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Heavenly Hostess: run out of 1,500-square-foot headquarters in Orange |
Cynthia Waddell knows how to make a hostess look good.
Waddell owns Heavenly Hostess, which makes upscale aprons reminiscent of those worn by housewives in the 1950s.
The Orange-based company employs four workers and is targeting $1 million in sales next year.
Heavenly Hostess buys fabric from local vendors and contracts with a factory in Santa Ana to have the aprons sewn. All of the products are designed and packaged at the company’s 1,500-square-foot headquarters.
Waddell’s aprons sell for about $36 to $100. Her cocktail aprons are made out of fabrics such as lace, satin and organza. They’re short, layered and sometimes tiered and embroidered with patterns, beads and sequins.
Heavenly Hostess also makes halter aprons that look more like party dresses rather than the boring, old canvas kinds that are decorated with chili peppers or slogans like “Kiss the chef.”
Instead, these halter aprons are made out of quilters’ cotton and come in bright colors and loud prints. They’re fitted at the waist and have A-line skirts that flare out.
Apron: reminiscent of those in the 1950s |
Waddell likes to call her aprons “couture” and “luxurious” but insists that they’re practical.
All of Heavenly Hostess’ aprons can be machine washed and tumble dried or hand washed and line dried.
Waddell started Heavenly Hostess three years ago after spending more than 20 years in the technology industry. She most recently was a regional business manager for Arrow Electronics Inc., a New York-based distributor of computer products and electronic components.
Waddell may be techie but she’s a natural born party girl, she said.
Waddell always liked throwing dinner parties for family, friends and co-workers. Her only complaint was that she could never find high-quality aprons that looked good enough to wear in front of company.
Growing up, she admired the fancy ones her grandmother wore when she threw parties and longed to have her own. Such nostalgia pushed her to start Heavenly Hostess.
“I started this business because I wanted to bring elegance back to the hostess’ wardrobe,” Waddell said. “There’s a need for it.”
It took Waddell about two years to get her research, designs and contacts—such as for buying fabric—in order. She launched her first line last year. She’s now selling her aprons online and at more than 50 high-end home goods and gift boutiques across the U.S., including Alicia’s in Brea and Fleur de Lys in Costa Mesa. Waddell hopes she can get her aprons in upscale department stores such as Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman and Saks Fifth Avenue in a few years.
“They could fly off the shelves there,” she said.
Waddell said going from a career in technology to clothing was challenging at first. She used her own money to get the business started, which wasn’t cheap, she said.
Waddell had to learn about sizing, patterns, grading—the scaling of a pattern to a different size—and labels. She also had to figure out where to buy fabrics, how to get her products made and how to manage inventory, she said.
“It was frightening at first. I walked away from a high paying position to start something totally new,” Waddell said. “There was a lot to learn but it was a lot of fun. I kept faith in the fact that I was carving a niche in a market that was virtually untouched.”
Since Waddell started Heavenly Hostess, trendy cook wear has become all the rage as culinary arts has exploded with the popularity of TV channels such as the Food and Fine Living networks.
Companies such as Glendale-based Kitsch’n Glam Inc. and Connie Johnson De-signs of Washington, D.C., also are making pretty, frilly aprons.
So far, the demand for Waddell’s aprons has been strong, she said. Celebrities such as Cameron Diaz and the cast of “Desperate Housewives” wear Heavenly Hostess aprons.
Waddell said she’s considering getting into celebrity gifting to further promote Heavenly Hostess’ brand and image.
For now, Waddell’s mostly focusing on aprons. She’s looking at a line of headbands, too, with similar frilly fabrics.
“I just want to focus on what I’m good at right now. It’s too early and too complicated for me to get deeper in apparel,” she said.
Later down the road, Waddell said she wants to design more aprons and come out with a tableware line.
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