Inside the Factory: why I do this & an update on your order

Some call this the "hard way". But it's not hard when you love it.

I’ve been living at the factory this week. And, this is me RIGHT NOW:

I have been working fourteen-hour days, seven days a week. My phone full of messages about orders, production, fabrics, deadlines. My mind running through the same rhythm: what’s cut, what’s sewn, what’s still waiting. What needs to be shipped, what’s coming next, So on, and so on.

Everyone told me this industry was hard. That it would chew me up. That I wouldn’t make money because it’s too hard, too expensive, too cutthroat. And for a while, I (sorta) believed them. I def got cold feet multiple times. Hence the going back and forth from BRÛLÉ to paying my bills by doing my body and wellness stuff (that KB is retired now do not even ask). But when I finally stopped listening to those motherfuckers and just started following my intuition and dream (& STOPPED letting the outside voices in), with zero distractions…my life has been on the up Up up. And so has my business. Here’s the thing: I don’t find it hard. Do I find it consuming, stressful, obsessive? YES. But not hard. This is in my blood. I don’t think it’s hard to make it in this industry - at least for me.

I am from Wisconsin. I have been working since I was ten years old. Work is in my blood. My most miserable times in life were when I did not feel like I had a purpose. My great-grandfather was a shoemaker. When I walk into my factory - a tucked-away space in Los Angeles (with no air conditioning and as I write this it is 100 degrees out) full of fabric stacks, thread, machines buzzing - I feel like this culture is inside of me. I think this is why it works for me: because I don’t see the grind, I see the calling.

This week, we are late on some orders. The entire Soleil collection (dylan denim, fisherman pant, colette tank tops and the alba) and the Luca pant, the Lana halter tops. And instead of hiding from that, I want to be transparent and show you exactly why.

This is what it looks like:

• Fabric laid out in piles.

• Straps cut and waiting to be sewn.

• Francisco bent over his machine, stitching with precision.

• Pieces being checked, folded, and packed one by one.

There are no shortcuts. Nothing leaves our factory until it’s right. That’s why sometimes it takes longer than I’d like. Because perfection and quality can’t be rushed.

Honestly, I hate that you don’t have your order yet…but I love this high-stress energy. It’s like fuel. It’s the kind of pressure that would crush someone else - I actually get off on it. It makes me sharper, faster, more devoted.

And when I zoom out, it’s not just about a pant or a top. It’s about the choice I made when I stopped listening to the voices telling me it was impossible, and started following my dream with zero distractions. And to see it…WORKING. Not just monetarily, but in the proof that my return customer rate is 95%. Almost every single person who buys BRÛLÉ comes back -placing $500 to $1,000 orders. That tells me it’s working. They feel what BRÛLÉ does on their body. It’s an art. It’s made to make you feel powerful. Beautiful. Edgy. Sexy. Not like the rest. The quality is meant to feel like you’re wearing a piece from The Row - without that price tag. You waited for it. And that’s how I’m able to deliver this level of quality without an insane price tag.

BRÛLÉ isn’t fast fashion. It’s not mass-produced. It’s not churned out overseas where no one touches it.

Every single piece is sewn here in LA. Every Dylan pant and Luca pant (and every single piece) has passed through the hands of me and Francisco. Every strap, buttonhole, seam - touched, checked, finished with care. It’s slow, intentional, and sometimes it means you wait longer than you’d like. But I promise, it’s worth it.

Today, we’re finally finishing and now I will PROMPTLY ship out your order. I can’t thank you enough for your patience, your support, your belief in what I’m building here. This is BRÛLÉ. Made slowly. Made to last. Made with love.

All my love.

X,

KB