Modern Fashion: Roger LaGrone of ‘Alexander Noel’ On The 5 Things You Need To Lead a Successful Fashion Brand Today

Create a Plan: Using my strategic planning expertise from previous ventures, I meticulously developed a comprehensive strategy for my eCommerce business, resulting in rewarding partnerships and remarkable growth.

Many in the fashion industry have been making huge pivots in their business models. Many have turned away from the fast fashion trend. Many have been focusing on fashion that also makes a social impact. Many have turned to sustainable and ethical sourcing. Many have turned to hi tech manufacturing. Many have turned to subscription models. What are the other trends that we will see in the fashion industry? What does it take to lead a successful fashion brand today?

In our series called, “5 Things You Need To Lead a Successful Fashion Brand Today” we are talking to successful leaders of fashion brands who can talk about the Future of Fashion and the 5 things it takes to lead a successful fashion brand in our “new normal.”

As a part of this series I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Roger LaGrone.

Roger LaGrone is a fashion expert and Founder of Alexander Noel, an e-commerce fashion brand that focuses on delivering shoes and accessories with exceptional service. The Alexander Noel brand offers consumers the opportunity to either buy a fashion-forward style or design their own perfect shoes at a reasonable price. They believe that every shoe has a history, and each of their pieces has been specifically designed with comfort, style, and story in mind.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit more. Can you tell us a bit about your childhood “backstory”?

I was born in Tupelo, Mississippi, but we moved to Detroit, Michigan, when I was two as my mother was seeking a better life for us. My mother, a schoolteacher, later became an entrepreneur, successfully running three daycare locations for over 45 years. Her father’s inspiring success in overcoming segregation challenges as a Black business owner in Mississippi influenced her journey and motivated my involvement in her entrepreneurial endeavors.

From a young age, I eagerly assisted in my mother’s daycares, taking on various tasks and discussing expansion plans with her. This experience kept me focused and close to her, positively shaping my life. Despite the constant workload, I embraced the opportunity to contribute to our family’s businesses. Unlike some friends who faced hardships in Detroit, I found purpose and fulfillment in supporting my mother’s thriving companies.

Can you tell us the story about what led you to this particular career path?

Throughout my life, I pursued my passion for exploration and new experiences. After obtaining a business degree from Boston University, I began my career as a ticket agent at a major airline, quickly advancing to the position of Director of Call Center Operations. It truly gave me the opportunity to travel and see the world. I later transitioned to an executive role at an American Express company, where I continued to lead and manage call center operations. However, changes in the call center industry made me realize the significance of learning and mastering digital marketing and eCommerce.

Fueled by my entrepreneurial spirit, I created a venture that leveraged global opportunities and my expertise. During my travels, fate introduced me to a shoe-manufacturing entrepreneur in India. With his support of his business, I established Alexander Noel — a website offering unique products through a drop shipping program. As the business flourished, I sourced products from various countries (Spain, Portugal, and Italy), introduced innovative features, such as a 3D design lab, and developed a design-your-own shirt lab. Embracing this thrilling entrepreneurial journey, I aim to make a lasting impact in the digital landscape.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?

During my career, I achieved recognition as one of the top 3% performers at American Express, driven by successfully leading a cross-collaborative deployment using Six Sigma to enhance the customer experience in a subsidiary. Convincing division Presidents and the Chief Quality Officer at AMEX to support this initiative positively impacted service delivery. This recognition provided valuable experiences, including interactions with influential figures like Ken Chenault and participation in significant events alongside Al Kelly, now the CEO of VISA, and Cynthia Vales, the SVP of the AMEX Travel division at that time.

These interactions emphasized the importance of building trust and fostering solid relationships in my work, two principles that have guided me throughout my career. Al Kelly’s inspiring experiences, casual conversations, and sharing of his story profoundly impacted my professional perspective and journey.

You are a successful business leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?

