FOUNDER FEATURE
Felicia Zivkovic
A French term for "next of kin", Proche is the embodiment of quality clothing made with intent to cherish and pass down. Often using vintage materials with a history, or deadstock cottons and vintage elements, each collection is peppered with charming one of a kind elements.
Using what existed in her home, designer Felicia created some of the most meaningful and inspired pieces that led to a transformation in how she viewed fashion. She now designs limited-edition collections of modern heirloom pieces where effortless femininity meets nostalgia.
FOUNDER PROFILE
Meet Felicia
Felicia Zivkovic, founder of Proche, was greatly inspired by her mother. Her mom was a pattern maker who introduced her to fashion and by age 11, Felicia knew she would work in the industry. Throughout high school, Felicia took weekend classes at FIT and this was the beginning of her education that led to pursuing a degree at Parsons School of Design.
After graduation, Felicia was hired to be the assistant for Lela Rose, a fashion entrepreneur who was building her namesake company Lela Rose. Felicia ended up working at Lela Rose for 18 years, during which the business saw tremendous growth and Felicia was promoted to Director of Design. During her tenure, Felicia started a bridal line that has become an integral part of the brand.
In 2017, Felicia began upcycling her wardrobe as a way to combat the wastefulness of the industry. These sustainable pieces received many compliments from others and Felicia built a small business called re-issued style. People would send Felicia “their dogs” – old, ugly clothes that Felcia then creatively turned into modern, well-loved pieces.
COVID changed everything when Felicia was abruptly laid off from Lela Rose. This was a devastating time but one that led to tremendous growth as Felicia focused on building own business. She quickly realized, however, that her business wasn’t scalable. Creativity took over again and Felicia started designing dresses made from deadstock and other sustainable fabrics. The signature piece of Felicia’s dresses were her grandmother’s handkerchiefs that she used as collars and accents.
In 2020 one of Felcia’s friends wore a Proche dress infront of Shopbop buyers and this led to overnight success. The buyers placed a large order and Felicia’s small business turned into an actual brand. This first dress was a catapult into a full collection of sustainable clothing that includes dresses, denim, jackets and more. Felicia’s clothes are meant to “spark nostalgia and joy. A remembrance of wholesome aspects of life while making space for creativity and exploration”.
To further Felicia’s dedication to sustainability, she recently launched a Circular Shop with Manymoons. You can find past season items at a discount on Felicia’s Circular Shop and here on the Manymoons Marketplace. Both of Felicia's shops enable customers to “Give Back” their used clothing – keeping them in circulation and out of landfill. Find out more about our Give Back Program here.
Founder Q&A
I found the hardest thing about my business was everything! I was learning as I went in real time to build a website, advertise, do marketing, production and more. I worked around the clock to get things up and running and learned something new every day. The learning curve was very tough, and it took a lot of perseverance to get through to the other side where I felt confident.
I have 12 year old twins who have watched me grow this business from the beginning. I have inspired them to pursue their own passions and they have truly developed a respect for what I am building. Setting my own schedule and working from home also allows me to be more present in their lives.
There is a sentimental and personal touch to everything that I do. I have a connection with my customers, the vision of the brand comes from me and my values. The clothing is meant to be something you wear for a long time and pass down. That is why we use the term “modern heirloom”. Proche actually means “kin” or “close” in French. I try to design clothing that will grow with you throughout every stage of your life, not too trendy with a focus on effortless style.
