Josie Natori was born on Josefina Almeda Cruz, May 9,1947 and is a Filipino-American fashion designer and the CEO and founder of The Natori Company.
26 Facts About Josie Natori
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Josie Natori often says her business philosophy is based around an "East-West mix" of culture and design.
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Josie Natori's mother is Angelita Almeda, the sister of Fredesvinda Almeda.
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Josie Natori's mother married her father, Felipe Cruz, whose namesake company remains one of the largest in the industry.
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Josie Natori was raised in a close-knit Filipino family, as one of six siblings.
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Josie Natori learned about business from a young age; her grandmother owned several businesses, including a pharmacy.
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Josie Natori moved to the United States in 1964 to attend Manhattanville College, where she took every economics course she could, and enrolled in courses at Fordham University.
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On Wall Street, she met her husband Ken Josie Natori, who served as a Managing Director of Shearson Lehman.
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Josie Natori made the move from Wall Street to fashion full-time in 1977, after considering a number of other entrepreneurial ventures from opening a McDonald's franchise, to reproducing antique furniture.
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Josie Natori settled on fashion after a buyer at Bloomingdale's suggested she lengthen some peasant blouses sent to her from her native Philippines.
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Josie Natori has said that 70 percent of her company's products are made in the Philippines.
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Josie Natori launched towel and eyewear lines in the Fall of 2009 as well.
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Josie Natori's success came early: In 1978 she operated a 300 square-foot showroom, which by 1983 had expanded to 18,000 square feet.
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Josie Natori has been named by Yahoo as a "self-made immigrant millionaire" and furnished the accommodations for Pope Francis during his January 2015 visit to Manila.
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Josie Natori has appeared on the Fox Business Network to talk about lingerie business trends and international shipping.
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Josie Natori's parties have been covered by social blogs from New York, and her career switch from finance to fashion has been chronicled by the Oprah media network.
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Josie Natori famously chose lingerie over a variety of other ideas for her new business in 1977.
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Josie Natori operates a boutique at 253 Elizabeth Street in the NoLIta section of Manhattan, her first stand-alone US store.
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At the time of its June 2014 opening, Josie Natori told Women's Wear Daily that it would be "a veritable retail theater" with "everything" for sale, including antiques on display.
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Josie Natori previously operated a boutique in Paris for twelve years.
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Josie Natori says it lost money every year but it helped get her brand noticed.
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In 2007, Josie Natori celebrated her 30th year as the CEO-founder of The Josie Natori Company.
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Josie Natori received the Galleon Award from Corazon Aquino in 1998.
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Josie Natori is a member of the Council of Fashion Designers of America.
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Josie Natori says she still talks to her mother, who lives in Manila, on the phone every night.
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Josie Natori has said she loves the energy of New York City but she and her husband have a weekend home in Westchester, New York.