Josie Natori

Josie Natori (born Josefina Almeda Cruz, May 9, 1947) is a Filipino-American fashion designer and the CEO and founder of The Natori Company. Natori served as a commissioner on the White House Conference on Small Business. In March 2007 she was awarded the Order of Lakandula, one of the highest civilian awards in the Philippines. In April 2007, Natori received the "Peopling of America" Award from the Statue of Liberty - Ellis Island Foundation. She often says her business philosophy is based around an "East-West mix" of culture and design.

Early life Josefina Almeda Cruz was born in the Philippines in 1947. Her mother is Angelita Almeda, the sister of Fredesvinda Almeda. Both married construction magnates. Her mother married her father, Felipe Cruz, whose namesake company remains one of the largest in the industry. She was raised in a close-knit Filipino family, as one of six siblings. Her first love was the piano, and she performed solo with the Manila Philharmonic Orchestra at the age of nine. She learned about business from a young age; her grandmother also owned several businesses, including a pharmacy.

Education and move to America Natori moved to the United States in 1964 to attend Manhattanville College, where she took every economics course she could, and also enrolled in courses at Fordham University. Natori has said: "There is no better place in the world for an immigrant to succeed than in the U.S. Follow your dream and make it happen." She settled on fashion after a buyer at Bloomingdale's suggested she lengthen some peasant blouses sent to her from her native Philippines. Natori has said that 70 percent of her company's products are made in the Philippines. In addition to women's clothing, the company is also in the home furnishings industry, and in May, 2008 signed a licensing deal to sell Natori perfume. The perfume debuted in the US in September, 2009, with international distribution to follow. Natori also launched towel and eyewear lines in the Fall of 2009 as well.

Her success came early: In 1978 she operated a 300 square-foot showroom, which by 1983 had expanded to 18,000 square feet. The assassination of Filipino opposition leader Benigno Aquino in 1983 cut off her supply route to and from the Philippines, which almost sank her business, if not for the support of her family.

Celebrity

Natori has been named by Yahoo as a "self-made immigrant millionaire" She has appeared on the Fox Business Network and her career switch from finance to fashion has been chronicled by the Oprah media network.

Collaborations The Natori x Target collaboration — themed "East Meets West" — was Target's first limited-edition lingerie and loungewear collection. Natori's first installment debuted October 30, 2011, ending its run on December 22. The second installment of Asia-inspired silk underwear and other items debuted New Year's Day 2012 and ran until February. The collection consisted of 37 pieces, including bras, panties, robes, knits, leggings, camis, and chemises with prices ranging from $10 to $35.

The company is in a longterm partnership with Luxe Brands to "develop and launch a series of lifestyle collections."

Businesses and product lines Lingerie Natori famously chose lingerie over a variety of other ideas for her new business in 1977. She told CNN, "In 1977 lingerie had no style. It was either Victorian or vulgar. Because I had no preconceived notions about what Natori should be, I was able to produce bold, colorful and unexpected lingerie for the time." in her apartment, Saks Fifth Avenue buyers placed a massive order for 5,000 pieces: "Within three weeks I had $350,000 in orders," she recalled in an interview. — Josie Natori, on the launch of her home goods line in Architectural Digest, October, 2011

Natori partners with JLA Home to manufacture bedding for the Natori, Josie, and N Natori brands. In addition to bedding, Natori also offers bath and beach towels, and in October 2011 she launched sales of "decorative area rugs, decorative room accessories, accent and occasional furniture, decorative tables and floor lighting."

Fragrance In June 2014, Natori launched JOSIE. "I wanted to create a fragrance for JOSIE that exudes charisma. I am thrilled with the scent – it truly captures the essence of the brand," Natori said when publicizing the product. A 1.7-ounce bottle retails for $75, and the scent includes "a voluptuous bouquet of sampaguita, the national flower of the Philippines," according to the company's promotional texts.

Retail Natori's products are available at Saks Fifth Avenue, Bergdorf Goodman, Bloomingdales, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Lord & Taylor, Macy's, Anthropologie, Dillard's, Zappos, the Home Shopping Network, Bed, Bath & Beyond, Bare Necessities, Her Room, Amazon, and Designer Living, among other outlets.

New York Boutique Natori operates a boutique at 253 Elizabeth Street in the NoLIta section of Manhattan, her first stand-alone U.S. store. It offers lingerie, sleepwear, ready-to-wear, home accents, and accessories. At the time of its June 2014 opening, Natori told Women's Wear Daily that it would be "a veritable retail theater" with "everything" for sale, including antiques on display. "I prefer not to look at it as a store but as a lab," Natori said at its opening. Natori previously operated a boutique in Paris for twelve years. She says it lost money every year but it helped get her brand noticed.

In 2021, Natori along with nine others were featured in a Philippine postage stamp collection called Living Legends: World-Renowned Filipinos by Philippine Postal Corporation. Other personalities included in the collection are Lea Salonga, Kenneth Cobonpue, Diosdado Banatao, Efren "Bata" Reyes, Rafael "Paeng" Nepomuceno, Eugene Torre, Monique Lhuillier, Jordan Clarkson, and Jollibee.

Natori is a member of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA).

Personal and family life Natori is a self-described shopaholic Her son Kenneth married Anika Proskurowski in June 2007, according to an announcement in the New York Times. Anika blogs for the company's contemporary Josie collection as the Josie Girl.

Residences Natori has said she loves the energy of New York City but she and her husband also have a weekend home in Westchester, New York.