Photo by Jennifer Jones, Heart Smile Photography.
Gentille Alouette
Regina Newsome (left) and Corrine Prosser with samples from their clothing line, Gentille Alouette.
Friends Regina Newsome and Corrine Prosser met four years ago when their older children were in a music and play class together.
“We connected almost immediately and became fast friends,” Prosser said.
Both women, who live in northern Shelby County, had a desire to create and decided start a business together. They began discussing starting a clothing line last year, and in the spring of 2015, Gentille Alouette was born. The name, which means “gentle lark,” is drawn from a popular French children’s nursery song.
“We were looking for something European,” Newsome said. “We are inspired by so many different things, but our main inspiration is vintage, classic European style. We also pull from art, nature, storybooks and current fashion trends.”
Prosser, who has two daughters ages 4 and 1, was having a tough time finding dresses that she loved for them. Newsome had the same experience after the birth of her daughter in 2013.
“We both love fashion, and found that there was a gap in the market for high quality, vintage inspired children’s clothing,” Prosser said. “It seemed there was an opportunity for us to create some truly special dresses for our girls, as well as others.”
Prosser is a CPA and handles the finances, while Newsome is responsible for negotiations with manufacturers. The company has already developed a diverse client base from around the country, and about 60 percent of sales are shipping out of state.
“We’ve found that some customers are already loyal, purchasing often and are constantly asking for new styles,” Newsome said. “What makes us so happy is receiving notes, emails, pictures, and calls from happy clients and their kids.”
Since Gentille Alouette’s most recent dress, the Savannah, sold out on the website within two weeks, plans are in the works to develop two separate lines. One will be available online only and produced in very limited quantities. The second line, which will be available both in boutiques and online, will have a separate label and be more focused on modern styles with structured lines and details.
The duo plans in the future to include a boy’s clothing line, and they have already begun sampling styles. Newsome’s three sons will be the main inspiration for the line, which they plan to debut in 2016. Another project in the works includes a women’s clothing line.
“We have only been on the market since March, and in that time we’ve accomplished so much,” Newsome said.
Newsome and Prosser say the company has received an amazing response from the community. The first collection is available at Favorite Laundry in Mt Laurel, and they have received interest from several other stores.
The business has changed both women’s lives dramatically, as both went from stay-at-home moms to business owners. They have weekly meetings on Monday nights and are emailing, texting and calling each other every day in between.
“It has been stressful, but we are both so lucky to have incredibly supportive and loving husbands and families,” Prosser said. “We are learning to balance our lives as wives, moms and business owners. We’ve met so many great people, clients and vendors and learned so many lessons and have had so much fun doing it all together.”
For more information, visit gentilleallouette.com.
