There is no better way to close out Women’s History Month than with Jane Siskin, the inspiring Founder and CEO of the brand Cinq à Sept. Earlier in the month, I joined other fellow fans of the brand for a very special Saturday hosted by Saks Fifth Avenue Boca Raton where we had a chance to preview the gorgeous Spring collection, shop for a great cause (Habitat for Humanity of South Palm Beach County), create our very own bouquet from “Jane’s Flower Market”, and meet Siskin in person.
Siskin designs everything through a feminine lens so that the women wearing Cinq à Sept feel sexy and beautiful. Just the story behind the brand’s name oozes that “deliberate balance between sophistication and ease, youthful daring and confident allure,” that is inspired by the hours between 5 and 7 p.m., hence the name Cinq à Sept. Essentially, it’s the French equivalent of our “happy hour” when work ends and the time to unwind kicks in.
After the runway presentation, I had the opportunity to sit down with this fashion trailblazer for a candid chat on fashion, business and what it means to make everyday a masterpiece.
Who is the Cinq à Sept woman?
We have a broad range of women we design for. It’s a lifestyle brand for the daughter, the mother, and the grandmother.
Your brand is still relatively new, having launched in 2016. What would you mainly attribute to its growing success?
To be honest, I was very fortunate to have been in the business for quite some time so the retailers knew me. We also had the experience, the infrastructure and the team in place to get the brand off the ground running.
Retail is challenging and in many cases, more so than ever. How do you navigate through those bumps?
It’s mostly instincts that help me navigate through challenges. Like when Covid hit, I took two days to step back and think over things before pivoting, especially in terms of products. We had to think about what we were going to stand for and forge ahead despite the difficulties that we all faced.
Have you considered a brick and mortar store?
Yes and actually, we are working on finding a location in Soho for our flagship store. Because we are so young and new, many still don’t know our brand, so having stores that we can also use to share our brand’s story is definitely on the horizon.
Where you do you find your inspiration?
I find inspiration everywhere. It can be color, a work of art, or even someone walking past me. It comes from so many different places. And also because I’ve been doing this since the 70’s, I do reference past decades and call upon things that I wore, things that my friends wore, and how can we make those items from the past more modern.
What are the three key pieces that every Cinq à Sept client should have?
If someone asked me what they should get to last them an entire year, it’s a blazer, a giles pant, and a dress. You’re good to go!
Are you planning on adding any new categories in the near future?
Yes, our next upcoming category is “la à plage,” which means at the beach in French and this collection will feature cover ups.
What is the best advice you’ve received in business?
Find what you love because doing what you love really is everything. This is not only the best advice that I’ve received but it’s also the one that I give out. If you have the opportunity to do something that you really love, it changes the way you wake up in the morning and the way that you live your life. I like to make everyday a masterpiece. Live day by day and moment by moment.
Quickfire Q&A
Favorite travel destination?
There are so many, but anywhere in the Mediterranean.
Who’s your style crush?
Mary Lawless, the founder of Happily Grey.
What’s your go-to outfit when pressed for time?
Jeans and a white T-shirt.
What’s on your music playlist?
Obsessed with Pearl Jam at the moment.
What’s one thing that most people would not know about you?
I married the same man twice.
