A LIGHT IN THE DARK

A Light in the

Dark: LYS the Label

Sometimes light can be found, even during a dark time, and LYS the Label is the perfect example of a luminescence in the darkness. LYS the Label started as a passion project born in the depths of the early pandemic. “I’ve always wanted to have my own clothing brand”, says twenty-three year old entrepreneur Alyssa Corrente. Corrente graduated from Lasell University in 2020 just as COVID-19 was taking its hold on the world. In search of a creative outlet, Corrente recalled her life-long dream to have her own brand. Despite the uncertainties, she decided it was the perfect time to pursue such a dream.

LYS the Label is an e-commerce retailer based out of Cumberland, Rhode Island that features fun and trendy fashion pieces sourced from online vendors. Most of the clothing comes from women-owned and smaller, more niche companies. Corrente says she buys in smaller quantities in an attempt to limit clothing waste and overconsumption. Some of the current product line includes dresses, skirts, tops, hair clips, socks, masks, and sportswear, such as leggings and sports bras. As LYS the Label is still a startup company, Corrente does all the work herself including website creation, product selection, and social media management. She completes all of these tasks while juggling her full-time retail job at the same time.

When first starting out, Corrente said she would watch Youtube videos on website design, running a small business, and marketing in order to learn more about what she needed to know to get her business off the ground. She researched for hours and hours to discover what she needed to do to make the dream of owning her own clothing brand into a reality.

When asked what is the most challenging part, Corrente was quick to answer: Balance. One can never truly know how much work goes into owning their own business until they really do it.

“It’s all the things you don’t think about when you go on a website to shop,” said Corrente.

Photo editing, adding tags inside garments, and even modeling most of the clothes herself for her website, Corrente works tirelessly behind the scenes to make LYS the Label great. But she is transparent about the amount of hard work and dedication that is needed to be successful.

“I never could have anticipated just how much goes into it. I will say I love packing the orders. The hard work really pays off in the end,” said Corrente.

Sustainability is extremely important to Corrente. As a former fashion student, she learned all about the details and dangers of fast fashion, and though LYS the Label cannot be considered a sustainable company yet, Corrente is striving to make it so in the future. She uses compostable mailers to incorporate eco-friendly practices as part of her brand. Purchasing from women-owned, smaller wholesalers is a way for LYS the Label to support fellow small businesses. Corrente is also conscious of pricing and wants her products to be accessible; therefore, all the items featured on LYS the Label are under fifty dollars.

“I want as many people as possible to be able to buy something if they want to. That is really important to me”, said Corrente.

Despite some of the challenges of running a company at age twentythree during a global pandemic, LYS the Label has had more than six product launches with restocks in between. The company has gained a small following on social media platforms and with each new drop, new customers are flowing in. Corrente often conducts surveys on Instagram stories to get feedback on products and to learn what her customers are looking for. Corrente’s extra effort makes buying from LYS the Label a more personal experience. The items you vote for may just end up in the next drop!

When it comes to owning her own small business, Corrente most enjoys sourcing affordable, quality pieces, and then seeing those pieces on her customers. Having the ability to choose the products herself ensures that her customers are getting only the best.

“It is so rewarding to see how many people enjoy my clothing. The amount of support from everyone has been so overwhelming. It’s the most incredible feeling. I never thought I could do something like this now at this point in my career. Thanks COVID! No but really, the one blessing from COVID was that it allowed me to be my most creative self. And even though I was forced away from my friends, I feel like I have so much more love for them now,” said Corrente.

What’s next for LYS the Label? Corrente hopes to grow the brand and create more brand awareness through marketing and making connections. She also hopes this will eventually lead to the integration of fully sustainable products and practices within the brand. Corrente also wants to increase her size range, which will require her to use a greater variety of vendors. Right now most products come only in sizes small, medium, and large. As the business expands, LYS the Label will be able to potentially find vendors with product ranges that have a wider variety of size options. “I would love to make this my full-time career,” Corrente says. She dreams to one day design her own products, with the help of a seamstress to make her visions come to life.

“Starting LYS the Label has definitely been challenging, but I have gained so much knowledge and confidence in myself. It really puts into perspective what I’m capable of and why I love being in the fashion industry,” says Corrente.

LYS the Label is a growing small business with a lot of potential. Behind the brand are great values and goals backed by a passionate founder who has plans to take the company very far. In a time of darkness, Alyssa Corrente creates a shining light with LYS the Label.

@lysthelabel; shoplysthelabel.com