A Sit Down with Fashion Entrepreneur Ondraè Lawson

Derrick Mayes

4 years ago

This past week we had the pleasure of sitting down with fashion enthusiast, Ondraè Lawson. She is the founder of Saint Ondres and Saint Ondres Tour both out of Atlanta, GA. Ondraè has been well involved in the fashion world for some time now and has achieved some great success, she had this to say when asked how did she get started in fashion…

“Growing up I was always very eccentric compared to my peers, especially with my style. My mom allowed me to paint, customize, and style my clothes however I liked. I actually wanted to be a fashion model because I always liked to dress up. Actually creating fashion became an interest later on.

With a deep connection to fashion it was only a matter of time before Ondraè started her own business, now that she has she is not looking to stop anytime soon.

Being an owner of one business is challenging in itself, but it takes a special person to run two companies successfully. Ondraè discovered she wanted to become a business owner in a very unique way…with her basic motivations aligning with helping others and herself, Ondraè first founded Saint Ondres and later on founded a sister company named Saint Ondres Tour. Both lines are all about expressing yourself in different ways rather it be your hometown connection that Saint Ondres Tour offers or the unique one of a kind style found in Saint Ondres. Ondraè had this to say about her personal experience with starting a business…

“A lot of people don’t know, but I actually became interested in business because of a bible study I accidentally attended. I stumbled across a “bible study for entrepreneurs” one summer day and it changed my life. I started my business with the intentions of changing my life and helping others change theirs. I’m all about networking horizontally, and trying to help others come up while I’m on my journey. From mentoring to collaborating I try to have as many different hands and perspectives as I can.

When a company is founded on the principle of helping others, usually it leads to great things. We congratulate Ondraè on being an impactful individual and taking it upon herself to not only produce a clothing line but also be a positive role model to others in the entrepreneur world. Ondraè has been able to achieve some success very early on, this is what she had to say when asked about some major accomplishments…

“I see making it this far, in business, and still being extremely motivated to continue as an achievement! Many people that started businesses in 2016 can’t say they’re still in business in 2020. I’ve done a show in New York for fashion week, made connections in the fashion industry in Toronto, and created a solid business reputation. Those are all things I feel really good about accomplishing.”

We agree that creating a name for yourself within the business world is a major accomplishment and congratulate Ondraè on all of her success

The journey of entrepreneurship is challenging and can sometimes seem impossible, but, as we all know, if it’s something you believe in, you should never give up on it. Ondraè is the definition of not giving up and following her dreams and forming her dreams into reality.

“I’m never giving up. Ever. I get asked questions like “what are you going to do if this doesn’t work?”, “What’s your plan b?”, etc. The answer is nothing because this is it. Saint Ondres isn’t going anywhere. I definitely feel like I bring the Mamba Mentality to fashion, and I can’t wait to broadcast my journey and show that to the world,” said Ondraè when asked about the topic.”

Never giving up is a great mindset to possess and making the necessary adjustments is even better.

Ondraè knows the importance of keeping course and even on the worst days sticking by your brand and making improvements. It’s not always roses, sometimes adversity is needed to make a stronger business owner. Ondraè wanted to leave some words for any young entrepreneurs or those that are seeking entrepreneurship…

“I love the quote “comparison is the thief of joy” I have to constantly remind myself that. You cannot compare where you are on your journey to anyone else. You have to disconnect from social media because on social media everyone is in their winning season (even if it’s not actually their winning season, ya know?). Trust God’s timing, trust your vision, and trust your intuition. Lastly, you have to relax and take the pressure off of yourself. Ideas and blessings will seek you out when you are in the space to receive them, and not a moment sooner.”