or the way we've activated the brand, through community building, we want to be there for parents at every step along the parenthood journey.
Tell us more about your new wipes — we're obsessed!
Thank you! We launched our wipes a few months ago and have gotten amazing feedback. We designed them so they are 20% larger than your average baby wipe (meaning you only need one to get the job done) and they are 50% more absorbent. They are also infused with premium Japanese cotton, so they are exceptionally soft and made from 100% plant-based fibers.
What is your top advice for anyone interested in launching a physical product?
My top advice is to have the mindset that the product is never 100% finished. We're constantly talking to our customers, gathering their feedback and making product improvements to ensure that we have the best diaper and wipe on the market. I think that's one of our biggest strengths as a company, that we have a direct line to our customers and are able to pivot and make changes very quickly.
Do you have any other exciting projects coming up that you'd like to share?
We are planning to launch training pants soon, which has been our most requested item, especially from all our customers in the middle of potty training!
Why did you decide to work with Fashion Mamas?
Even before launching Coterie I had my eye on Fashion Mamas, as many of the moms in the network are the same ladies who inspired the brand. I was so keen to partner because I think Natalie has been able to build something really special -- a group of women who are both engaged and so eager to help one another, and that's no small feat!
Which celebrity mamas would you love to see become Coterie fans?
I would love to see Rashida Jones, Mindy Kaling and Ashley Graham become fans of Coterie. They are all such strong, ambitious and intelligent mothers who I admire.