The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Mentor woman’s designs soaring
Mentor entrepreneur’s designs are soaring in popularity, sales
Anne Skoch was 13 when she received her first sewing machine, sparking a love of creating home and clothing accessories.
She went on to sell her handcrafted items on etsy. com and at craft shows.
“I always loved fashion but the core was always creating,” said Skoch, a Lake Catholic High School graduate who has earned degrees in Fashion Merchandising and Entrepreneurship from Kent State University in 2018. “I discovered the combination of creating with fashion, especially accessories.”
While in college she continued the operation and during her sophomore year developed a particular design using the towering skylines of Cleveland and other cities to embellish articles.
“I had always loved the excitement when I saw a skyline,” Skoch said. “I was drawn to that animation and the feeling that it provokes. My designs are all black and white silhouettes. I believe in the beauty of simplicity. The skyline speaks for itself. It has a lot of backstory and meaning for every person.”
Postings of the skyline pieces on Facebook created such an overwhelmingly positive response that the young entrepreneur decided to create and launch Anne Cate, the business she now runs.
A considerable boost came a few years ago via the airing of a news segment titled “More Money for Me” featuring Skoch and Anne Cate.
“At that point I was just sewing in my apartment,” she said. “It was insane. I reached a broader audience and it was my first step in major growth.”
Because of a substantial increase in orders she recently moved production from her home studio in
Mentor to the city’s Matchworks Building on Station Street.
The 1,000-square-foot facility provides room for product display, industrial sewing machines and cutting tables as well as a wallsized image of Cleveland’s skyline hand painted by Skoch.
Her line of products now includes about 85 skylines from around the world highlighted on purses, pillows, tote bags and more.
She notes that people are drawn to them for several reasons such as moving to a new city, missing a former hometown or perhaps having a goal to move to that place.
In addition to Cleveland and other cities in Ohio, the most requested skylines are London, Nashville and New York.
If a patron asks for a city not on hand she’s happy to comply by completing the necessary research to design it.
Coupled with her artistic skills are those of a savvy salesperson.
Skoch uses several means to promote her products. In addition to two websites and the studio, she participates in pop-up markets in Cleveland, New York City and Chicago.
“We’ve come so far in so little time,” Skoch said while reflecting on the business’ success.
Anne Cate designs will also be on display and available to purchase from 6 to 9 p.m., March 8, at the “2nd Fridays at Matchworks” event. The free happening takes place on the second Friday of each month in Matchworks at 8500 Station St. and features artwork from in-house galleries as well as information and more from other businesses located in the building.
Anne Cate Designs can be found at www.annecate.etsy.com and www.annecate.com. The studio is open by appointment only.
“I believe in the beauty of simplicity. The skyline speaks for itself. It has a lot of backstory and meaning for every person.” — Anne Skoch