1. Trust: Cultivate trust and build relationships with colleagues and associates by fostering a deeper understanding of each other’s families and exchanging ideas. For example, Jason, a remarkable photographer and lead singer in a highly successful regional rock band, has been an invaluable support, adding a unique touch to our imagery.
2. Inquisitive: Learn shamelessly from both larger and smaller organizations and industries to continuously improve, innovate, and inspire. Embracing cross-industry insights, I focus on website and creative portal designs that empower individuals to express their unique visions.
3. Resilience: Maintain a maniacal focus by relentlessly pursuing beliefs, learning from setbacks, and driving business growth. My own journey has been challenging, dealing with issues like ineffective web developers and demanding production requirements. However, dedication propels me forward, creating an environment of exceptional customer value. Despite global venture challenges, I prioritize small business needs, providing expanded communication and liaising with manufacturers whenever necessary.

What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?

Alexander Noel’s unique value proposition lies in our Design Lab, offering customers the choice between existing products or designing their own shoes based on their preferences for leathers, fabrics and soles. We believe custom-designed creations foster enhanced satisfaction and personalization. This customer-centric approach builds trust, loyalty and appeals to environmentally conscious individuals, positioning us as industry leaders.

Our website showcases Alexander Noel’s incredible journey, celebrating diverse styles and influences from skilled artisans worldwide. Our product is high quality, comfortable and combines a combination of traditional and trendy styles. Advancements in technology and travel have made the world accessible, allowing us to bring people closer together through our interconnected global mission.

We introduced EEE sizes, which many other stores don’t have, and this attracted many customers who were facing similar challenges due to inventory limitations elsewhere. Additionally, some customers find joy and pride in designing and selecting various aspects of their shoes, like the sole, leather, and overall style. A more specific example is that we have a customer whose feet are 1.5 inches different in size, making it hard for him to find shoes in stores. After creating his custom shoe with us, he was delighted and has bought over 20 pairs in different styles.

Do you have a favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share a story of how that was relevant to you in your life?

Years ago, while I was at basketball practice, we came across a saying that I’ve applied not just to sports, but also to our Alexander Noel brand: “Hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard.” True success lies not solely in innate talent but in our relentless effort and dedication to realizing our objectives. Embracing this ethos empowers us to conquer challenges, ensuring our team is well-prepared to drive projects to triumphant completion, leaving a lasting mark on every endeavor we undertake.

Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. Do you see any fascinating developments emerging over the next few years in the fashion industry that you are excited about? Can you tell us about that?

Since the pandemic, the shoe fashion industry specifically has become more exciting by combining traditional old-school shoe styles with the trendy street sneaker look. Today, men even pair street sneakers with suits, embracing this added mixture of leather and fabric for a formal yet comfortable appearance. Fashion brands offer unique materials that balance casual chic and professional elegance, allowing people to express their style in a versatile and stylish manner. This trend has impacted how we see and embrace fashion daily.

Can you share how your brand is helping to bring goodness to the world?

We are incredibly proud of our vegan line of products as a sustainable, comfortable option for customers. We have several styles, from sneakers to boots, that can be designed with the environment in mind. Also, Alexander Noel’s environmental footprint helps reduce our customer’s footprint by designing one shoe at a time to reduce large batches of shoes. This empowers customers to make eco-friendly choices. By adopting this mindset, our approach contributes positively to eco-friendly sustainability. This unique and customer-centric strategy resonates with environmentally conscious individuals and helps the world out.

Can you share with our readers about the ethical standards you use when you choose where to source materials?

We place significant emphasis on comprehending the material supply chain. To achieve this, we proactively visit our artisan teams to gain firsthand insights into their organization, level of integrity, and how they can contribute to our mission. Ensuring that these teams prioritize and maintain high integrity is paramount to us.

As we forge relationships with artisans worldwide, we remain committed to learning and gaining a comprehensive understanding of the principles and integrity upheld by each organization. By fostering more robust connections and nurturing business relationships, we can build trust within the global artisan community, enhancing our collaboration.

