Rarely will you see a lady with greater work ethic than Salsatrends founder Arleen Sutton. While most fashion houses would be happy just to send out their pieces to photoshoots, Arleen has a more hands-on approach to running her clothing empire, making sure that her clothes are photographed well one look after another.
Despite being a workaholic (a term she chose for herself), relationships are most important to her. She is a devoted wife and a mother to two beautiful little ladies, and she makes it a point to prioritize her family over work—frequenting beaches and traveling locally or abroad are typical on her work/family agenda. On her free days, she loves to cook and entertain friends in her beautiful home.
Get to know Arleen, a talented designer and a dear friend to the STU team.
Arleen's voluminous sheer pieces prove to be sleeper hits time and time again
What does your typical work day look like?
I usually work out in the morning; I do either yoga or a typical workout in the gym. Afterwards, I head out to my workshop, then I do a store visit in Greenbelt 5 just to check everything. I usually stay there for a couple of hours. I don't go everyday though—usually around four times a week.
Afterwards, I make sure to carve out time to spend with my two girls for swimming or art sessions. Then I usually cook dinner for my family. My favorite part of the day is when I get to just unwind and have cocktails in the evening.
Virtual meetings: yay or nay?
Yay! I don’t think I have a choice now since COVID is still around. Virtual meetings are good for me.
Three favorite Instagram accounts you follow.
1. Mikka Padua
2. Zimmerman
3.Tina Tagle
What’s your caffeinated beverage of choice?
I am definitely a coffee person. I enjoy my coffee first thing in the morning after I wake up. I especially love having coffee with my friend, Tina Tagle.
Salsatrends knows how to double down on the ruffles where needed (featuring the Calyer dress)
Were there any challenges you faced along the way as a woman in business?
There were definitely a lot of challenges but nothing that I couldn’t handle. It’s part of the territory. Even though this pandemic is challenging, I think of it as just one of the hurdles that's natural in running a business.
What does rest look like for you?
Rest for me is lounging around the house and watching movies on Netflix.
Arleen in her best-selling Noord set
Seek Salsatrends here.
Japs Medina
Author