For a one-year-old company, already having headed up social campaigns for Dior, OUAI Haircare, Tiffany & Co. (the list goes on) isn't too shabby (and by that we mean: WTF that's actually insane). Clearly, when two former colleagues (one co-founded The Coveteur and the other was its managing editor) put their heads together to create a company all their own, magic happens.
It's time you met the co-founders of Métier Creative: Erin Kleinberg and Stacie Brockman.
What was your first job?
Erin Kleinberg: I was an assistant to a wedding planner in high school. Glamorous, it was not!
Stacie Brockman: My first high school job was working at a movie theatre (smelling like popcorn was not chic!) but my first "real" job was at The Coveteur with Erin. I was the first intern-turned-employee and quickly moved from anonymously writing website content and running the social media channels to becoming the site's full-time managing editor. Like any startup, I wore a lot of hats. I wrote, I styled, I cast talent, I tweeted, I ‘grammed, I Facebook'd, I Tumblr'd, I scheduled… the list goes on.
EK: I have been predicting and interpreting trends for as long as I can remember. I developed this skill through my obsession for re-purposing my grandmother's vintage silk scarves, and making them into the dopest kimonos. I was in Toronto and randomly ran into Mischa Bartoninstantly felt like I saw a business opportunity before me. She was being swarmed by girls, but I managed to get her publicist's name then googled the sh-t out of her, sent her some custom pieces and low and behold she ended up being photographed in one. Canadian retailers then picked up my collection and I developed the brand into EKI (Erin Kleinberg Inc). In between I relocated to NYC, for a stint as W's Fashion Directors intern. In 2010, the idea was born for The Coveteur, which is a site I co-founded. Fast-forward to 2015, where Stacie and I sat in my Toronto apartment/office and decided to dive into the wildest idea we've ever had. Meet Métier Creative, the love child of our crazy career paths, and even crazier brains.
SB: I always wanted to be in the fashion industry, although my first foray was through the magazine publishing world. I used to hoard magazines and make moodboards of all my favorite ad campaigns. My fearless best friend, Daniel, made me believe that anything was possible. He truly taught me the way "in" was to work hard and be nice to people. I quickly became a kid of the internet and spent most of my high school life stalking fashion blogs obsessively. This was the OG phase that Erin and I now call "trolling." I went on to intern at an online fashion magazine, then at FLARE Magazine. I had always known Erin through mutual friends, so I hit her up to do an interview. She thought I was funny, asked me to meet her biz partner and boom—I had a new internship that would soon change the trajectory of my life. Fast-forward 3 years and I was poached by a few luxury fashion brands and ad agencies to live out another childhood fantasy: Move to NYC. I did the traditional ad agency thing, had a true #GIRLBOSS mentor who took me under her wing, gave me an unofficial Master's Degree in Marketing and Branding and truly taught me the ins and outs of everything from how to run a business to how to find that work/life balance. Then we had this light bulb moment of combining what we had learned from the publishing side of things and the brand side of things. I guess you can say the rest is history? Ugh, so cliché.
EK & SB: We specialize in launching new brands, as well as re-branding and elevating existing brands. We like to think of Métier as this cool tour guide (think: Supreme & Céline vs. Khakis and a badge) for luxury fashion, beauty and lifestyle brands to help them navigate the social space and connect the dots with the right partners. We get influencers and we get brands because once upon a time, we were them. We're a group of smart, savvy, connected women who know precisely what other women want.
What's a typical day like for you?
EK: When you're a mom/wife/CEO, there is no such thing as typical. No one day is the same. Some weeks are spent travelling with clients, showering my hubby and baby, Parker, with kisses, hustling in the office with our Métielves, really the list goes on. However I really like to spend my days talking with the team and clients. I'm so over slapping away at the keyboard, its all about IRL communication for Stacie and I.