Fast fashion has the advantage that it is affordable for most people, but it also has the drawback that it does not last very long and is therefore not very sustainable. What are your thoughts about this? How does your company address this question?

Data from Consumer Goods FMCG and Statista shows that around 22 billion shoes were produced in the past year, amounting to roughly 60 million shoes made daily, emphasizing the industry’s sustainability and waste challenges. At Alexander Noel, we prioritize providing high-quality artisan global products with a sustainable focus. We educate customers on caring for their purchases to extend their lifespan and employ durable construction techniques like Goodyear Welt and Vegan options. Embracing our design lab’s “one shoe at a time” concept reduces waste and promotes an eco-friendlier environment. Our commitment extends beyond shoe production as we inspire sustainable consumer choices and foster a culture of conscious fashion.

Thank you for all that. Here is the main question of our interview. What are your “5 Things You Need To Lead a Successful Fashion Brand.” Please share a story or example for each.

Leading a fashion brand demands passion, persistence, and collaboration with experts. A well-structured plan and embracing external support are essential for success in the competitive fashion industry, revolutionizing my brand and fulfilling my entrepreneurial journey.

Create a Plan: Using my strategic planning expertise from previous ventures, I meticulously developed a comprehensive strategy for my eCommerce business, resulting in rewarding partnerships and remarkable growth.

Passion for Fashion: Fueled by a lifelong passion for fashion and the joy of designing shoes, I handpick unique styles and form bonds with skilled artisans, making my journey personally and professionally gratifying.

Persistence and Grit: Inspired by “True Grit,” as a small business competing against other national and international brands, marketing and supply chain issues have required grit and persistence over the last two years to stay on track.

External Support: Recognizing the importance of external support, I assembled a talented team, including a professional photographer, web designer, IT, and marketing specialists, freeing me to focus on creative strengths and propelling growth.

Experts/SEO in Commerce: The eCommerce space is highly competitive, and to stay relevant, you need a quality website that will rank in search engines. Seeking professional IT, SEO, and marketing support led to unparalleled success, elevating my fashion brand to new heights.

Every industry constantly evolves and seeks improvement. How do you think the fashion industry can improve itself? Can you give an example?

For online fashion retailers, AI tools can significantly improve the eCommerce experience. One challenge eCommerce retailers face is ensuring the right fit for customers when buying online, leading to high return rates. Advancements in AI are already helping to bridge this gap. For example, AI-driven shoe-fitting tools that use image recognition and algorithms can analyze foot pictures to determine the precise size and width needed for the best fit. This ensures accurate sizing recommendations, increasing customer satisfaction and reducing returns. Additionally, virtual fitting rooms using webcams and AI create 3D models, allowing customers to visualize how clothes will fit their unique body shape. This further enhances the shopping experience and customer loyalty in the eCommerce space.

You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.

I would develop a collaborative effort to help young entrepreneurs start their businesses by specifically empowering marginalized communities through education, entrepreneurship, and sustainable development. By providing support and opportunities, we can uplift lives. Fostering an entrepreneurial spirit, we equip young people with tools and mentorship, involving the whole family in driving the new business. Through workshops, investment opportunities, and training programs, I’d like to help inspire creativity. A network of investors ensures success. Our goal: a world where talent knows no boundaries.

How can our readers further follow your work online?

• Website: The official website is www.shopAlexanderNoel.com, where you can find the latest products, news, and updates.
• Blog: Don’t forget to check out the exciting blog called “ShoeTalk,” where valuable insights, trends, and interesting stories related to Alexander Noel shoes and the industry.
• Founder: You can contact the founder, Roger LaGrone, via email at AlexanderNoel@shopAlexnderNoel.com.
• Instagram: @shopalexandernoel https://www.instagram.com/shopalexandernoel/?hl=en

Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.