Brand Architects: Pauline Nakios of Lilla P

It was 1998, and Pauline Nakios had a simple mission: create the perfect t-shirt. Armed with $10,000 in savings and a degree in Fine Arts, she set out to revolutionize what was then known as the "baby tee" trend of the '90s.

Join Bora Celik as he chats with Pauline Nakios, the Founder of Lilla P.

Watch/Listen: YouTube | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed

"First of all, when you say 1998, it sounds like 100 years ago, and it really sometimes feels like 100 years ago," Pauline laughs, reflecting on her journey. Growing up in a retail family that ran a furniture business in Charleston, South Carolina, she had entrepreneurship in her blood. But her path wasn't straight to fashion – she initially considered becoming an architect before realizing fashion was her true calling.

Starting with just one t-shirt design in five colors, Pauline's early days were marked by what she now calls endearing naivety. "Ignorance is bliss," she says. "At that age, I was in my mid-20s at that point, we think we know everything." She would pack her samples in a duffel bag and go door-to-door to boutiques, not even knowing that stores bought their inventory seasons in advance.

Her garage in Atlanta became her first warehouse, "floor to ceiling boxes of goods that I had never sold." But Pauline had a secret weapon – her mother. "She was the creepy woman at the grocery store with her cute southern accent who would get women to come out to her car and buy t-shirts," Pauline recalls with amusement. "She was my best sales rep."

The turning point came when stores started asking for more. "We really like you, but we need you to offer more," they told her. While Pauline describes herself as "the marathon runner" who might have stayed comfortable with her initial success, her future husband Thomas would become "the sprinter" who helped push the business forward.

Their partnership proved crucial. When Thomas first looked at her business plan, Pauline remembers the moment vividly: "His eyes got this big. I had no business plan. Zero, none. And so that was a sheer moment of panic." But that panic turned into progress.

Today, Lilla P has evolved far beyond that single t-shirt. The brand delivers new collections ten times a year to boutiques across the country, maintaining relationships with stores that have been carrying her products for two decades. While many modern brands focus primarily on direct-to-consumer sales, Lilla P still derives 75% of its business from wholesale – a testament to the strong relationships Pauline has built over 25 years.

"I think my formula for success as I look back over the years is really sticking in my lane," Pauline reflects. "The trends in fashion and with everything else, they are up and down and you can't just pivot quickly to kind of cover that trend or you're going to lose your base and really lose what you're about."

Her approach to customer service remains refreshingly old-school in our digital age. "Even if we're on vacation, I'm like, let me run into that store. We sell them, I'm gonna go see if they're there," she says. "That solidifies that relationship. I have made the effort, I've seen the store."

Looking ahead, Pauline faces new challenges, from navigating tariff changes to adapting to AI technology. But her commitment to quality and authenticity remains unchanged. As she puts it, "We are simple yet anything but basic. We are classic with a twist."

For aspiring entrepreneurs, Pauline's journey offers valuable lessons about persistence, relationship-building, and staying true to your vision. As she says, "Every no is closer to a yes." Twenty-five years later, she's proved that sometimes the perfect t-shirt can lead to the perfect business.

Help build the opportunity economy for creators and brands. Request your invite at collabs.io