SB: There is no true typical day, except that it always starts and ends with emails and trolling. I wake up, walk my new-ish puppy, Ollie, get dressed in athleisure gear (it's a v rare occasion if I'm not wearing sneakers and some form of FlyWheel-appropriate attire) and head to the office. There are weeks when we're constantly traveling. Some days we're in production (styling, shooting, making magic), but most days we're in the office plugging away with our amazing team brainstorming campaign ideas or partnerships for our clients.
Tell us about your office décor.
EK & SB: We're fortunate to have two offices: one in Toronto and one in New York. They're both very industrial-like being it's all-white with super high ceilings, succulent plants and fun accents. We're actually in the process of putting the finishing touches on it design-wise. Think: The Apartment by The Line. We're super inspired by anything and everything Vanessa Traina touches.
EK & SB: We discovered zazzle.com and went a bit crazy creating custom coffee mugs with emojis on them that people can't help but photograph when they see them. We recently came across this company called "He Said She Said" that makes the funniest (and most inappropriate) desk signs. We also love our stacks of coffee table books for inspiration, Dior Ambre Nuit candle (the best gift you can get), portable Polaroid printers from Jen Atkin and our beloved Barcelona chairs that were passed along to us by one of our investors, Faith Kates.
What's the best part about your job?
EK & SB: The amazing team we work with every day. We learned a long time ago that you are nothing without the people you work with. They are the true heroes and magicians behind the scenes who make the magic happen. It's all about hiring people who are smarter than you and each with their own Métier (a unique skill set). Our team is comprised of all females, so we're thrilled to always put our woman power together to create memorable, disruptive strategies for our clients.
What is the best piece of advice you've ever received?
EK & SB: Work hard and be nice to people. We've seen firsthand the strength in longstanding relationships that have come from deep connections made through business relations. As Canadians, we're known for being nice and we pride ourselves and our employees on it. Karma is real, so being kind to people always comes back around.
@jenatkinhair - Always real, never filtered.
@sofiarichie / @talitavon / @simihaze / @kyliejenner / @kaiagerber / @sarahfuckingsnyder - The kids we wish we were cool enough to secretly hang with.
@venzedits - The chicest, most BOSS momtrepreneur we know.
@marianna_hewitt - Sick feed, even cooler/nicer chick.
What's one social trend you LOVE right now?
Anything that gives us a #thatssome or #thatssous reaction. It never gets old!
What's the one trend you wish would go away?
Girls captioning their photos with Drake lyrics, using phrases like "squad", #GOALS or "bae" and bad ombré hair.
Today for lunch I had…my mom's homemade banana bread, on the go.
The first website I log onto every day is…fashionista.com and gmail.com.
My usual Starbucks order is…tall skim Matcha tea latte, and I alway cop a free ice water.
If I wasn't doing this job, I would…be a florist-slash-momfluencer.
My favorite place to visit is…Palm Springs.
List five things that are on your desk right now…my phone (plus necessary Apple battery pack), eye drops, OUAI Dry Shampoo, KNC Lip Mask and EK Cartier Stationary.
The book I'm reading right now is…the internet in general; currently scouring to find out as much as possible about Virtual Reality. All my time is spent trolling social to find the freshest, newest and dopest!
Today for lunch I had…Sweetgreen...shocker. I eat the same thing (almost) every day.
The first website I log onto every day is…gmail.com
My usual Starbucks order is…grande non-fat green tea latte, sweetened.
If I wasn't doing this job, I would…be binge watching Keeping Up With the Kardashians and Real Housewives. Or, I would be a dog walker.
My favorite place to visit is…my childhood sleepover camp in Northern Ontario, Canada.
List five things that are on your desk right now…Diptyque Baies Candle, almond milk latte, Supreme ashtray (that I use to hold headphones et. al not cigarettes!), my Laptop and rainbow Post-It notes.
The book I'm reading right now is…The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a F*ck: How to Stop Spending Time You Don't Have with People You Don't Like Doing Things You Don't Want to Do by Sarah Knight. I mean, could the title be any better (or more descriptive)?
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