Penny Pinar Karabey is the businesswoman who runs Luxury Next Season, a special type of online boutique that dedicates itself to a different kind of business than a typical luxury boutique. This is part of what separates Penny from the rest of the competition.
“Luxury Next Season is an online luxury fashion boutique dedicated to finding and supplying the rarest and most sought after luxury fashion pieces,” Karabey explains.
Karabey was born on November 3, 1975, in the lovely city of Istanbul, Turkey, and was very close to her father since childhood. She has a degree in computer science, which has helped her in her business. She has worked in both IT and fashion, which has enabled her with a unique skillset.
“One of my biggest assets is that I have been lucky enough to have knowledge of computer programming for a career that applied to online marketing. I have worked in the computer and fashion fields,” Karabey shares.
In the fashion world, Karabey is well known for her style. She has a sense of fashion unlike many others, rejecting typical and easy styles such as wearing black. It is precisely that style that helped her create her business. She has never let fear stop her from pursuing her dreams despite the fact that they may differ from others.
“I never wear black and I tend to look for pieces that are rare and exciting, pieces that no one else has. I saw a gap in the market so that women with tastes similar to mine could buy. So I started the next luxury season. Fear is often the unknown. I am a believer in taking risks and for many, it is fear that gets in the way of them doing so. Fear motivates me, I am headstrong and to be frank, if something scares me it motivates me even more,“ Karabey states.
Karabey already had the information and inspiration, she was just waiting for the right moment and when it came, she did not hesitate to take it. Her opportunity came at just the right time and she conquered a gap in the rapidly evolving online marketplace in order to form her business.
“I had worked in the fashion industry before as a private jewelry designer and had always been passionate about style. When I saw a gap in the market, I took it as a sign that it was time to venture out on my own,” Karabey recounts.
One life lesson that not only applies to business but also to personal life in general is that we should always seek to be surrounded by people who complement us in our weaknesses and vice versa. That’s precisely the advice Karabey gives to people trying to start their own business. Without a team behind her, her business could not have been as successful as it was.
“My advice is to surround yourself with a team that complements your strengths. Find people who are strong in areas where you are not strong and vice versa. A well-rounded team is a team well prepared for the challenges and unpredictability of business,” Karabey advises.
Karabey has set Luxury Next Season apart from other boutiques by having the ability to build lasting relationships with her customers. To her, this is the most important aspect of any business and what she tries to achieve for herself and her business.
“I believe that building lasting relationships with our customers is what sets us apart. Luxury Next Season is more than a place to buy luxury items. I talk to many of our customers on a daily basis. We talk about everything from the latest trends and must-have items to current events and our families. I believe that the ties we have with our customers are critical to our success,” Karabey reflects.
A Turkish-American transplant living on the Upper East Side, Karabey breaks the mold when it comes to style, always wearing the latest in luxury fashion and bringing her own interpretation to trends. Karabey is the founder of National Accessory Day and Luxury Next Season, a board member of Fashion Fights Cancer, a member of Female Founder Collective and Women Entrepreneurs NYC, the Editor of Fashion Week Pro. Interestingly enough, Karabey is also the founder of National Cellulite Day. She says, “I know it sounds funny but it’s a concept to empower women, and we’ve already gotten a lot of support from women across the world.”
Karabey’s next projects are to continue to grow her business and maintain these outstanding relationships with her customers that she has built up over the years. If you want to know more about Karabey or follow her journey, click here.
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